Dances With Wolves-I Really Hate Westerns But...
Interesting how times have changed. Hollywood is more likely to make Dancing With the Stars the Movie today than they are to produce a film like Dances With Wolves. We are seriously more likely to see Kevin Costner dancing with some dye-job plastic surgery victim. This little dance number would soon be followed by a tongue lashing by some arrogant cousin of the Queen with a lisp of course. But back in good old 1990, in the land of bliss and ignorance, Dances With Wolves was a truly unique and truly fantastic film. In 1990, Kevin Costner had the world by a string. Winner of Seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Cinematography to Dean Semler and Best Adapted Screenplay to Michael Blake and believe it or not, Best Directing for Costner. Dances With Wolves was a cinematic powerhouse and a box-office super hit.
Bringing in a about $400 plus million, the film is wildly successful when three factors are taken into consideration. One, the film was about three hours long, which obviously meant less screenings per day than other films in the 90 minute length area. Secondly, the budget of about $$15-$20 million dollars makes this a remarkably successful film. Today a studio wouldn’t even be able to complete post for that silly little figure or even pay one “real” star. Consider another masterpiece, Titanic, yes Titanic, made close to $2 billion dollars, but the budget ran at least $200 million and maybe even more. Dances With Wolves was thus, actually more profitable, grossing about 20 times as much as the production cost, where as Titanic comes in grossing about 8 or 9 times the cost of the production. The third reason that the film’s success is remarkable is it falls into a unique category where blockbusters are concerned.
Dances With Wolves is not a sequel, it is not a very well-known property, it is not based on a well-known historical event, nor is Dances With Wolves an animation or a kids film. Dances With Wolves is not a “special or visual effects” film, nor is it loaded down with star power. In fact, Dances With Wolves may be the most successful modestly budgeted Hollywood release of all time. E.T. and Home Alone made more money but obviously do not match Dances With Wolves seven Academy Awards, and Jaws and Pretty Woman, which also had larger box-office receipts are horror films, even if one is unintentionally a horror film, you know the one about the horse that is working as a prostitute. Regardless, Dances With Wolves is an oddity for another reason, for the Western was supposedly dead, yet Dances With Wolves pulled in huge numbers.
How then does one explain the success of a film such as Dances With Wolves. As is so often the case one must begin with the script. The script by Michael Blake, who also wrote the book, tells a captivating and new story. That story focuses in on the life of Lt. John Dunbar, played extremely well by Costner, who is posted on a remote outpost in the West at
Fort Sedgewick. He then begins to interact with the local tribe and eventually befriends them. The interaction with this tribe is the sixth way in which Dances With Wolves is unique as a blockbuster for much of the dialog is actually spoken in Lakota and subtitles are used.
Of course, like most Hollywood releases, there is a love story as Dunbar meets a white woman who was taken in by the tribe as a child. This brought about much criticism at the release of the film as some felt there was a degree of racism involved and in fact this is a weak point in the script. While this could have theoretically occurred it is certainly less likely than Dunbar meeting a Native American woman and falling in love. However, in all fairness, regardless of one’s perspective on this point, when the film is put in its historical context of the year of its release, Dances With Wolves must be seen as having a somewhat positive portrayal of Native Americans. In Dances With Wolves Native Americans are not seen as simple roaming savages and brutes which has been so common in the history of American Cinema.
Therefore, the script is the foundation of the film’s success, but there is so much more that makes this a classic film. Location, location, location. Just as in real-estate, filming in impressive natural settings can do wonders for creating a film that has a rich visual look. The simple decision to film in some of the most striking parts of South Dakota added tremendously to the epic feel of the production. This is an excellent lesson for any filmmakers working on a budget. Nature has provided ample set design options.
In addition, to the great script and locations, as with any classic the acting is exceptionally good. Costner gives, what may very well, turn out to be the performance of his career. The cast as a whole was remarkably consistent and professional throughout. Mary McDonnell was impressive as Stands With Fist and really deserved to be a true Hollywood heavy hitter after the performance.
Costner’s direction and the film’s cinematography and score elevate the film even further and make Dances With Wolves all the more a unique experience. In the end, Dances With Wolves is seen as probably being the most successful Western of all time, however, in some ways it is one of the most successful films ever. Considering all the six unique factors mentioned above it is remarkable that the film achieved the success at the box-office that it did. The film’s success can directly be attributed to the professionalism of the work. Every aspect of production was treated with care and the foundation of the script by Michael Blake was paramount in making Dances With Wolves the unique blockbuster that it ultimately became. Did I mention, that in general, I really hate westerns?
Story A+
Acting A+
Visuals A+ (Dances With Wolves is a text-book example of how to make the most of ones budget via the incorporation of impressive natural scenery and visuals.)
Originality/Innovation A+ (Dances With Wolves deserves high marks for putting a new spin on the Western genre, which is not an easy task.)
Enjoyability Grade A+
Home Theater/HD Factor A+
Overall Grade A+
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