Dreamkeeper (2003)

Thanks for the memories!

Powerful

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

I enjoyed the main thread which was used to connect the myths of various American tribes, and how the stories were shared. And of course I was thrilled to see Native Americans playing each of the appropriate roles--as well as how they briefly touched on the realities of tribal life (though this aspect was quite rightly very brief, as this was not the focus of the film). I also greatly appreciated the care taken in presenting the authentic and unique garb for each of the various tribes, as well as in how their villages were depicted: Long Houses in the Pacific Northwest, mobile TeePees for the Plains, etc. It was a pleasure to see such a nice range of tribes and their myths. It was also a breath of fresh air, in that it stayed away from the usual stereotypes and tribal tropes (for the most part). I for one, would really enjoy this expanded into a whole series.I had to mark my rating lower than I wanted to, due to poor production values and areas that didn't quite hand together as they should have given the clever way the stories were tied together--but I would rate it as a solid 7.5 rather than just a 7 (yet it wasn't quite an 8 either). I genuinely had no other quibbles.

DREAMKEEPER is a beautiful and powerful film.Shane, a 17-year-old Lakota Sioux who owes money to loan sharks and has all sorts of other troubles on his mind, travels with his 87-year-old grandfather from their South Dakota reservation to an inter-tribal pow-wow in Albuquerque, NM. Along the way, Grandfather spins a number of old myths and tales from the Lakota, Cheyenne, Mohawk, Kiowa, Blackfoot, Chinook-Salish, and several other tribes that teach Shane a great deal about how to approach this life and what follows it. The myths themselves are wonderfully played-out in realistic non-animated fashion, and the 180-minute film is evenly divided between Shane & Grandpa and the stories Grandpa tells. The costume design and settings in the myth sequences are as good or better than those in even the very best western films: DREAMKEEPER truly puts you among the Indians. The cinematography and acting are also splendid throughout. Amazing special effects too.This film could have turned out really sappy, but despite the Hallmark, it's not. The realism is stunning, especially for a made-for-TV affair. Some violence and generally disturbing material, but no serious gore or sex/nudity. Grandpa's tales include everything from the ribald "What's this? My balls for your dinner?" to the transcendent "Quillwork Girl and Her Seven Star Brothers." Both of these tales, along with most of the others, are available in numerous books and websites, but I would particularly recommend American Indian MYTHS AND LEGENDS, compiled and edited by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz and THE MYTHS of the NORTH American INDIANS, by Lewis Spence.

I am very interested in the history of the Native American Indian and I found this DVD to be a profound and moving record. The acting was superb throughout but especially by Eddie Spears, August Schellenberg and an actor I particularly admire Michael Greyeyes. The accompanying music was fantastic. I found the Directors comments about each scene fascinating, especially the information regarding Edward Curtis the well known photographer. I am a photographer myself and could relate to the methods used in the film to create a sepia effect and short depth of field. I know I will Play this film over and over again and each time will find something new.

In South Dakota, in an Indian reservation, an old storyteller Indian (August Schellenberger) asks his grandson Shane (Eddie Spears), who is in trouble owing money to some bad guys, to take his old pony and him to Albuquerque to the great powwow, an Indian meeting. While traveling, Grandpa tells mysterious Indian tales of love, friendship and magic and brings his grandson back to the Indian traditions and culture.What a great surprise was watching "Dreamkeeper"! Released on VHS in Brazil, with 167 minutes running time, it is composed by several wonderful mystical Indian tales, with gods, spirits, enchanted horse, evil serpent in a lake, all of them connected through the narrative of the Grandpa to his grandson and with the support of excellent cast and special effects. This feel-good film is a must-see entertainment for the whole family. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Guardião dos Sonhos" ("Dreamkeeeper")Note: On 03 May 2014, I saw this movie again on DVD.