For those who remember seeing Dances With Wolves for the first time, you'll recall that the film was 3 hours in length, but the flow of the film kept an even pace that helped move it along. Now, with this extended cut, Dances With Wolves: 20th Anniversary Edition tips the scales at nearly 4 hours! While this makes for a movie that may need to be watched with an intermission like it was 1982, the additional content is a very welcome addition to the overall story. It may be understandable why the studio had to reduce the original down for a theatrical release, but the extended footage didn't once slow down or detract from the story or in visual quality on this Blu-ray transfer. It should be noted that this isn't the first time the Extended Cut has been released, as it was also available on DVD.
Dances With Wolves is a story about a soldier who is about to lose his leg on a primitive military operating table, only to escape and decide that he won't go through life as an amputee. In desperation and coming to terms with his future, John Dunbar (Costner) steals a ranked officer's horse and decides to commit suicide by running past enemy lines during the Civil War. As it turns out, he distracts the enemy enough that his fellow soldiers are able to take control of the point. Dunbar gets recognized and becomes a Lieutenant, and as such, decides to be posted in the western frontier before it disappears completely. This is where the heart of the story begins...
Lt. John Dunbar arrives at his post only to find that the soldiers he was to replace have gone missing. A true soldier, he decides to stay, only to encounter Native Americans, specifically the Sioux of South Dakota. After many days of nothing in sight, he decides to ride and runs into a white woman dressed in native clothing, bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. Dunbar catches her as she faints, and rides her in the direction that the Indians had come from. Unwelcomed at the camp, but grateful for returning Stands With A Fist (Mary McDonnell - Independence Day, Scream 4), the Sioux tribe decides to pay Dunbar a visit at the soldier fort to see if he is friend or foe. It is because of this that we are able to see the epic journey of a lone white man who comes to be friends with a people who are being driven off of their own land.
Dances With Wolves: 20th Anniversary Edition is a great addition to anyone's collection, and because of the historical nature of the story, will never feel dated. While it is a lengthy film that teenage children (or adults) may not sit through in one sitting, it is definitely one film that I recommend everyone see at some point in their lives. Dances With Wolves is the first blockbuster film to put a human side to Native Americans and their culture, which is something they have desperately needed.
There are a host of Special Features on the 2-disc Dances With Wolves: 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray that are, for the most part, quite interesting to watch. The Behind-The-Scenes documentaries were my favorite, and seeing Kevin Costner in his directorial debut is something film buffs will appreciate. The video transfer of the main film to Blu-ray holds up pretty well considering it is 20 years old, but don't expect it to be crystal-clear like today's movies. In all, Dances With Wolves: 20th Anniversary Edition is a very worthwhile buy for anyone, not necessarily only those interested in historical dramas. There is a reason the film took home 7 Academy Awards (including Best Picture), so don't miss a chance to see it again for the first time with a new generation of movie lovers in the comfort of your own living room with the best picture and sound it has ever had.
