The Last of the Mohicans | | Cast : | Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe | | Director : | Michael Mann | | Studio : | Twentieth Century Fox | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, DTS Surround Sound, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | September 25, 1992 | | DVD Released Date : | February 01, 2005 | | Language : | English (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 12, 2005 | | Summary | Perhaps the best film version of the novel! | Content
 | I didn't want to see this movie, because I thought it was going to be a dumbing down of the story. I made the mistake of seeing that dreadful 1993 Brat Pack version of "The Three Musketeers." And I didn't think Daniel Day-Lewis looked anything like how I envisioned Haykeye, aka, Natty Bumpo, aka Leatherstocking. I always pictured him wearing a coonskin cap and short hair like in earlier movies. But a friend of mine whose opinion on these things I respect recommended it, and I decided to give it a try. Well, I'm glad I did! Sure, a few details are changed in the movie, but it's much more faithful to the spirit of the novel than I would have suspected. And Lewis does a fine job as Hawkeye. Wes Studi is a sufficiently menacing Magua, and the rest of the cast does a fine job. The battle scenes are quite impressive, and the cinematography is marvelous. A truly fine film. Perhaps the best film version of the novel! |
| Rating | | | Date | August 06, 2005 | | Summary | Last of the Mohicans | Content
| James Fenimore Cooper could not have done a better job. Daniel Day Lewis's finest performance in my opinion which is complemented nicely with Madeline Stowe in support. The movie does not get old I watch time after time year after year and am always intrigued. An utterly riveting saga of the long carabine/Hawkeye, Daniel Day Lewis, adopted son to Chingachcook last remaining cheif of the Mohican tribe decimated by war and pestilence, actor Russell Means. The movie does a great job of capturing the history of colonial america with Hawkeye caught inbetween natural son of trappers but rasied by native americans. The movie is cinematic masterpiece that sucessfully covers the fractionalization of the native american people forced to either side with the British or the French with its climax revolving around the battle of Fort William Henry. Trevor Jones' soundtrack wins at capturing the exitement of the film, deep and thick while remaining simple and delicate. Really this will be considered a classic in the not so distant future. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 24, 2005 | | Summary | The extended version pulls the movie together | Content
| This DVD has a permanent place in my library. On buying the extended version, I found that the added footage greatly enhanced my overall understanding of the movie. For those who loved the original movie, this one is much nicer to watch. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 13, 2005 | | Summary | Romance and Adventue | Content
| Set in 1757 during the French and Indian War, "The Last of the Mohicans" is based (but does not strictly adhere to) the novel by James Fenimore Cooper. It is a lavish, exquisite production, with Daniel Day-Lewis fantastic as Hawkeye, showing a screen magnetism that is more intense than in any other part he has played. His chemistry with beautiful Cora, wonderfully portrayed by Madeleine Stowe is palpable, and they manage to have one of the most erotic love scenes ever filmed, without shedding a single garment. The film has many battles scenes, and could be categorized as "action/adventure," but I always think of it as being primarily a romance, and it is also an excellent depiction of the early days of the settlers, and their many struggles.
The setting is western New York, with much of the action taking place at Fort William Henry, but it was actually filmed in the lush and scenic wilderness of North Carolina, with superb cinematography by Dante Spinotti, and a lovely score by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman. Michael Mann's direction keeps a terrific pace, and the cast is wonderful, and includes Russell Means, marvelous in his film debut as Chingachgook, Eric Schweig as Uncas, Wes Studi as the revengeful Magua, Johdi May as Cora's sister Alice, and Steven Waddington impressive as Major Duncan Heyward.
VHS vs. DVD: The Director's Expanded Edition, though still a brilliant film, is a disappointment, and I will be keeping my old letterbox VHS, which though worn, actually has a brighter picture than the DVD. The "expanded" portions add little to the enjoyment of the film, and the deletions hurt it. The incomplete conversation between Hawkeye and Cora in the burial ground is left hanging in the air, and the absence of Clannad's song, "I Will Find You", takes much of the magic from the scene where Hawkeye follows the captured Cora.
Total running time for the VHS, 114 minutes, DVD 117 minutes.
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| Rating | | | Date | July 12, 2005 | | Summary | A grand movie | Content
| I saw this on the big screen when it came out and was I ever happy that it came out in DVD! I use this film when I have to cover the French & Indian War in my class. It really helps in visualizing what it must of been like "Back in the days" and what people look like who live in the field. My students have always had a positive view of this film. |
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