Russell Means Movies
Once described as "the most famous American Indian since Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse," Oglala/Lakota Sioux Russell Means made a name for himself as an activist two decades before he became an actor. Born in Pine Ridge, SD, near the storied Black Hills, Means joined the late '60s cultural foment as an avid advocate for American Indian rights and recognition. As the first national director of the American Indian Movement (he disdained the term "Native American") and a participant in the 1972 standoff with the government at Wounded Knee, Means became a prominent voice calling for self-determination and the preservation of American Indian heritage. Furthering his activist reach during the 1980s, Means traveled abroad to support freedom for other indigenous peoples worldwide, and ran for president as the Libertarian Party candidate in 1988. Seeing the potential in synergy, Means became a multimedia presence in the 1990s. Along with recording two albums and authoring his autobiography Where White Men Fear to Tread, Means also went into acting. Making his movie debut in Michael Mann's florid adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Means starred as the titular Chingachgook, father figure to Daniel Day-Lewis' Hawkeye. Taking his cue from such prior Native American actors as Chief Dan George and Will Sampson, Means portrayed Indians in a range of films and with humor as well as dignity. Following the ultra-serious Last of the Mohicans, Means appeared in the Western spoof Wagons East! (1994), and played the spiritually portentous Old Indian in Oliver Stone's bloody media satire Natural Born Killers (1994). Along with voicing Chief Powhatan in Disney's animated features Pocahontas (1995) and Pocahontas: Journey to a New World (1998), Means put his stamp on other well-known American Indian tales, reprising his role as Chingachgook in an adaptation of Cooper's The Pathfinder (1996), and appearing in the movie version of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem The Song of Hiawatha (1997). Responding to charges that his Hollywood career was a sell-out, Means noted that he poured his earnings back into such activist projects as American Indian education and continued to act. Means finished the decade with several films, including the crime drama Black Cat Run (1998) and the children's fantasy Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide- 2008
Crime and retribution take a violent turn on a Native American reservation in this independent drama from writer and director Steven Lewis Simpson. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota is one of the poorest communities in the United States, and it's where Harmony (Tamara Feldman), a beautiful young woman of Lakota heritage, was born and raised. Harmony has fallen in love with Scott (Trent Ford), a white man from a privileged family who is struggling to make it as a musician. Scott borrowed some money from Jaws (Chris Robinson), a mean-spirited loan shark, and when he ran afoul of the law and spent several weeks in jail, Scott discovered Jaws was waiting for him when he was released, demanding his money with interest. Scott remembers that he stashed some drugs inside his guitar and figures he can sell the dope and use the money to pay off Jaws, but when he heads to Harmony's place at Pine Ridge, he finds both she and their belongings are missing, and he realizes that squaring things with the short-tempered Jaws and his crew won't be easy. Also starring Native American activist turned actor Russell Means, Rez Bomb was an official selection at the 2008 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tamara Feldman, Trent Ford, (more)
As originally screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, at the Cannes Film Festival, and on Turner Classic Movies, the mammoth, epic-length documentary Brando chronicles in encyclopedic detail (and with a consistently reverent overtone) the life and career of the man widely regarded as the most formidable American actor of the 20th century - famous for not only reshaping, but reinventing the craft of film acting and teaching audiences how to view a motion picture performance. Divided into chronological, thematically-unified segments, the film first treats Marlon Brando's dysfunctional upbringing - his alcoholic mother, his abusive father, his stint at a military academy - before charting his acting tutelage at the behest of Stella Adler and his early cinematic and theatrical roles, including work for Elia Kazan, who famously made many aggressive (and unsuccessful) attempts to discipline the headstrong actor onscreen. Throughout this segment, many Hollywood A-list actors appear - among them, Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and Robert Duvall - expostulating at length on Brando's influence over their approaches to performance, and attempting with great effort to define the elusive style known as "method acting" that Brando helped to create. The second half of the documentary moves into Brando's career during the '70s, '80s and '90s, covering the production of The Godfather, the actor's noteworthy political activism, and his tumultuous personal life. Francis Ford Coppola, who of course teamed with Brando for the first Godfather installment and for Apocalypse Now, is noticeably absent from the proceedings. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, (more)
