Last of the Mohicans

In my quest for great cinema, I've been avoiding crap in theaters, watching time honored classics from the most influential directors and watching the paltry few truly great films I own. The Last of the Mohicans is a truly great film. I firmly believe that. I mean this is a movie that inspired my friend Nick to take a trip to North Carolina to see some of the filming locations of his favorite scenes. That is a passion I can respect and understand.

From that opening title score which slowly builds into a swell my heart leaps in anticipation. It tells me what is about to come is mythic. From one of the most impenetrable books I have ever tried to read, comes one of the best dramatic/love stories out there. We are immediately cast into the story of Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his adopted father, Chingachgook and brother, Uncas. They are family and they work with such grace you know they've been doing this for a long time.

We are soon introduced to the other main players, Major Heyword (Steven Waddington), Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May) and the deliciously evil Magua (Wes Studi). The movie spends only a few moments with each of these characters and you get a feel for who they are right away and there arcs in the film are so much more satisfying for it. I've already mentioned North Carolina but I should probably mention it again. The beautiful wood and mountain caped terrains that occupy this movie should sell people on its beauty. Maybe the state motto should be "Where Last of the Mohicans was filmed".

Here is another film I just want to talk about every scene like when Hawkeye explains why a family that was massacred was living so far from protection or in an infirmary when Cora asks Hawkeye what he is looking at and he says "I'm looking at you, miss." Day-Lewis, Stowe, Studi all drive home great performances (as does everyone else). I'd be remiss not to mention the final.

At the end of the movie is near as I can tell is about 10 minutes of cinematic perfection. The minute Hawkeye leaves the Huron village with Cora, the soundtrack kicks in with this fantastic tune and there is nary a word of dialogue except for a few cries of anguish. The three Hawkeye, Uncas and Chingachgook move with purpose and determination in pursuit of Magua and Alice. Its mythic, it may stretch the bounds of reality but I buy into it. Again we see that choreographed grace that we witnessed at film's open as the family moves in an almost dance of blood lust.

What happens to Uncas and Alice are just heartbreaking and perfect, especially Alice who my friend Nick has ranted about and I confess nothing I say here is as convincing as his description. In fact I feel inadequate to the task of impressing on the reader that this movie is a classic, not my favorite film ever but worth the viewing every time.