Dances with Wolves (1990)

As someone who loves movies, I like to think that I’ve seen a lot of the best films out there. Actually, I’m pretty confident that I have. From 12 Angry Men, The Godfather 1 and 2, The Lord of the Rings Films, The Shawshank Redemption, and so much more, it doesn’t really get any better than that. But truth be told, I had absolutely no clue what I was missing until I finally saw Dances with Wolves. Yeah, this movie-obsessed neurospicy critic didn’t see the Best Picture winner of 1990 until now, and I can’t believe it took me this long to finally witness it. Throughout the 181 minute running time, I was in utter disbelief from beginning to end. Kevin Costner has always been a talented actor and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m sure it can’t be easy to direct, produce, and star in your own movie. I can say for damn certain that he excelled at that here, and this was his first time as a director. I haven’t seen the rest of his films that he directed and I don’t think there’s too many of them, but this was a pretty epic start to that. I have more to say about this cinematic western, so let’s ride out onto the frontier and see what we discover.

     Based on the novel by Michael Blake who also wrote the screenplay, Costner stars as a Union soldier who, after being stationed on the American frontier, gradually forms a bond with a nearby Lakota Sioux tribe while keeping a written journal to document the events. As he immerses himself in their culture and way of life, his perspective on identity, belonging, and conflict begins to shift. There were many aspects about this movie that I adored, one of them being the gorgeous landscapes. The locations were filmed in South Dakota and Costner really knew how to utilize them.  I don’t want to spoil too much but every shot tells a story and would definitely keep viewers as entranced as I was. Another thing was the beautiful music score. John Barry is a legendary film composer, and without a doubt, he brought his A game here. I can see why he won 5 Oscars, one of them being for this film, because he truly was a man of his craft. The story was amazing as well. I haven’t read the book but Michael Blake clearly understood the assignment and knew how to turn it into a script. Plus, he also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this movie. I know I’m probably mentioning unimportant information but as a babbling detailist, it only seems fair that I mention these facts because I feel like the whole cast and crew deserve it. Speaking of which, the acting was top notch, too. The rest of the cast includes Mary McDonnell, the late great Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant, and a whole group of talented actors that bring this monumental tale to life. I suppose that’s thanks to Costner as well. Not only did he do a great job as an actor, he also did an amazing job as a director. He even won the Oscar for Best Director. I don’t know if I would say for sure that this movie was deserving of all its awards because Goodfellas came out the same year and I love that film, but I also can’t really say I’m pissed about this because I still loved Dances with Wolves and this sure as hell made for a grand film watching experience.

     Again, this film was the Best Picture winner of 1990 (which also went to Costner). And like I said, while I’m not sure if it deserved it, I can understand why it won. I think this is the perfect film for any cinephile out there who’s looking for something they feel like they’re missing out on. It’s also perfect if you’re looking to be moved or sad, because without saying too much, there will be some tears shed. Overall, I would have to give this movie a solid 10 out of 10. So, if you also like epic stories, then definitely check this one out if you haven’t already. A sweeping western that takes it’s time – and earns it.