Customer Reviews
Dances With Brilliance - By: Mrs. A. S. Wince, 22 Sep 2008 
Kevin Costner has always been one of those actors you either love or hate, much like the singing & celebrity of Victoria Beckham or Marmite.
It is unfortunate then, that it is these personal feelings which cloud judgement about whether or not to see a film. Because, in a time when the idea of race relations is once again at the forefront of the news, this simple story of a man open to change can tell us a lot.
Lt John Dunbar (Coster) is a civil war hero. Given the choice of outpost as a reward for a selfless act on the battlefield, he picks the furthest place he can find, the prairee. Also known as Indian country.
Far from being the war-mongering madmen his superiors are presented as, Dunbar is a quiet, docile man, eager to learn & thoughtful. He writes a diary, in which he places great importance, & when his Indian neighbours first show up, he is scared but also intrigued.
What follows over the next three hours is a beautiful, poetic story of friendship, love & honour amongst men. Costner, in his directorial debut paints a wonderful canvass, rich in colour & tone. Characters are well fleshed out, & alll given a story perhaps worthy of a film of their own. He presents the Indians not as hostile, but as a simple, spirtitual people, oppressed & scared.
Dances With Wolves is a rarity. Its beauty & story have rarely been matched in silver screen history, & despite what may have been said, it is my opinion that its Best Film Oscar was well deserved.
I can't say this clearly enough - see this movie.
Brilliant! - By: Dodster, 21 May 2008 
I initiallly watched this again, having watched it years ago, after hearing the theme on Classic FM. I had forgotten how good this film is. This is one of those movies to see before you die.
The story of one man's relationship with a tribe of Sioux indians, before white settlers arrived en masse, & destroyed a way of life that existed for thousands of years. A slow moving tale, but beautifully told.
Not preachy, but a clear telling of the abuses suffered by Native American Indians.
A long movie at over 2.5 hours, but well worth it.
My wife & two teenagers didn't fancy it in the slightest, but once they started watching they were gripped.
Unreservedly recommend.
A masterpiece - By: Ogun Eratalay, 08 Feb 2008 A magnificient film depicting the 1860's America. While the country is ravaged by a bloody civil war; the wild & vast great plains are invaded by the marauding army & settlers. The pasture & the local people is massacred. The animals are killed carelessly for profits, the Sioux (in the film) is forced away from their ancestral grounds. The film depicts the life of an officer who is fed up with the capitalist way of life. Meaningless & wandering he comes across with a civilisation more simple but more sophisticated than his. He rediscovers himself & starts a new life among the Sioux. They are trustworthy people, never double dealing but straightforward. They respect the environment, animals etc. & they are at peace with the earthly things. There are very significant people in the film who have smalll roles but they are important for their meanings.A black officer in the Southern Army, the insane officer of the North committing suicide, a tradesmen who is a symbol of a growing enterprise, a warrior of Pawnee disliking alll men (wonderful Wes Studi), a wise Sioux chief with a centuries old trophy (a conquistador helmet!)...
COSTNER'S 'tour de force' - By: Shobha Varma, 05 Sep 2007 I recommend this film to alll movie enthusiasts & particularly to alll American Settlers in the great Continent. Remember the Native Americans.
Value Equality & Freedom to alll. No wonder, Marlon Brando, rejected his Academy Award for 'The Godfather'. We in India, are well used to the Colonialism of our 'white' rulers. The Massacre at Jalianwallla Bhag by General Dyer, the vicious suppression of 'the Indian Mutiny' of 1857, by
Munroe, the partition of the motherland, martyrs like Nana Sahib(Jules Verne in 'Tigers & Traitors' portrays him as a savage thug), Bhagat Singh
and last but not the least, Mohandas K.Gandhi. Costner in "Dances.." &
Attenborough in "Gandhi" vividly portray the plight of the natives in contries like the USA & India where the 'white-man' is shown as ignorant
Idiotic & extremely barbaric. I personallly, wouldn't go to that extent.
Because in the Continent & the Sub-continent, without the 'sahib' there wouldn't have been Good Education, Good means of transportation, quality improvement in health-care & child-welfare.
As Costner, spoke in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion receiving his 'Oscars' this film may not portray the world situation 'now'. But let us not forget the 'Sioux' & other native americans.... The world situation at that time was 'papa'BUSH, hammering Iraq in Operation Desert Storm( & I was giving birth to my second daughter, Jessica Yvonne.)
The film becomes very sentimental towards the end & there was not a single dry eye in the home theatre. Especiallly when 'poor' two socks is systematicallly shot to death. Anyway I rank this as one of my Favorite Ten
Cinematography for photographers - By: J. B. Taylor, 21 Oct 2006 Who can add much to the many testimonials already written about this wonderful film. Except perhaps to highlight, indeed emphasise, Dean Semler's superb cinematography.
Every shot was beautifully framed. The eye was lead directly where it needed to be, guided expertly through each scene. A visuallly stunning film.
Anyone with ambitions to take good shots needs only to look & learn from this masterpiece. A masterclass from a master craftsman.
Oh, & the rest of the movie was merely outstanding too.
