Rating: 
Summary: There were THREE versions of this movie!
Review: This is my fourth post on this movie now, and I think I have finally figured it out. In 1992, I watched this movie in a local theater in Southern California. I was enthralled and loved the movie, and watched it a second time. And that was the last time I ever saw this version of this movie. In 2000, I got the Director's Cut version of the DVD. I was appalled by how different the Director's Cut was from the version that I remembered from 1992 (I hadn't seen the movie in the interval eight years). I posted my comments at the time on Amazon.com as to what I remembered to be the differences between the two versions on March 23, 2000. That post is still on this website, if you can manage to slog through the hundreds of posts ahead of it. If you read that post, you will notice that I am describing a really different movie - at that time I really thought that the movie that I saw in 1992 was what everybody else saw in the theaters. Recently, I discovered, to my chagrin, that the version that I saw in the theater in 1992, was most likely a "preview" version, not the Main Theatrical version that was released later, which probably most everybody else saw in 1992. I don't have the foggiest idea how I ended up watching a "preview" version of this movie, but that's what must have happened, based on a lot of researching around. And so, I only recently discovered that this Main Theatrical version was the one that was put into all of the VHS tape versions of this movie. The VHS tapes have not changed versions. DVDs in Region 4 (Australia) and Region 2 encoding have been released recently that also contain this Main Theatrical version. Having finally figured out that there were really three versions of this movie, I can say now that the differences between the Director's Cut version and the Main Theatrical version are actually relatively minor, compared to the differences between the "preview" version that I saw. In the Director's Cut, Hawkeye has some of his snappy one-liners cut out, Cora has a line at the waterfall cut, the Clannad song is cut, Duncan has an extra scene fighting with his men at the fort, and Chingachgook has some more words to say at end. That's pretty much it. In my Amazon.com review of March 23, 2000, I went into a good amount of detail as to what the major differences were between the "preview" theatrical version that I saw and the Director's Cut. I won't repeat all of these details. There were so many scenes changed or removed that the preview version was practically a different movie. The preview version was a significantly longer movie - it had more scenes of Hawkeye and Cora together at the fort, with a greater buildup to their romance; it had a true Uncas- Alice love story, and makes clear in their final scene at the cliff that they died for each other, and died together (in the preview version, there was a clear-cut shot of their bodies together at the bottom of the cliff, which was changed to a wide-angled shot of the bottom of the cliff where their bodies are just tiny indistinguishable specks). The preview version also had more of an anachronistic, hip, Miami Vice sort of stylishness. Miami Vice, had been, after all, Michael Mann's previous gig. My guess is that it was mainly to get away from this previous style and to give it more of a gritty, historical feel that the movie was heavily re-edited for the Main Theatrical release; it seems to have been re-edited again in even more of this same make-it more-historical vein in 1999 for the Director's Cut. To the best of my knowledge, this "preview" version of "The Last of the Mohicans" has never seen the light of day again since 1992. Which is truly a pity, because the newer fans of this movie ought to know that there were indeed THREE versions of this movie. The preview version was a much more romantic, visually powerful film. Fox should release it again - so many "Special Edition" DVDs are being released now with deleted scenes, "making of" stories and so forth. If Fox were to release this preview version, packaged together with the Main Theatrical version, as well as deleted scenes (there was apparently more of the Uncas-Alice love story at the waterfall), they would have a real winner for the Region 1 market. Currently, in Region 1 (US/Canada) the DVD of this movie is available only in the Director's Cut version. What a shame. I'd be the first in line to buy this preview version of this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: SICKENING!
Review: Hollywood's cocaine-sniffing hacks have NEVER been able to do anything with classic literature other than butcher it so that their "movie" version ends up as a cheap, political/sociological statement stemming from their own feverish brains. This movie is yet another example of this sort of mutilation of the classics. If anyone in this semi literate society has bothered to read James Fenimore Cooper's epic "Leather Stocking Tales" ( of which THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS was one of five books ) then he or she will understand exactly what my point here is. In this movie, the characters are poorly portrayed and interact with one another in a totally contrary manner to their roles in the Cooper's story. Much of the costuming is wrong (one would think that the hacks would have at least shown the Mohican and Delaware Indians in the appearance they had in the 1600's!) and, equally of course, there is the climax - the ending - which is so distorted, so disgusting when compared to the end of Cooper's story that it in itself makes the movie worthless.
Forget this rubbish. Its another blatant example of what the creeps and kooks in Hollywood routinely do to subvert and distort the maginificent quality of some of America's best classic literature. Instead of parking yourself in front of the TV set, get the illustrated, hardcover version of this thrilling historic tale and let your imagination be opened by the gripping story to the wonders and dangers of the early frontier along the Hudson river as Cooper himself meant it to be. In closing, this trash doesn't even deserve ONE STAR, but unfortunately, you cannot get a lower rating on amazon.
