Crazy Horse

This made-for-TV film about Crazy Horse has good acting and beautiful visual images. However, key details have been left out of the story in its hurry to wrap up a very complex issue and time in history. (For more detail, I'd highly suggest you read "Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas" by Mari Sandoz). Additionally, though the story fortunately does stay focused on Crazy Horse and his people, the script makes only a half-hearted attempt to tell the tale with a native american voice. For example, very little of the music sounds native American. However, this movie does probably set the record for Most Horses Knocked Over, and If there isn't an Academy Award for that, well gosh darnit there should be!

This film is about an Indian hero, a Native American leader and chief. His name is Crazy Horse; he is honored by his people and tribal members as a brave warrior. In his early age, he presented his excellent abilities that he kills a buffalo. When he was 16 years old, he was named by Crazy Horse which was his father's name. Then, he became an Oglala Lakota leader. In this film, he fights with the US Federal government which invades their territories and wants to explore gold from this soil. As a tribal chief, he took up arms against invaders and wins a lot of campaigns. At this time, he received a lot of respects and supports; however, he got jealous from his tribal person------Red Cloud. Red Cloud framed-up Crazy Horse. On the morning of September 5, 1877, Crazy Horse was arrested and killed outside the adjutant's office.

Our textbook also mentioned about the rugged individual and macho hero. I find some similarities between movies and books. They all tell about a hero and some hero characters. For many years, the frontier experience was romanticized in popular movies and television show that featured cowboy heroes fighting Indian villains.(From our book described)This movie, however, focuses on the American Indians, stands on their aspects and shows that what tragedy is bringing to Native Indians. White people invade their land and killed thousands of Native Indians. What's more, they broke many promises. What they mentioned about are their benefits. From this movie, Crazy Horse, a tribal leader, has some rugged individual characters, like brave, self-reliant and intelligent. The macho hero, always feel lonely because they will think about big problems and make a big decision; maybe no one could help him. Crazy Horse always feels lonely too much because he worried about his people. What he could do is avoiding what happened to them and protect them from invasions. Crazy Horse has his faith that they could live alike their ancestors.

I love this movie very much. His spirit is more or less admired by us. What he pursued is freedom. What he always concerned are his people. We can learn a lot of personal qualities from this. In our lives, we also face a lot of difficulties or enemies; we should be brave to solve them instead of escaping. Crazy Horse is very intelligent, he uses of tactics to vanquish white people in many major wars. He could use fully of advantages of terrains to win the whole war. What's more, besides its attractive plot, its music or scenes are all fine. So it is a perfect film.

I thought this to be one of Mr. Greyeyes' better films since he was perfectly suited for the role of Crazy Horse. Of course, the supporting cast was very well picked as Native people themselves played the Native roles like the way its supposed to be. I read some of the comments that other members put for this film and I tend to disagree with what these pessimists say. Personally I think this film should have made it to the big screen.. too bad it didn't make it to the big screen.

But........ anyways...... I cannot recall how Crazy Horse died in the film since its been a while when I last saw it. In real life, he was only 35 when he was murdered by 3 white policemen who came to arrest him for no known reason. Apparently he was bayoneted in the back by one of these policemen while the other 2 held him so he couldn't free himself. It was truly a sad day in Lakota history when he died. It was also the way he died too that makes this situation even more sad.

Well..... however..... this is why I gave this film a 7 out of 10.

'Crazy Horse' is a well acted, beautifully shot film that should have gone to big screen.

While this movie may deviate from the finest research points of one author, Sandoz, it plays well, overall, to the spirit of Native American experience, as well as to the nature of Crazy Horse. Keep in mind it is not listed as a docudrama. I grew up all my life on the Rez, my family is Native American and our minds and hearts were moved by this film. Although we are Nez Perce, all tribes unite in their admiration of Crazy Horse and the ability he had to be 'invisible' in the face of an army when necessary. So, when I use the euphemism "the devil's in the details" my message is "don't let the devil distract you from something great by tying you up with trivia." It is great to see a movie that is true to form in showing the nature of war. I grew up believing Indians were bad. My twin sisters came home crying one day from first grade because one of their friends told them that they were Indians. To my sisters, that meant they had to ride horses to white peoples' houses and scalp them. That's what they had learned from TV shows. Our mother had some reassuring to do and 'Coyote' tales to tell, like how humans came to be - http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore59.html

If you love Westerns, history, and have a heart for all peoples, you will love this film!

A must see movie Outstanding movie, Great Direction by John Irvin. The visuals are superb, great cast. A story that tells it like it is with out the usual bias and in a form that keeps your interest. I wood highly recommend people see other movies directed by John Irvin.