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The Last of the Mohicans - 1992 Version (1 Viewer)

Robert Crawford

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After catching a glimpse of this wonderful film on the satellite the other day, I decided to watch the dvd again. I think this is one of the most underrated films of the 1990s. A great script, acting and film direction with some beautiful cinematography and superb action sequences. Also, the musical score isn't bad either.;) I do prefer the theatrical cut versus the director's cut.

I would like to hear from others about their opinion of this film?






Crawdaddy
 

ErichH

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Fantastic film, but the original cut is the one to experience. I have no idea what MM was thinking when he ditched so much of the orig score - it killed the impact of many scenes. It's been a while since I compared the video differences, but I remember being totally frustrated with the Directors Cut, and gave up the search. If the original were on DVD, I'd get it in a second, but I think it's only VHS.

Magwa prefers the Orig as well ;)

E
 

Jan H

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Totally agree. One of the few exceptions where the film is vastly better than the book, which I believe to be one of the most badly written 'classics' in American Literature. Day-Lewis blew me away with his range in this one. The guy proved that he could play anyone. And Michael Mann is, well, 'The Man.'
 

Robert Crawford

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Yeah, I watched it 2-3 times in the theater, not knowing it will never make it to dvd as is, but I still own the VHS.





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Chuck Mayer

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Definitely one of the best of the 90's, and certainly a film I'll be repurchasing again in a high def format. Beautiful. I also prefer the theatrical. Hopefully we get both on one disc.
 

Robert Crawford

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I'll spoiler this in case some others haven't seen this film. My biggest gripe is the deletion of the song "I will find you".

Alternate Versions

The DVD "Director's Expanded version" contains several new shots/scenes:

A new shot of Chingachgook running in the deer chase.
A new shot of Hawkeye walking towards Cameron's Cabin.
A new shot of Magua shooting a British soldier point blank with musket.
Some new shots of the Siege on Fort William Henry.
A new sequence, which was shown on the CBS version in 1996, shows the previously talked about but never shown, Major Heyward's diversion. It shows the British Army in perfect formation shooting French soldiers and Huron Indians.
A longer version of the Britsh surrender is shown. Colonel Monroe and General Montcalm discuss political matters.
Newer shots of the British Army leaving the Fort are shown.
A new but very brief shot of the French cheering their victory while entering the Fort.
Some new shots of the Huron approaching the British through the trees.
Some violent shots of soldiers being hacked to death by tomahawks are shown.
Some new footage of the group rowing from the Huron are shown.
After Hawkeye and the others have fled, there are two new but brief shots of the Huron approaching Cora and Alice.
The whole "I will find you" sequence has been changed. The original had footage of Cora, Alice and Major Heyward being taken up a mountain. This sequence was accompanied by the song, "I will find you" by the Irish group, Clannad. In this version, the song is gone and the sequence is about thirty seconds longer. It has different shots of Hawkeye, his brother and Chingachgook running up the mountain and following the Huron War party. Their are also beautiful shots of the group being led into the sunset.
A brief shot of Hawkeye spying on the Huron village.
A quick shot of Major Heyward burning alive has been added but his screaming has been deleted in the rest of the shots.
New shots of Uncas fighting the Huron and Magua have been added.
When Magua slits Uncas' throat, a new sound was digitally added.
When Chingachgook rolls under Magua, a new sound of the tomahawk swinging is heard.
When Chingachgook kills Magua, the pike from the battle axe is no longer shown impaling Magua.
The scene where Hawkeye goes to comfort Cora has been deleted.
There is a much longer version of the Uncas funeral scene. Chingachgook talks about the Frontier life and how it is changing.
Hawkeye's statement to Major Heyward in the Fort, "Someday you and I are going to have a serious disagreement," has been removed.
At night in the burial ground, Hawkeye's line about his father saying "Do not try to understand them, and do not make them try to understand you, for they are a breed apart and make no sense," and Cora's response later have been deleted.
When escaping in the canoes Hawkeye's line "Isn't there anything better to do on the lake today, Major?" has been deleted.
Cora's line behind the waterfall, "If the worse should happen, if only one of us survives, something of the other does too," and the first part of Hawkeye's following speech have been deleted.
After telling Major Heyward that he ain't no scout, and ain't in no damn militia, Hawkeye's line "Clear it up any?" has been deleted.
 

DonnyD

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I have the expanded version"Last of the Mohicans" which became a fav of mine upon its release in theaters in 92..... and I keep it on my short list of "watch this again soon"......
Wonderful interpretation of the book.... Not only one of the best of the 90's, but one of the best....period.
 

DanR

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Great movie. Very under-rated. I also like Bram Stoker's Dracula from that year as well.

Regards,
Dan
 

Cees Alons

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The Last of the Mohicans is not only one of my personal favourites, but of my family too. We own several versions of this 1992 film (two on DVD), and the theatrical version on VHS. I too like the sound track on the theatrical version best, by far, but even on the DC the score is still monumental.

This films has several pivotal scenes, to me at least, that can almost stand alone in world cinema history.