When an unexplained trucking accident knocks out phone lines in the town of Pueblo, New Mexico and blocks the only route out of town, an investigation into the cause of the crash reveals an otherworldly creature that could pose a threat to the entire human race. Awakening from her usual hangover to investigate a herd of cattle that has been mutilated almost beyond recognition, Pueblo Sheriff Annie is summoned to the scene of a mysterious semi accident. Though the only clue as to the identity to the driver is a severed limb, Sheriff Annie does discover a bizarre, crab-like leg stuck in the grill of the scorched tanker. Meanwhile, on another stretch of the same highway, vacationing sisters Ally and Caya stop to pick up a ruggedly handsome ranch hand named Charlie whose car has stalled out miles away from a gas station or repair shop. Upon arriving at the only gas station in Pueblo, the trio is greeted by Nodin and her grandfather and informed that not only are the pumps dry, but that the only route out of town is blocked by the accident as well. Also trapped at the station is traveling salesman Frank, who specializes in synthetic urine. As night draws near Sheriff Annie arrives at the gas station to share her strange find with botany specialist Nodin, who can find no earthly explanation for the unidentified appendage. Later, when Ally decides to pitch in by taking out the trash, she is savagely mauled by a vicious creature that has just torn the patrons of a local bar limb from limb. As the night drags on and the bloodbath continues, the frightened group discovers that their only hope for survival may the very same Native American girl responsible to unleashing the relentless beast in the first place. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emmanuelle Vaugier, Luke Goss, (more)
The sole survivor of a Viking "dragon" vessel shipwrecked on the eastern shores of the New World 15 years ago provides the only hope for the a Native American tribe faced with certain destruction by Norse berserkers in director Marcus Nispel's (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) dark action adventure. Reared by the Wampanoag tribe following a failed attempt by the Vikings to raid coastal villages for slaves, a ten-year-old shipwreck survivor is nicknamed "Ghost" by his adoptive tribe due to his pale complexion and blond hair. Legend says that death and destruction will follow the boy wherever he travels, yet the peaceful people of the Wampanoag tribe selflessly take the frightened child in as if he is one of their own. Over the course of the following decade, the adopted young Norseman eventually grows into a strong warrior (Karl Urban) determined to prove his worth to the people he calls family. When the rampaging Vikings return to the New World to rain destruction down on the Native Americans and to claim the fertile land of the peaceful people, Ghost finds himself in the precarious position of having to stop his own people from destroying his village and ruthlessly slaughtering the woman he loves (Moon Bloodgood). Now, as Ghost's true destiny is revealed by the powerful shaman known as the Pathfinder (Russell Means), the fearless warrior sets out to stage a savage one-man war on the marauding Vikings and become the savior once prophesied to defend the Wampanoag people in their darkest hour. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karl Urban, Moon Bloodgood, (more)
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the sprawling six-part, 12-hour TV miniseries Into the West covers 65 years of American history, from the first major migration westward in the mid-1820s to the massacre at Wounded Knee in the early 1890s. The story is largely seen through the eyes of two protagonists (and their families): Jacob Wheeler (Matthew Settle), a wheelwright who leaves his Virginia hometown and his family's business in 1827 to seek his destiny in the company of legendary mountain man Jedediah Smith (Josh Brolin); and Loved by the Buffalo (George Leach), a Lakota Sioux holy man who spends a lifetime seeking the answers to his profound and disturbing images about the future of his country -- and his people. Eschewing the usual "old-age makeup" route often pursued in epic tales of this nature, the main characters are played by progressively older actors in the course of the story: for example, Loved by the Buffalo is portrayed by no fewer than four different performers! In a more traditionalist How the West Was Won vein, the miniseries is festooned with major stars, some cast in very brief roles: among these are Josh Brolin, Keri Russell, Matthew Modine, Beau Bridges, Gary Busey, Tom Berenger, and Judge Reinhold. Nor is How the West Was Won the only inspiration for the multi-plotted storyline: other films echoed and emulated throughout the saga include The Iron Horse, The Big Trail, Westward the Women, The Searchers, and Dances With Wolves. As mentioned, the story is divided into six parts: "Wheel to the Stars," in which the fates of Jacob Wheeler and Loved by the Buffalo become forever intertwined; "Manifest Destiny," chronicling the first major trek to California; "Dreams & Schemes," wherein the Lakota lands are despoiled by Gold Fever and war breaks out between the North and South; "Hell on Wheels," chronicling the postwar chaos and the coming of the railroad; "Casualties of War," wherein the conflict between Native Americans and the white man results in wholesale bloodshed -- and, surprisingly, a "counter-revolution" of compassion and understanding; and "Ghost Dance," the last great stand of the Lakota, which brings the story full circle. Largely filmed in the Canadian Rockies over a six-month period, and utilizing the talents of six directors, Into the West premiered June 10, 2005, on the TNT cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Settle, Josh Brolin, (more)
