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While Dances With Wolves won many a heart with its sweeping cinematography, romantic Old West & noble savages versus encroaching white men theme, those who say it depicts the REAL world of Plains Indians, has been fooled by those murky New Age books & by Hollywood...again. The choice for actors was very good except when Costner took the lead. Costner just can't act, folks. He did a good job of directing this film, & no one can take that from him. The other actors did a nice job in this film, even of covering for Costner's not-so-good attempt. How they kept straight faces I do not know! Where, oh where, does Hollywood get their background material? What are those screenwriters on out there? The NAMES in this movie just make me wince! "Wind in His Hair"? For a GUY? "Stands with Fist"? Well, Kicking Bird isn't too bad. Wes Studi does his usual intense thing, as a Pawnee this time, & my hat's off to Costner for using REAL Indian actors as Indians. What a concept! Wish that would catch on! The story line is so unbelievable, maybe that's what bites. Costner (Dunbar) miraculously lives through the Civil War after a suicide ride that suggests Rebel riflemen were blind, gets a new assignment to the Wild West, is sent off by a raving lunatic Commanding Officer who kills himself, thus wiping out any corroboration Dunbar might have that he really was sent off to Nowhere Land, then Dunbar makes a long trip with a crazy mule skinner in a wagon loaded with supplies, UNHARMED all that way, all that time by the "savages", who immediately attack the wagon & its now LONE driver almost as soon as it leaves Costner. HUH? He arrives to a deserted outpost on the fringe of nowhere, sees no other human for what seems an eternity, & does NOT go back to the fort that assigned him? WHY? Then come the initial encounters with the Sioux, almost comedic in nature, & the first big confrontation at the Indian camp when he rescues a fellow suicidal character & returns her to the Tribe. We're to believe that scene is how the Sioux would really react? After all,the Sioux are closest to the outpost! Weren't THEY responsible for all those missing soldiers, horses, etc? One might assume that! But now they want to VISIT the lone white man? And in no time they're ADOPTING him? How NEW AGE! Dunbar is a "WANNABE" & the rest of the cast pretend that's cool?How Hollywood! He helps his new family find food,fight the dreaded Pawnee, & that seals his new "Indianess"? When he's captured & answers his fellow soldiers in a Siouxan dialect, like he's suddenly no longer white, I almost fell off my chair laughing. Rescued by his new "brothers", the whole Tribe sets off to stay one step ahead of the pursuing, vengeful soldiers. Finally, Dunbar realizes he must go back to the white world and make things right, & save the Tribe by going, so off he goes with Stands with Fist. I know it appealed greatly to all who have the idea of the noble savage, that stereotypical idea of the vanishing, simplistic, much to be admired Natives so many wanted to be like as soon as they saw this movie. This movie started a movement that has robbed our Tribes of many things, & presented such a glorified, unrealistic version of Native People that it amazes me anyone bought into it. It grieves me that they did! There are 500 recognized Tribes in America. No two are alike. We are as different as day & night. Hollywood has NO clue how we live, or lived in the past. I wish everyone knew this!Read full review
I'm not a Kevin Costner fan, but this movie is a classic. Based on some fact, mixed with creative license, it's a feast for the eyes. It takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, with beautiful scenery, incredible events (such as the buffalo hunt), the family interaction among the Indians, the knock-out punch dealt the Indians when the buffalo were slaughtered so that they faced starvation. So many elements make this a great watch. It was my introduction to Graham Greene who is delightful and superb in his portrayal of an Indian's first encounter with a "not all there" white man. We see a way of life disappearing before our eyes, wish we could stop it, know we can't, and mourn for what was destroyed. A beautiful film.
I am not much of a movie watcher, but this movie is great. I enjoy anything to do with nature and this movie was very entertaining. The bonus is Kevin Costner plays the lead role.
great movie
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I have loved this movie ever since it came out. I remember watching it in the movie theatre thinking that I would never be able to sit through the entire thing without falling asleep or at least going to the bathroom 80 times. Thanks God they had an intermission. But even though it is long, it doesn't feel like it. The scenery was wonderful, the characters were amazing...absolutely loved all the indians in the movie.
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