Day 2: Dances With Wolves

Day 2: Dances With Wolves

BEFORE The recently released AVATAR was criticized by some as DANCES WITH SMURFS, an obvious node to the fact that the two films shared a strikingly similar plot. A man from an advanced culture (America in DAW, Earth in AVATAR) bonds and eventually becomes a part of a more “savage” culture (American Natives in DAW, the 10 foot tall blue skinned Na’Vi in AVATAR).  It is a classic story, one that has been told again and again.

Dances With Wolves is, as far as I can say before seeing the movie for the first time, an archetype of its own. “The White Man’s Shame”, I like to call it. DAW is essentially an apology to the Native Americans, and an attempt to say “We can work this out”. It also has a score that is the most favorite piece of music by our previous Pope!

Besides, I have been in the mood for a movie involving “barbarians”. I blame Robert E. Howard and AVATAR.

AFTER There are movies out there that we all know should never have been made. You know what I am referring to – American Gigolo, anything directed by Uew Bowle, Batman & Robin, every movie Adam Sandler has started in. Movies that are so bad, oh so very wrong on every movie, you can only assume that they were made to waste people’s times.

Then there are movies that remind you why you love movies so much. STAR WARS, any of the Lord of the Rings, essentially every movie made by Hitchcock or Spielberg. Movies that within minutes transport you into their world, force you to focus and admire their characters. These movies melt you into their story, and you hardly realize it has been a 3 hour experience. It goes by so fast and the only thing you can ask is “Why now? Just a little bit longer, please.”

Dances With Wolves is one of those films. I know most people my age will say AVATAR is better. As great as AVATAR is, as much as I am mesmerized by Pandora, I’d rather visit the Sioux tribe that Kevin Costner showed us in his movie.

In every, shape or form, Dances With Wolves is a triumph. It’s a wonderful piece of film making. The Buffalo Hunt scene is one of the most thrilling, adventures scenes in movie history. Bar none. Without relying on “epic” music, ridicules camera tricks or other lesser manipulative techniques like a lesser director would, Kevin Costner gave a wonderful sense of thrill and excitement.

Even more so, how this movie turned out as well as it did is a miracle all in of itself. Between Costner being a first director when he filmed Dances With Wolves, temperatures being as low as 20 degrees and as high as a 100, Orion’s desire for a big hit, the majority of the film being in the Sioux language, the sheer amount of bodies he had to direct… some god of film had to have been watching this production.

What I enjoyed most about this movie are the portrayal of the Indians. The acting for each of the major Indian characters was great, especially Kicking Bird and Wind In His Hair, but they all felt realistic. The switch of language positions, where the white man was the one speaking Pigeon English, was also very much appreciated.

This is just a great, great  film. I loved every minute of it, even though it was 4:00 AM when I was done.

My favorite line was Wind In His Hair’s goodbye to Dancing With Wolves: “Dances With Wolves! I am Wind In His Hair! Do you see that I am your friend? I am your friend! Can you see that you will always be my friend?”