Actor Rick Schroder makes his directorial debut with this inspiring drama set in the American Southwest. Black Cloud (Eddie Spears) is a young Native American who grew up in a violent household and is still struggling to come to terms with his family and his heritage. Black Cloud's life has forced him to be quick with his fists, and Bud (Russell Means), a longtime friend and mentor, has been coaching Black Cloud in boxing with the young man showing great promise in a Navajo Golden Gloves competition. Norm (Peter Greene), a scout for the United States Olympic boxing team, sees Black Cloud in the ring and is certain he has the potential to be a champion, but Black Cloud isn't certain if he wants to fight for anything besides his people. Meanwhile, Black Cloud has fallen in love with Sammi (Julia Jones), a pretty young Native American woman, but she has a child from a previous relationship with Eddie Young (Rick Schroder), a hot-tempered rodeo rider. When an argument between Eddie and Black Cloud escalates into a fistfight, Black Cloud viciously beats him, and soon Sheriff Powers (Tim McGraw) is on the lookout for the young man. Black Cloud also features Wayne Knight, Tim Sampson, and "Pooch" Marion Hall. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Spears, Julia Jones, (more)
Directed by Jeff Nathanson, The Last Shot follows what happens when, like so many aspiring entertainers, the FBI gets caught up in the grandeur of showbiz. When Agent Joe Devine (Alec Baldwin) is given a key role in an elaborate scheme to take down the infamous mob boss John Gotti, he gladly accepts the assignment and goes undercover as a Hollywood producer. Before long, he has assembled an unwitting cast, including aspiring director Steven Schatz (Matthew Broderick), who agrees to direct for Devine without realizing the entire production is merely a front for the investigation. As Agent Devine and several of his cohorts from the bureau begin enjoying their lives as self-appointed industry players, however, justice takes a backseat as the would-be law-enforcement operatives put all of the passion into turning what began as a sham movie project into a true Hollywood contender. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, (more)
Leonardo Ricagni, director of the 1998 Uruguayan comedy El Chevrolé, helmed this straight-to-video ensemble crime thriller, in which the main character is a bag of money. Initially belonging to a casino on an Indian reservation, The Chief (Russell Means) hires The Hitman (Chris O'Donnell) to track the bag down when it turns up missing. As The Hitman gets closer and closer to finding it, the bag of dough passes through the hands of several other nameless characters, including The Waitress, played by Rachael Leigh Cook, The Drifter, played by Jeremy Davies, and The Sheriff, played by Keith David. Before hitting American video-store shelves in 2003, 29 Palms screened at the München Fantasy Filmfest and the Cologne Fantasy Film Festival, both in Germany. The film should not be confused with the 2004 Bruno Dumont picture of the same name. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris O'Donnell
The internationally popular children's television program Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (shown in the United States as part of the PBS series Shining Time Station) makes its way onto the big screen in this feature-length adventure. On her way to see her Grandpa Burnett (Peter Fonda), young Lily (Mara Wilson) gets on the wrong train and ends up lost. Fortunately, she meets the tiny Mr. Conductor (Alec Baldwin), who shows her a magical railway where the plucky little steam engine Thomas (voice of John Bellis) pulls the line from the enchanted town of Shining Time to the island of Sodor. Thomas' rival is the bigger (and meaner) Diesel Ten, who has already put one of Thomas' allied engines, The Lady, out of commission. Without The Lady, the Conductor has no source for the magic gold dust that allows him to travel from Sodor to Shining Time in the wink of an eye, so Lily and Thomas have to find a way to find more for him. Thomas and the Magic Railroad also features Didi Conn as Stacy Jones (reprising her role from Shining Time Station) and Russell Means as Billy Two Feathers. Like the TV series, Thomas and the Magic Railroad is loosely based on the Thomas the Tank Engine books written by British children's author Wilbert Vere Awdry. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Fonda, Mara Wilson, (more)
