Customer Reviews

Winterhawk [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This movie may be low budget, and the dialog mediocre, but the actors, such as Leif Ericons, L Q Jones, Denver Pyle and Dawn Wells, do a good job of carrying it off. I own the VHS, but I say this move long ago and seem to remember some scenes that were not on the tape.
The story line is really not all that predictable. Winterhawk, a Blackfoot chief, needs medicine for smallpox which is destroying his tribe. His first encounter with the white traders is catastrophic, and he retaliates - for the era, it seems quite logical - he takes hostages to trade for the medicine.
The ensuing chase presents some unforgettable scenery, and delves into the beliefs and philosophies of various groups. This is not the typical "bad Indians" movie so many people were accustomed to in the 70's. In that sense, it was ahead of its time. A lot of people still won't like this movie for that reason.
I gave this movie 4 stars because I think that in its way, it was a cutting edge effort, and as a history buff, it does a creditable job of showing the relationship between Indians and white hunters/settler/missionaries that existed at the time - not all of the bad guys were red.

An Indian chief kidnaps a women and her brother in a story about revenge. This movie has it all: drama, comic relief, action, violence, and suspense. A treat for hardcore western fans. The beautiful cinematography adds realism.

If you found the atmosphere of The Song of Hiawatha charming you will like Winterhawk. The director did a good job of leaving the viewer with a sense of something irrevocably lost. Very rough around the edges compared to the slick films of today but still worth owning.

While it's not classic material, the story line was interesting and the actors were believable. It surprises me that anyone could find fault with this movie especially when we now have such hits(and I use the term loosely) as Austin Powers, Southpark, American Pie.......etc. Winterhawk is definitely worth seeing.

I saw this movie in the theater when I was very young. The original musical score lent a great deal more to the movie than the score that is with this VHS. For some reason there were only 1000 copies made with the original score. That is a real shame because the original was breathtaking. However, the movie is an excellent one. The story, both interesting and sad grows on you as the movie progresses. Although it is a "powderpuff" western in the sense that one can tell much of the brutality is softened a bit, it is still worth watching over and over. The scenery is out of this world.

SOME KILLING BUT NO BLOOD OR GUTS AND NO SEX. KIDS DONT HAVE TO HURRY AND COVER THIR EYES. I SAW THIS MOVIE WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT, THOUGHT ABOUT WINTERHAWK FOR MONTHS, WISHED I COULD HAVE BEEN THE WOMAN RIDING NEXT TO HIM. I BOUGHT THIS A WEEK AGO AND WATCHED IT AND LOVED IT AGAIN. I THINK IT IS A GREAT WESTERN AND ONLY WISH THEY MADE MORE MOVIES LIKE THIS ONE NOW DAYS.....

If you've seen "Saving Private Ryan," or "Gladiator," (for examples) you know how much extraordinary music can add to the overall emotional drama of the story.

I was sadly surprised to discover that the original music score for "Winterhawk" (on VHS) has been replaced by a piano dub that reminds one of the silent movies of old.

The story, natural cinematography, special effects and authenticity of the period, are still intact, but I can't give the release five stars as I would otherwise. The racing piano is just too annoying to ignore. I still have a VHS copy somewhere, taped from a television showing, that is the original theater release. Guess I'll have to dig it out.

I saw this several times in the theater and it still ranks as one of my all time favorite movies. In 1975, it provided a unique perspective and understanding of Native Americans with a more realistic depiction of the Whites they encountered during that time. The production is not as polished as what we see today, but the storyline is memorable, poignant and sensible. I have a copy on VHS and wish it were available on DVD.

This movie is typical of the 1970's and late 60's view of the bad white man vs. good native American. Similar themes run in the movies Little Big Man and Billy Jack. This video has been edited for television. Key scenes from the original screen version have been deleted which really disappointed me. Maybe they will make a DVD of this classic film some day and sell it as the "unedited version". Otherwise the ending doesn't make much sense. The scenery is beautiful and I liked the original so much that I gave it 4 stars. Dawn Wells played a good role and seemed at home under the buffalo robes.

This is one of the best Western movies made. The details of life during that time period is correct. This movie is not a typical western movie, it is about trappers, christian missionaries and the Chief Winterhawk, who tried to save his people from illness brought to them by the white man. The movie shows the good, bad and ugly of life during the 1800's. It is also a romance and love story between Winterhawk and white christian missionary girl. Charles B. Pierce made another movie called Grey Eagle. It is another wonderful story that accurately depicts the frontier.