Middle School Assignment: Watch "Last of the Mohicans"

[PLK]

This is the first vanity I have ever posted. My 8th grade daughter came home with the following document to be signed by a parent giving permission or not:

During the first half of this nine week grading period we have been studying the exploration and colonization of the North American Continent by the European Powers. To finish this unit we discussed the French and Indian War between the English and the French. I would like to ask you for your permission to show the movie "The Last of the Mohicans" to the class. It is based on the novel written by James Fennimore Cooper and gives an excellent portrayal of the events that took place during the year 1757. The movie contains an "R" rating. After previewing the film, the "R" rating is given because of the violence that took place during this struggle for dominance of the continent.

I have never seen this movie. However, I would trust feedback from other Freepers regarding: 1. Its appropriateness for 13 year old kids, and 2. how accurately the content reflects history vs. historical revisionism to placate the P.C. "gods."

Thanks for any comments. PLK

[PJ-Comix]

My favorite movie about the French & Indian War was a movie about Rogers Rangers starring Spencer Tracy. Also I have seen some websites with interesting music from that War. BTW, the French & Indian War was but a sideshow of a battle of the Empires between France and England. Also it is a very interesting War. Fun Fact: This war was accidentally touched off by George Washington.

[SouthernFreebird]

Mine were bored with it, it seems way long :-)

[Brian Mosely]

How about reading the book instead? Are teachers getting that lazy or is it that difficult to keep the kid's interest these days?

[mystery-ak]

I love history, in fact when this movie was released I took my two sons(both young teenagers) to see it.
There are a few short graphic scenes(scalping).
Go rent the DVD and watch it with her and then discuss it.
I think it is a beautiful, well acted film.

[Mo1]

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[Utah Girl]

I really liked Last of the Mohicans. But it is extremely violent (they show an Indian ripping the heart out of the English general, for example.) I don't think I would let a 13 year old watch the movie. The edited version (TV) is pretty good, they've cut the graphic violence out.

[Commander8]

The Last of The Mohicans is a literary classic by James Feminore Cooper. Like the book the movie portrays Indians as stoic noble savages which is as PC as it gets. It's a good adventure story, but the 1990 film is a bit gory.
I should also point out that the antagonist, played by Wes Studi, is an Iroquois Indian.

[McLynnan]

From this website Last Of The Mohicans

Contemporary telling of the 1826 James Fenimore Cooper novel filmed as a series of attacks, captures and rescues over mountain ridges, white-water rapids, waterfalls and through woods.

SEX/NUDITY 2 - Some cleavage. Native American men are shown in their natural garb of loin cloth type pants, exposing some side view behinds. A very passionate kiss between two characters.

VIOLENCE/GORE 9 - Ultra brutal: Violence is a primary theme. Opening scene shows a deer being tracked and killed, but reverentially. A regiment of English soldiers is slaughtered by a Huron Indian war party, complete with bludgeonings, scalpings, stabbings, throat slashings, and shooting. The colonial occupants of a cabin are lying dead. Bodies are bloody and burned. One officer's heart is cut out of his chest and held up for display. A soldier is burned at the stake; he is finally shot in the head to put him out of his misery. A number of people end up falling off a cliff.

PROFANITY 0 - None.

DISCUSSION TOPICS - War, colonization, freedom, the rule of law vs. survival.

MESSAGE - Love conquers all. He who lives by the tomahawk, often dies by the tomahawk.

[montomike]

This movie was excellent. It was first rate in its story line. It was a fine love story without the gratuitous sex and skin they call love in today's movies. The movie demonstrated the bond between a father and son, between a father and his two daughters, between sisters, and among tribe members. The love story was the type of love that every woman who has read a historical romance dreams of. The portrayal of the Indians as barbaric but with a certain nobility was very good. The sets and scenes were spectacular. Also it had a definite good vs evil theme. I put this movie up with another masterpiece called "Barry Lyndon" in a period piece. It was violent but nothing really bloody.

[secret garden]

The best parts of the movie were the soundtrack and the scenery. It is not appropriate for 13 year olds, because the violence is extreme. It would be better to listen to the music while reading the book.

