A Man Called Horse is not a traditional Western. Nor does it fall into the later category of what I'd call "tragic Westerns" that highlight the destruction of Native American culture under the pressure of settlers from the U.S. Instead, A Man Called Horse tells the simple but powerful story of an outsider, Englishman John Morgan (Richard Harris) trying to come to terms with his environment when he is captured by a Sioux raiding party. It's a story of personal courage and adaptability that also gives us a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Sioux themselves.

At first, life among the Sioux seems extremely alien, especially since the film sticks with John's perspective and never provides subtitles for the Lakota Sioux language. Little by little, we see what life is like on a day to day basis, both on ordinary occasions and important ones. And, most significantly, we see the ritual of the Sun Vow, in a climactic and intense scene.

One of the reasons that A Man Called Horse works well, and has aged quite well, is the objective eye with which the filmmaker views the story as it unfolds. The film doesn't attempt to present the Sioux as "noble savages" whose lifestyle is superior to the effete European way. John suffers first-hand their callous treatment of captured servants, and witnesses some of the crueler aspects of their society with regard to women. But neither does the film suggest that their way of life is inferior: far from bringing "enlightenment" and cultural change to the tribe, John comes to accept it at least to a certain degree. The film shows quite plainly that the Sioux way of life was very different from the European... but it doesn't present it in terms of better or worse. John is horrified by some of what goes on, yet the life seems to be richer and more compelling than what he left behind in England.

As a character film, A Man Called Horse is understated; with a fairly small amount of dialogue from John, we are left to understand his character strictly through his actions. But looking back at the opening scenes of the film, we see John as a worldly, jaded fellow with no particular aims in life... certainly quite different from his character by the end of the film. The character development isn't highlighted in the film, but it's there, and adds substance to the story as a whole.

A Man Called Horse has aged quite well since its release in 1970, even apart from the fresh interest that viewers may have in seeing Richard Harris in an early role, after getting to know him in the Harry Potter films as Dumbledore. The story is interesting and fresh; the only parts that feel a bit dated are a few "psychedelic" sequences, mainly during the Sun Vow scene.

The leisurely pacing of A Man Called Horse is probably what most marks the film as a production of the late 1960s/early 1970s; filmed now, thirty years later, it would probably have a more frenetic pace and a more complicated story. But it doesn't need it: A Man Called Horse is a testament to the fact constant action from start to finish isn't necessary to keep the audience attentive. Just as a runner can't run at a constant full sprint without slowing down, a film can't keep up non-stop action without some of that action inevitably losing its tension. Taken as a whole, the slow pace of A Man Called Horse is another strength of the film; the film allows the story to develop in a natural and captivating manner.

The DVD

Video

A Man Called Horse is presented in its original widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and is anamorphically enhanced. The transfer looks very good on the whole, certainly better than the average film from the early 1970s. Colors are very good, looking bright and accurate, without any bleeding; contrast is also satisfactory. Though there's a moderate amount of noise in the image, there were almost no print flaws at all. Some edge enhancement appears in the transfer, but it's not too noticeable.

Audio

The soundtrack has been remastered into a Dolby 5.1, and in fact we do get a reasonably immersive surround experience here. A Dolby 2.0 soundtrack is also included. The dialogue appears to be clear, for the most part. The sound does get rather strident in the louder portions of the soundtrack, especially in some of the music-only scenes, which end up sounding rather harsh. On the whole, though, the audio quality for A Man Called Horse is a notch above average.

English subtitles are included.

Extras

There are no special features on this DVD.

Final thoughts

A Man Called Horse is an interesting, intelligently done film that will appeal not just to enthusiasts of the western genre, but any viewer who appreciates an engaging film. With a fascinating (if sometimes gruesome) look into the culture of the Sioux in the early 1800s, and an entertaining performance by Richard Harris in the title role, A Man Called Horse makes for an excellent evening's entertainment. The DVD offers quite good video quality and satisfactory audio quality, though no supplemental material, so overall I'd recommend this as a solid purchase.