20101030:
This is a great movie. It's long, but it doesn't seem long. Furthermore, even though it's a long movie, there was enough going on that the movie held my interest the entire way through. In particular, I spent half the time enjoying the scenery.
On a different note, some people belittle Avatar (2009) as just being Dances with Wolves set in space. While I can see the similarities, I don't think Avatar was just a rip-off.
Rather, I simply think the underlying theme dictates the overall story. Explicitly, we have the protagonist grows up in a certain culture, gets drawn into a new mysterious culture, realizes the importance of this other culture, and defends the new culture against his former culture. Now that I think about it, The Last Samurai (2003) also follows this plot structure.
[20130829 Edited]
20140228:
Watching this movie again today, I couldn't help but focus on how Avatar (2009) isn't a copy of this movie. Overall, I'd say the two are only similar thematically, but have distinctive plot differences. In particular, Lieutenant Dunbar is consistently loyal to the Sioux. In contrast, Jake initially joins the Na'vi out of duty and forced to betray them, despite his deeper feelings.
Instant Comments:
2: Oh my goodness. "Sir knight? I've just pissed in my pants... and nobody can do anything about it."
2: What an odd character. (Major Fambrough)
2: Oh, I forgot about that. ("Long live the king.")
2: "Somebody back east is saying, 'Why don't he write?'"
2: "This is my post!"
2: Oh man. (scalping)
2: Wow, you gotta drop down for your safety, but afterwords, you gotta be thinking, "Damn, I just took a bath!" or "Man, this dirt is itching my crotch."
2: "Post script. The man I encountered was a magnificent looking fellow."
2: Ha. Idiot. (bumps his head on the top of the door frame)
2: That's smart of him to only hold up the gun defensively and not aggressively.
2: Ha. The collapse.
2: Aww. The horse's loyalty is admirable.
2: "I will not go... You will go... And you will go."
2: A slight smile on tasting it. (sugar)
2: Oh I see, add sugar to coffee to make it tastes less strong.
2: Damn, what a traumatizing experience. (her family and friends, gone)
2: Hehe. The one among them who returns the wave.
2: "Kicking Bird."
2: Hehe. She's embarrassed about her name. "Stands With A Fist."
2: Hehe. That's exciting: feel the buffalo stampede before even seeing them.
2: Oh man. They really beat him up. How brutal. Haha.
2: He got one! Though it would seem to me that being able to take a buffalo down with an arrow shot is much more impressive.
2: Haha. "Shoot the gun!"
2: "It makes sense. They are both white."
2: Hehe. I really like Kicking Bird's wife.
2: Ha. Awkward. "Take her inside." "Bye. Bye."
2: Oh no, his horse! How sad...
2: "Now there is only a Sioux named Dances with Wolves."
2=20140228
Watched 20101030 (Netflix, Instant) (Streaming until 20101101) 181 min.
Watched 20140228 (Netflix, Instant, HD) (Streaming until 20140301)
Dances with Wolves (1990) Kevin Costner. 181 min. [botnotsn (1986) by Michael Blake]
Relevant Links:
Dances with Wolves (IMDb.com)
Dances with Wolves (Wikipedia.org)
Michael Blake (author) (Wikipedia.org)
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