[kcordell]

It's been a long time since I was around a teenager but, I would have allowed my son to watch it at that age. It's not too PC. It's main focus is on the spirit that made this country. It is brutal and probably fairly accurate for that time period. Personally, I thought it was a good movie.

[John H K]

They don't ACTUALLY show the heart being physically cut out...they show Magwe holding the heart, though. It's not Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down level of violence, though.

It's not a particularly PC movie; the villians and heroes are a mixture of whites and Indians. The single most evil person is Magwe, a Huron Indian.

The Hurons are shown treacherously surprise-attacking a column of British troops who had surrended a fort in good faith to the French (allied to the Hurons) and were leaving. I believe this actually happened historically.

While I'm a student of military history I must confess to not have studied the campaigns of the French and Indian War in New York to comment on the accuracy.

The soundtrack is really good. It's quite romantic. The final scenes (In the Adirondacks, but filmed in the Smokies) are quite moving.

[metalcor]

I have seen the movie several times and found it entertaining but hardly enlightening from a historical standpoint. They best thing about it is the cinematography. The shot of a British column passing over an old arched bridge has always caught my attention and would make a beautiful painting. I recall thinking that the R rating was uncalled for and have let my children watch it. It does extoll the value of liberty and honor. All in all, I could see how it might cause students to take more of an interest in the history behind the period depicted in the movie.

[Hank Kerchief]

How about reading the book instead?

I agree with you entirely, that it would be better to read a book than watch a movie. BUT, anyone but James Fennimore Cooper. Mark Twain and I agree that he is the worst of all American writers, and if this happens to be the first book you force a child to read, they will probably never read another.

Acutally, Mark Twain is a pretty good writer, not suitable for the very young, but most older children can both appreciate and enjoy his writing.

Hank

[JZoback]

I've seen it several times: It has some very serious violent graphic scenes, an 8th grader should be able to handle it.

It does show the native Indians for what they were, for the most part savages!! Your daughter will forever forget that "Noble Savage" spin, though some of the Indians are not portrayed that way at all.

As for the PC crowd it's a give and take.

Overall, I'd say it's a balanced movie

Of course what ever happened to the idea of actually reading the book the movie was made after? That's a new concept!

Rent it first and see for yourself

[MD_Willington_1976]

Synopsis

In mid-18th Century America, woodsman Hawkeye (Daniel Day Lewis) lives amongst British colonists in New York state, but shares the cultural values of his adopted Mohican father, Chingachgook (Russell Means).
At the height of the French-Indian war, Hawkeye is asked to lead two British sisters, Cora and Alice (Madeleine Stowe and Jodhi May), through dangerous territory to their father's fort. With the French-allied Hurons on their trail, one of whom has a personal vendetta against the daughters, Hawkeye and Uncas still find time for romance with their charges, much to the chagrin of the accompanying Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington), who has set his cap at Cora

For the real deal rent Black Robe, although I will warn you that it is much harsher ( violence and sex ), but lets face the facts the settlers didnt come here to have a tea party with the natives..

[glocker23]

This is one of my favorite movies! I first saw it in 7th grade(?) when it came out on video and know the whole movie by heart. I highly recommend the movie despite a few scenes of violence (in addition to the book which I also wrote a research paper on), I don't think there is any material in the film that an 8th grader can't handle. It is a great film that does an excellent job of introducing the French & Indian conflict as well as exposing viewers to a little bit of Native American culture, which unfortunately is skipped over in school today.

[John H K]

Oops, Magwe himself wasn't Huron, I think..you're right..Iroquois but had been raised by Mohawks or something?

I take issue with anyone describing the movie as "PC"..to me, the central tenet of PC is that certain ethnicities/races are inherently good and others are inherently evil.

Nothing could be further from the truth in the movie. People are good and evil because of their choices and actions, not because of their skin color.

[Salo]

If your child has seen The Patriot, then this movie should be fine: it is no more violent or gory. It's an excellent movie. I would say it is not PC at all.