On a lighter note: the scene, uhm (trying to avoid a spoiler here), just before the end, the fight, used to be one (together with the last acts in life of Darth Vader in RotJ) of my "never underestimate an angry daddy" routines when my children were 9 and 10. They were in awe.

And indeed, that scene is so brilliantly staged, so unexpectedly quick, forceful and decisive (the tension for the viewer is built up before the fight, not by prolonging it), it's still one of the most eagerly awaited parts of the film in my family whenever we watch it again.

But there's so much more in this film, the way the story develops, the depiction of the period, the woods, the way they run when hunting, the undisputed position of the Sachem, the instantaneous decision of major Hayward, even the French Colonel and Magua, and so much more remain part of your memory of this our world.
Even though it's idealized, not totally correct history, but a great, inspired and inspiring phantasy.

Like Robert says: you need to see this film more often and will even find it to grow more on you. The first time it entertains the viewer with its many surprises, the following times with the expectations. And always with a great, sometimes even with a hunch of epic scale, story.


Cees
 

Steve Christou

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I agree with everyone here, superb movie. I can't fault it for anything, the actors, photography, editing, direction, script, music score all perfect, and what's more it doesn't outstay it's welcome. :emoji_thumbsup:

But I've never seen the director's cut. I was put off by a review I read of it some time back and stuck with the region 2 theatrical edition dvd, which btw also has a music only track in 5.1. a fantastic extra for film music fans like me. :)
 

Cees Alons

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Steve!
Are you telling us that this DVD, which I never bought, contains the theatrical version?
100% certain?


Cees
 

CoreyII

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Hey Crawdaddy, I got you beat, I saw Mohicans in the theaters 8 times. I had just gotten out of the Navy so I had alot of free time.

I own this film on VHS (dubbed copy) and Laserdisc. Never bothered to pick up the DVD, there's really not much on it in regards to supplemental material. Maybe one day I'll pick it up, I always see it on sale at Target for $10.00 dollars. I keep hoping that Fox is working on a two disc release, seeing that the film is almost 15 years old.

This film is still in my opinion one of the best of the period action/dramas. It can stand alongside Braveheart and Tombstone easily. I must admit everytime I watch the Patriot, I think about Mohicans, the Patriot is a really good film (the best work to ever come from Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin) but it still can't touch The Last of the Mohicans. Yet I wonder who would win in a fight Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) or Hawkeye (Daniel-Day Lewis).

Oh by the way, the soundtrack is off the chain. I keep it in my car along with Batman Begins, Revenge of the Sith, and John Williams Greatest Hits. Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman really put their foot into that soundtrack.
 

ErichH

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Gee, if I just had a multi region player I'd be a happy camper.

Good reviews everyone!

Seems like Mann had the ghost of David Lean in him for this shoot. Those big shots with tons of extras in costume are rare these days. Expensive I suppose.

Cees, I agree, the running is amazing. They really move it through the entire film.

E
 

Prentice Cotham

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This is one of my favorite films of all time. I remember watching it for the first time on widescreen VHS back in high school when I should've been studying for a final. I couldn't stop the film. I own both the theatrical and director's cut on DVD. I recommend getting the Brazilian version if you want the theatrical cut since it is NTSC and relatively inexpensive. I like elements of both versions leaning toward the director's cut. The Clannad song seemed out of place as well as the "someday you and I are going to have a real disagreement" line. But the preachy ending of the director's cut sort of grates.
 

ErichH

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Prentice or any one - please tell me where I can aquire the Brazil version. Will it play in a region 1 player? Man, that would be great.

E
 

Richard--W

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Clannad kept a tight reign on the song "I Will Find You." It appears in the original theatrical cut and the vhs, but they wouldn't allow it on the soundtrack album because they could make more money by selling it on one of their own albums -- I forget which. Enya is one of the voices. I'm sure Fox would have left it in the film if they had a choice, or maybe they get fed up with Clannad.

Sometimes the picture is too dark. It looked good in a theater (I saw it more than 12 times, so there!), but onoy my new 32-inch Sony Trinitron there are moments that are much too dark. Does anyone else have this problem?

I love the color. Mann just saturates the film with natural, organic color. The way red uniforms stand out in contrast to all the natural colors; visually, these English and French don't fit in with the environment.

Has anyone noticed how all period films are desaturated lately to the point of almost being in monochrome. I have a bone to pick with Spielberg about this. His movies were better when he let the color stay there. Life is in color.

I also like the savagery of the film. When blood spills, we feel it because we care about these characters. The indians were in fact savages, capable of the most horrific atrocities. And the Europeans were no less ruthless. Mann doesn't shy away from this simple fact, instead, he builds dramatic tension on it.
 

Richard--W

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I do wish Mann had planted this half of the monologue at the outset, perhaps at dinner-table scene in the cabin. It would have given Chingachgook a healthy pessimism for Russell Means to play on throughout, and then the first half of his monologue at the end, as it originally appeareed, would bring the story full-circle, so to speak.
 

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