Rating:
Summary: powerful and breathtaking
Review: I saw this movie in my history class (yes, it's true, we watch R-rated movies in high school nowadays) and I was absolutely amazed. Daniel Day-Lewis is incredible as Hawkeye for several reasons. First of all, he is one of the few men on earth who looks good with long hair. Looks aside, his acting is outstanding and he looks at his love interest with such passion. The cinematography is good, the soundtrack is haunting and evocative, and the rest of the cast is superb. Madeleine Stowe plays Cora Munro, and she is excellent in her role. Her onscreen sister, Alice Munro, is played by Jodhi May. When Alice pauses before she jumps off a cliff (after her dead lover) her calm, peaceful look into the camera gave me the chills. It was actually suspenseful. "The Last of the Mohicans" is a movie that will stick with you long after you finish watching it. I definitely recommend this to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: For the love of God
Review: The original VSH version is easily one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time, aurguably among my top 5. This DVD version, however, doesn't even rank among my top 100. I knew this director's version was "different" from the original. But I bought it anyway so as to be able to manuever to my favorite scenes in a way VSH just doesn't afford. Was I in for a shock. A GREAT FILM RUINED!!! It isn't so much what Mann deletes, it's was he reinserts that ruins this DVD. Mr. Mann, there was a reason those scenes and superflous dialogue were left on the cutting room floor in the first place: they didn't work! When Mann does delete, he inexplicably destroys one of the great scenes in motion picture history -- the cave scene. In the original, Cora implores Hawkeye to leave, arguing that one of them surviving is better than none. It is this that motives Hawkeye to utter the immortal dialogue: "No. you stay alive ... I will find you." Well, Mann inexplicably cuts out Cora's antecedent to Hawkeye's response. Instead, after a quick edit, Hawkeye suddenly goes into the dialogue. This kills the moment and ruins the scene. It would have been much better to leave the film as it was, and to offer the additional scenes as extras or alternatives. Whoever is in charge at the studio, please circumvent Mr. Mann and release the original on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Michael Mann please swallow your pride
Review: I give five stars to original theatrical release. Which was artful. But I guess Mr. Mann wanted it to be more deliberate and to the point.
I had a VHS of the original but foolishly threw it away when I moved because I thought the DVD would come out soon. Well, it did but not the original.
No sale for me.
Rating:
Summary: the best film ever
Review: this film is a touching story of love and death. With a brilliant soundtrack this film is an amazing peice of historical, emotional and wonderful fiction. The actors which include Daniel Day Lewis and Madeleine Stowe are very convincing. in my personal opinion this film is one of the best i have ever seen and belive me ive seen a lot.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible Version of a Beautiful Movie
Review: I agree with everything the majority of the other viewers have said. I love this movie, but this version is absolutely terrible. Buy the original, or don't buy it at all. Believe me. I made that mistake myself.
Rating:
Summary: Avoid this edition at All Costs!!!!!
Review: I agree with the reviewers above. The so-called "Directors Expanded Edition" is an absolute disgrace. Mann has managed to destroy a perfectly good film. If you can find the theatrical release on DVD or VHS, I suggest that you purchase it while you still can! Good Luck (you'll need it)!
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful but violent film
Review: This tense, stirring film of the French and Indian War is a beautifully-filmed but violent account of the life and death struggle between the American colonists and the English Red Coats against the armies of France and their savage Indian allies for control of North America. James Fenimore Cooper's novel gets a glossy presentation and his characters are brought to life by a very good cast headed by Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe. The awful slaughter of the English troops by the Hurons after they surrendered Fort William Henry to French General Marquis de Montcalm is a graphic display of no-quarter hand-to-hand combat. Hawkeye and Cora manage to find each other amid the chaos and military conflict in upstate New York and "La Longue Carabine" is accompanied by Chingachgook and Uncas as they attempt to thwart the evil designs of the vengeful Magua. The film has a good pace, plenty of beautiful North Carolina scenery and a heroic music score.
Rating: 
Summary: DVD Version - Director's Cut destroyed a 5-star movie
Review: I watched this when it came out in 1992, and have seen the original theatrical version at least ten times since then. The original is a masterpiece, a five-star film and one of the best films of the 90's. I bought the new DVD, which is supposed to be "enhanced." I sat down to watch it with my wife while telling her how great this movie was (she had never seen it), but I did not realize how much was added and cut from the original. This DVD is not "enhanced" at all. Michael Mann should have listened to his original editors intstead of stroking his own ego on this DVD release. Very much is added at the beginning of the film, making it confusing to know what is even going on if you've never seen the original. The added scenes take away from the pace of the movie. Parts of the movie are cut from the river scene, the fight scene between Magua and Uncas, and much dialogue is added where not needed (which changed and took away from an already great climax to the film). Do yourself a favor, buy the VHS version. You will not be disappointed. As for the DVD, save your money and wait for the 9.99 "Fox Classics" DVD release at Walmart, whenever that happens.
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