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Dances with Wolves (1990)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
21 November 1990 (USA) moreTagline:
Inside everyone is a frontier waiting to be discovered. morePlot:
Lt. John Dunbar, exiled to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Indians, making him an intolerable aberration in the military. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
Won 7 Oscars. Another 30 wins & 20 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(51 articles)
Kevin Costner (From Celebrity Bio Examiner. 13 June 2009, 4:44 PM, PDT)
Movie News Wrap Up: May 25, 2009
(From Screen Rant. 25 May 2009, 12:34 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
One of the great ones moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Kevin Costner | ... | Lieutenant Dunbar | |
| Mary McDonnell | ... | Stands With A Fist | |
| Graham Greene | ... | Kicking Bird | |
| Rodney A. Grant | ... | Wind In His Hair | |
| Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman | ... | Ten Bears (as Floyd Red Crow Westerman) | |
| Tantoo Cardinal | ... | Black Shawl | |
| Robert Pastorelli | ... | Timmons | |
| Charles Rocket | ... | Lieutenant Elgin | |
| Maury Chaykin | ... | Major Fambrough | |
| Jimmy Herman | ... | Stone Calf | |
| Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse | ... | Smiles A Lot | |
| Michael Spears | ... | Otter | |
| Jason R. Lone Hill | ... | Worm | |
| Tony Pierce | ... | Spivey | |
| Doris Leader Charge | ... | Pretty Shield |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
181 min | USA:224 min (extended version) | USA:236 min (director's cut)Country:
USAColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 moreCertification:
Netherlands:12 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Mary McDonnell was supposedly very nervous about shooting the love scenes with Kevin Costner, and, per her request, the scene was toned down considerably. moreGoofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Ten Bears was a Comanche Chief not Sioux moreSoundtrack:
Fire Dance moreFAQ
When John Dunbar is sent to Fort Hays after his suicide attempt, what is the meaning of his senior officer saying to him "I have just pissed in my pants and nobody can do anything about it."more
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People who say this movie is long and boring have obviously never sat through, oh, "Lawrence of Arabia," "Patton," "Doctor Zhivago," "The Godfather," "Ran," "Seven Samurai," or probably even "Braveheart." Thank God that not every filmmaker believes that a car must explode every 10 seconds in order for his movie to be a success. Kevin Costner is one of those directors who prefers the long format. David Lean, Francis Coppola and Mel Gibson, to name a very few, also worked in that format, and produced lasting works of art that also packed theaters. There are plenty of options for people who don't like movies that take the time to build character, drama and suspense, movies like "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "Freddy Vs. Jason," and "Weekend at Bernie's." I don't think any of those movies has ever been called "boring," but they sure are crap cinema.
Onward. "Dances With Wolves" thrilled audiences way back in 1990 and made so darn much money precisely because people had forgotten the pleasures of the long narrative, the Western genre, and movies that weren't special effects schlock-fests. It remains an inspiring and moving experience, especially on DVD, which preserves the movie's theatrical sound and picture quality.
Costner's direction is first-rate. He's able to blend intimate drama with big, sprawling action that covers a huge canvas. I'm amazed at how smoothly the film segues from movement to movement -- action, alienation, suspense, social commentary, romance. Heck, Spielberg could take a lesson or two from this movie.
He also gets great performances out of his cast. I don't think of these people as actors, but as the characters they play. That's a compliment not just to the actors themselves, but their director. And, yes, Costner is terrific as John Dunbar.
Sure, it's easy to call "Dances" politically correct w/ reference to the Indians. But it also treats them as people and, better yet, as fictional characters whose lives are made part of a fascinating narrative. I just consider all the complaints about the politics of this movie as total hogwash.
Finally, the movie is beautifully shot, has an unforgettable score, and is very well-written. I've never thought of "Dances" as a Western, but a modern action picture/character study that avoids all the boring cliches of the Western genre. Here is a movie that stands for something, means something, and deserves at least as much respect as some of the overrated dreck we've gotten saddled with lately.