Turns out it was 1991, 'The Dark Wind'. Didn't think it was that long ago, seems it was....
I agree, the original stories are good enough to stand on their own without so called 'improvements'.
Did Wes Studi play 'The Legendary Joe Leaphorn' in that one, too? I like Studi in that role. I liked the actress who played his wife, Emma, in the recent adaptations, too. She's lovely and captured the character of Emma pretty well.