And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dances With Wolves!
I have mentioned previously how approaching certain movies can be an intimidating experience on reputation alone. And whilst this movie is one such instance, it does present an interesting case as this movie has a reputation that can only be described as a polarizing one.
On one hand, this was a sizable hit in it's day and subsequently silenced many a nay-sayer. It won Best Picture at the Oscars making it one of three westerns and one of six films done by a first-time director. It challenged a lot of western tropes by showing the Native Americans in a positive and sympathetic light.
But on the other hand, it was an undeserved winner at the Oscars. It robbed victory from Goodfellas. Despite it's intentions it still was a white man's movie. And a proponent of the 'white savior' trope that many a viewer would find insulting.
So for me, in order to appreciate this movie it is therefore necessary to divorce myself from both trains of thought and see it movie purely for what it is.
And you know something? It's actually pretty good. It may drag at times (I'm glad I didn't see the four hour special edition) but it succeeds in it's goal of offering a differing view in the western. Kevin Costner is certainly in control on both sides of the camera. But, much like the Searchers, the real star in this movie is the scenery, with moments of real beauty set in jaw-dropping landscapes.
So yeah. it's a solid movie from the brilliant moments of silence with Dunbar in isolation all the way to the punch-in-the-gut ending
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