Dances with Wolves - Extended Cut (1990)

Look beyond the interminable length

Kevin Costner has tried at least three times to make an epic film. He has succeeded one and one-half times. With 'Dancing with Wolves', he succeeded hands down. He presents the clash between white and red, future and past, in a manner sympathetic to the ugly choice faced by the Sioux in the post Civil War era. John Dunbar is 'everyman'; learning that his conception of the American Indian is wholly wrong. The minutes pass with the grand scenery. The story flows with the majesty of the American west. This film belongs in every video library. (Oh. The other half is the oft-bashed 'The Postman'.) December 29, 2008

How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways...

Actually -- let's skip the counting and get to the heart of the matter...

I despise this movie most of all for the way it tries to forcibly yank out emotions using simplistic, cardboard-cutout characters (the BAD cavalrymen, the GOOD indians, etc...you get the drift). By the end I felt sullied by the brazen manipulation, and I was PISSED OFF.

A director with a deft touch might have pulled it off. But not Kevin -- no, he had to use an effin' sledgehammer!

Loved Costner in Bull Durham. Hated this flick.

Bah! December 27, 2008

BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!

KEVIN COSTNER AND FRIEND/PRODUCER, JIM WILSON TOOK MICHAEL BLAKE'S WONDERFUL NOVEL AND TURNED IT INTO A MASTERPIECE FILM THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!! THIS IS THE BEST FILM ADAPTATION OF THE SIOUX STORIES MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO TELL ME AS A CHILD. I AM PROUD OF MY HERITAGE AND BELIEVE MICHAEL BLAKE DID ONE HELL OF A JOB ON THE SCREENPLAY. I THINK COSTNER PLAYED JOHN DUNBAR BEAUTIFULLY AND DORIS LEADER CHARGE HAD EVERY SINGLE NATIVE AMERICAN TAP INTO THEIR OWN HERITAGE'S . REMINDED MY GRANDMOTHER OF HOW MY GRANDFATHER CAME TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HER. I SAW THIS MOVIE IN THEATERS 4 TIMES AND HAVE WATCHED IT IN MY HOME SCREENING ROOM ABOUT 30 TIMES. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE WONDERFUL SOUNDTRACK BY THE GREAT JOHN BARRY. I CANNOT THINK OF A BETTER FILM AND THINK COSTNER'S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT WAS MARVELOUS!!!! December 12, 2008

Stronger than a sedative.

Dances with Wolves starring and directed by Kevin Costner is such a boring and long war film. The art direction and acting is pretty good but the story goes nowhere and I just can't get into this over-ambitious drama. Stick with Gone with the Wind if you want an entertaining, gorgeous epic. December 9, 2008

one hell of an epic

this movie drags after the first act. the movie feels like its 4 or five hours long. so its amazing to me that they recut the movie to make it longer.

many people have commented that this movie is PC becasue the white men are bad guys and the native americans are noble savages. I completely disagree. Instead, I see it as the Indians are in trouble and cant find buffalo or fight off the neighbor tribes until the magic white man comes in and shows them how its done.

so dont buy this movie if you want to be entertained. or teach history. or show any sort of flattering view of native americans.

this is pulp escapist fantasy - I would catagorize it with early 20th century pulp with a dash of late 20th century.

November 13, 2008

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