Product Description

A "truly spectacular" (The New York Times) film that combines action, romance and breathtaking adventure, Dances With Wolves is "a cinematic masterpiece" (American Movie Classics) that is nothing short of "a triumph" (Roger Ebert)!Sent to protect a US outpost on the desolate frontier, Lt. John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) finds himself alone in the vast wilderness. Befriending the very people he's sent to protect the outpost from, the Sioux Indians, Dunbar slowly comes to revere those he once feared. But when the encroaching US Army threatens to overrun the Sioux, he is forced to make a choiceone that will forever change his destiny and that of a proud and defiant nation.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2323 in DVD
• Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
• Released on: 2003-05-20
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 180 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Kevin Costner's 1990 epic won a bundle of Oscars for a moving, engrossing story of a white soldier (Costner) who singlehandedly mans a post in the 1870 Dakotas, and becomes a part of the Lakota Sioux community who live nearby. The film may not be a masterpiece, but it is far more than the sum of good intentions. The characters are strong, the development of relationships is both ambitious and careful, the love story between Costner and Mary McDonnell's character is captivating. Only the third-act portrait of white intruders as morons feels overbearing, but even that leads to a terribly moving conclusion. Costner's direction is assured, the balance of action and intimacy is perfect--what more could anyone want outside of an unqualified masterpiece? --Tom Keogh

DVD features
Sadly, the Oscar®-winning cut of Kevin Costner's Western is nowhere to be found on this two-disc set. This "extended version" adds 58 minutes to the three-hour film, most of which was seen in TV airings. The extra hour is unique in the history of new versions of a great film; it neither wastes the viewer's time (JFK) nor vastly improves the film (Once Upon a Time in America). There is more character building, but also extends some scenes unnecessarily. Regardless, there's lot more here. The new 81-minute documentary does an excellent job of chronicling the film, from Michael Blake's book to Oscar night with new interviews and vintage behind-the-scenes footage; it's one of the best made-for-DVD retrospectives. There are two commentary tracks, the better one by Costner and producer Jim Wilson, although most of it is from a recording made for the laserdisc. Another nice feature is the presentation of on-set photographs set to John Barry's moving score. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

one hell of an epic
this movie drags after the first act. the movie feels like its 4 or five hours long. so its amazing to me that they recut the movie to make it longer.

many people have commented that this movie is PC becasue the white men are bad guys and the native americans are noble savages. I completely disagree. Instead, I see it as the Indians are in trouble and cant find buffalo or fight off the neighbor tribes until the magic white man comes in and shows them how its done.

so dont buy this movie if you want to be entertained. or teach history. or show any sort of flattering view of native americans.

this is pulp escapist fantasy - I would catagorize it with early 20th century pulp with a dash of late 20th century.

A true Hollywood EPIC!
Howdy;

I'm not going to review the movie itself except to say it is one of the best I've seen. Others have done a wonderful job of review.

What I want to say is this Extended Cut might be long (236 min.), but it takes you in and seems no time and it is over. I have seen both versions and found this one fills in all the blanks.

With Enhanced WIDESCREEN, 5.1 Surround Sound and a hi-def TV who needs to go to the theater?

If you like this movie, you might check out "Open Range", another great Costner film.

L8R Daze

My Favorite Movie - Ever
The first time I saw this movie, I was stunned.

I had not seen any previews and so had no expectations. I was so moved by watching it, as were my companions, that we all sat and watched the complete credits roll by before we could get up to leave the theatre. For the first time in my life, I saw a tribe of our Native American population, portrayed as compassionate and caring. This type of information had never been taught in public school or college!

My friends and I stood outside the theatre that night, discussing the wonderful epic we had just experienced, for quite a while. As I drove home that evening I remembered that my maternal grandfather had some Native American blood lines and for the first time in my life I wanted to find out more about them. I doubt that I would have started any ancestry research had I not seen DWW.

It has been 18 years and DWW is still my all-time favorite movie. My ancestry research started after the first viewing and has never stopped. Thanks to the internet and other available resources, my family tree has expanded to over 5,500 people. Many of my Scottish and English ancestors intermarried with Native Americans. I am a veritable Heinz 57 of DNA! I have Cherokee, English, Scottish, and French ancestors, all mixed with remarkable and extended lines from all over the globe.

Whether the story line is credible or not to others, I know it's possible. My great-great-grandfather married a Cherokee woman who had survived the Trail of Tears. Knowing their history, I doubt they would have met or married, had it not been for the help and kind acts shown him by her family.

Watching "Dances with Wolves" for the first time was a turning point in my life. So, thank you Kevin Costner and Michael Blake, for making a movie that has been such an inspiration. If watching it does not inspire you, that's okay. I hope that at least you become curious enough, after watching it, to read and research topics concerning the Native American peoples. In the very least - you will be entertained.

Osiyo.