The exciting and dangerous world of professional bull riding provides the backdrop for this drama about the pull between romantic love and a brother's loyalty. Ely Braxton (Marcus Thomas) dreams of being a star on the professional rodeo circuit, and even though he's learned from experience that bull-riding is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening sport, a long hospital stay after an accident in the ring hasn't dulled his enthusiasm. Ely's father was a champion rider, and his older brother Hank (Kiefer Sutherland) is a rodeo clown who looks after Ely as best he can. But family bonds are tested when Ely falls for a woman Hank is in love with (Daryl Hannah), and Ely isn't sure if he can count on his brother's support as he prepares for the most important ride of his life. Ring of Fire also features Pete Postlethwaite, Melinda Dillon, Bo Hopkins, Russell Means, and Molly Ringwald. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcus Thomas, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
In 1854 Utah, 13-year old Nick Wilson (Blake Heron), bored by life on the family farm with his widowed mother (Karen Allen), accepts an invitation to join a local Shoshone tribe. The Indians are anxious to have the boy among them because he fulfills the prescient dreams of one of the elders, Anuba (Patricia Van Ingen); Nick is just happy to have the adventure. He undergoes training to become a Shoshone warrior, and his ability to shoot an arrow comes in handy as a rival tribe -- led by the fearsome Pocatello (Wes Studi) -- and a posse of white men bring danger to his newly adopted family. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
In this thriller, a young man finds himself accused of abducting his own girlfriend and holding her for ransom. Meanwhile, his lover is in grave danger from her murderous captor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Muldoon, Russell Means, (more)
- 1998
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For this animated direct-to-video sequel to Disney's 1995 animated Pocahontas, Irene Bedard returns to the title role -- with Judy Kuhn once again providing Pocahontas' singing voice. The story starts in colonial Jamestown before Pocahontas travels to England to meet with the king in hopes of preventing a British-Indian war. Her guide and companion is royal emissary John Rolfe (Billy Zane). They are attracted to each other, but Pocahontas yearns for John Smith (Donal Gibson, brother of Mel Gibson). After a conflict with the evil Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers), the missing Smith is presumed dead. Ratcliffe tells the king that the Jamestown Indians are savages, so Pocahontas enters high society, hoping to prove otherwise by presenting a civilized appearance at the Royal Hunt Ball. Ratcliffe schemes to sabotage Pocahontas' plan. New songs by Marty Panzer and Larry Grossman include the closing-credits tune, Between Two Worlds. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irene Bedard, Judy Kuhn, (more)
This screen adaptation of the epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow tells the tale of Hiawatha (Litefoot), a Native American brave, and his great love for the beautiful Minehaha (Irene Bedard). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Litefoot, Irene Bedard, (more)
Based on James Fenimore Cooper's classic novel, this adventure follows a mid-18th-century British scout through the wilderness on a mission to sneak into a French fortress. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Dillon, Graham Greene, (more)
- 1996
Still bitter over the fact that his Jewish grandfather Sam (Harold Gould) had opposed his marriage to a Catholic girl named Roseanne (Holly Fulger), archaeologist Henry Moskowitz (Corey Parker) stubbornly resists Sam's attempts at reconciliation. At the same time, Henry is at odds with a group of Navajo Indian elders, who charge him with desecrating sacred ground during his latest archeological dig. As Henry's new research assistant Monica (Roma Downey) and his Native American intern Dillon (Adam Beach) lead a boycott against him, tragedy strikes--and only then does Henry awaken to the true meaning loyalty and tradition. Real-life Native American activist Russell Means plays a key role in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
History gets the Disney kiddie treatment and a politically correct interpretation in the studio's 33rd feature-length animated movie, the first to be based on actual events and people. Pocahontas (Irene Bedard) is the daughter of Algonquin chief Powhatan (Russell Means), who promises her in marriage to Kocoum, a brave whom she doesn't love. Pocahontas would rather be paddling in her canoe or wandering in the forest, communing with nature and her animal pals, Meeko, a raccoon, and the hummingbird Flit. When European settlers arrive, she becomes enamored of handsome John Smith (Mel Gibson). Their attraction is encouraged by Grandmother Willow (Linda Hunt), a talking tree. The situation between their peoples is tense, however, as the settlers, led by Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) desperately want the gold that they're sure the natives are concealing. When a dutiful sentry, Thomas (Christian Bale) follows Smith into the woods on one of his secret meetings with Pocahontas, a tragic mistake leads both groups to the brink of war. Only the love of Pocahontas and Smith can prevent bloodshed. Pocahontas (1995) was awarded two Oscars, for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score and Best Original Song for "Colors of the Wind." ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irene Bedard, Mel Gibson, (more)
