Wolf Dancer

July 6, 2010 @ 8:22 pm

Ditto to Flyboy’s review. Thank you much CBB for the improved sound editing and blu-ray source video. Out of curiosity, why not post up a blu-ray version for download if you were working from blu-ray source? Also curious what software you used to convert the blu-ray disc to an editable non-copyprotected format.

The voice-over had to go. It ruins the original and is a great example of why one of my screenwriting professor’s cardinal rules was, “No voice-over! If you want narration, read a book! This is cinema. Show. Don’t tell.”

This is some of the best fan editing work I have thus far seen, and the best of CBB’s I have seen. Great job and thanks.

10/10

July 18, 2010 @ 7:37 pm

*This rating was given before reviews were required*

December 27, 2010 @ 6:55 am

While I loved the original, I have to say that this rendition makes for a more ‘real’ experience.
I truly loved everything about this edition.

10/10

February 13, 2010 @ 11:58 am

First review here…so what to say? Great concept, good editing choices and superb editing skills at work here. I do not believe that I will ever watch the original Dances with Wolves again. You may say that the intention isn’t to improve the original, but with this one I strongly feel that this is the case.

Some comments about the cut list…”removed all voice overs”, is really what stands out the most as the major change. And it really really works. The added emotional depth for the movie is great, just by saying less! Keeping the focus on Dunbar’s experience also helps us (me) to connect emotionally. The added arrival scene (repeat shot from first approaching the Lakota) was perhaps needed but I actually noticed it when watching (that it was a repeat). It might be possible that I was being very alert, looking for changes and how it was presented, and that a viewer in general wouldn’t catch this one. “cut entire journal mentioning in the soldier camp and later on”. Not entirely sure about this one, as the journal is his reason for going back. It makes movie sense for them to be talking about it, and I wondered later on what had become of it, since it was so important to him. But I’m sure you had good reasons for leaving it out. “removed “Stands With A Fist’s” flashback”. At first I was a little confused here, but thinking about it I agree that this version works a lot better, and we don’t see flashbacks in any other part of the movie.

As I said earlier, lots of other good editing choices.

I was also struck how much better this story is constructed and played out than the one in Avatar. Your editing has highlighted the best parts of that story. Thank you.
In total this recieves a 9/10 from me. Great version of a good movie, but it didn’t totally blow me away for a perfect 10. Though giving this a 9 makes me question some other 9s I might have given out :P

February 13, 2010 @ 3:53 pm

Wolf Dancer – A Review by Mollo

Dances with Wolves in its original form is a perpetuation of the long-standing myth of the American west. It embodies overt revisionism and romanticism. At its heart, it reeks of fantasy and sentimentality. It also continues the insidious myth popularized by western screenwriter Frank S. Nugent, that white women once captured by the American Indian inevitably go mad.

The problems I had with the original film mainly focused on four issues. The opening American Civil War sequence, the Mad Major scene, the vaudeville villainy of the American troopers and Mary McDonnell’s poor acting and Bonnie Tyler hair.

Boon’s idea that Dances With Wolves could do with a FanEdit is a solid one and I eagerly anticipated its release.

The opening titles of Wolf Dancer are superbly done and the introduction of our hero reminds me of westerns of a bygone era. This also removes the American Civil War sequence, which in my opinion is a major improvement.

In Dance With Wolves, there are constant references to Costner as a benign Christ-like figure and the more of those that are removed the better in my opinion.

So far great stuff but this beautiful title sequence leads us to the “Mad Major” scene. Boon has radically culled this scene of its nuttiness but in doing so has altered the pacing, which now appears somewhat rushed and abridged. The line “I want to see the frontier before it is gone” needs a reaction shot from the Major or a pause before he rapidly suggests the wagon master. Also Costner’s salute but mainly his reaction is at odds with the new content of the FanEdited scene.

From here the FanEdit settles into a confident stride with solid narrative flow and seamless editing. I began to become engaged in the film rather than being aware that it is a FanEdit. This feeling of completeness continues right until the end credits and I was very satisfied with the over-all result.

The problems that remain are inherent in the original, as mentioned above but these cannot affect the consistent improvement Boon has achieved with this FanEdit.

The removal of the narration is perfectly done and the sound editing is faultless. I would have added a bit more of a thump when the young brave is pulled off his horse, maybe even the sound of bones breaking but this is subjective. The enormous amount of work that has been with the sound design of this FanEdit is really excellent and in my opinion sets a new standard in CBB productions.

So in conclusion this is a healthy improvement over the original apart for the minor issues with the “Mad Major” scene. Wolf Dancer is now my preferred version. Not perfect but damn near close.

The picture quality is very good. I have not compared it with my PAL Special Edition but it is really crisp and bright.

9/10