A frenetic, bloody look at mass murder and the mass media, director Oliver Stone's extremely controversial film divided critics and audiences with its mixture of over-the-top violence and bitter cultural satire. At the center of the film, written by Stone and Quentin Tarantino, among others, are Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis), a young couple united by their desire for each other and their common love of violence. Together, they embark on a record-breaking, exceptionally gory killing spree that captivates the sensation-hungry tabloid media. Their fame is ensured by one newsman, Wayne Gale (Robert Downey, Jr.), who reports on Mickey and Mallory for his show, American Maniacs. Even the duo's eventual capture by the police only increases their notoriety, as Gale develops a plan for a Super Bowl Sunday interview that Mickey and Mallory twist to their own advantage. Visually overwhelming, Robert Richardson's hyperkinetic cinematography switches between documentary-style black-and-white, surveillance video, garishly colored psychedelia, and even animation in a rapid-fire fashion that mirrors the psychosis of the killers and the media-saturated culture that makes them popular heroes. The film's extreme violence -- numerous edits were required to win an R rating -- became a subject of debate, as some critics asserted that the film irresponsibly glorified its murderers and blamed the filmmakers for potentially inciting copy-cat killings. Defenders argued that the film attacks media obsession with violence and satirizes a sensationalistic, celebrity-obsessed society. Certain to provoke discussion, Natural Born Killers will thoroughly alienate many viewers with its shock tactics, chaotic approach, and disturbing subject matter, while others will value the combination of technical virtuosity and dark commentary on the modern American landscape. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, (more)
Comedian John Candy, who died during the making of this poorly received comic western, plays James Harlow, a 19th century wagon master who is heading back east with a wagon train full of oddball characters who have had their fill of Western life. They include ex-doctor Phil Taylor (Richard Lewis), kind-hearted prostitute Belle (Ellen Greene), and a bookseller, Julian (John C. McGinley). Harlow is a drunken, washed-up leader who frequently gets lost. The travelers eventually discover that he was a member of the famous Donner party, which resorted to cannibalism when stranded in the mountains. Railroad magnates try to turn back the party, figuring it's bad publicity for people out East to learn that the West is not really a paradise. The tycoons hire gunfighters and villains to stop the expedition, but local Indians protect the wagons, because they are glad to see disgruntled white settlers leaving their lands. This "backwards" western was based on a story by Jerry Abrahamson. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Candy, Richard Lewis, (more)
Margot Kidder and Russell Means star in this drama about a young man whose father is convicted of a serious crime and sent to prison. His family moves to be closer to where their father is incarcerated, but the teen quickly discovers that people look down on him because of his father's legal problems. Matters come to a head when the coach of his football team keeps him on the bench rather than letting him play, but soon the young man receives strength and guidance from an unusual source -- the spirit of Native American football legend Jim Thorpe. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Russell Means, Jason Wiles, (more)
Director Michael Mann based this lushly romantic version of the James Fenimore Cooper novel more on his memory of the 1936 film version (starring Randolph Scott) than on Cooper's novel (in fact, Philip Dunne's 1936 screenplay is cited as source material for this film). Set in the 1750s during the French and Indian War, the story concerns Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis), the European-born adopted son of Mohican scout Chingachgook (Russell Means). Hawkeye and his party, which also includes the Mohican Uncas (Eric Schweig), joins up with a group of Britons who have recently arrived in the Colonies. The group consists of Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and her younger sister, Alice (Jodhi May), who are rescued from a Huron war party by Hawkeye. Hawkeye's band accompanies them to the British Fort William Henry, which is being besieged by a French and Huron force. The fort falls to the French, and Colonel Munro (Maurice Roeves) surrenders to French General Montcalm (Patrice Chéreau). The terms of the surrender are that the British merely abandon the fort and return to their homes. However, the French's bloodthirsty ally, the Huron warrior Magua (Wes Studi), has made no such agreement, and, as the British retreat from the fort, he plans to massacre them in a terrible Huron attack. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, (more)
