Last of the Mohicans. Fail

[warshipadmin]

When I was a young un whatever improving comic I was allowed to read serialised the LOTM as an illustrated tale. I recently picked up a copy and rather than read it, had a look at the history behind the French_British war, and got a map, and so on. I also came across Twain's vicious and funny review of Fenimore Cooper's work.

And then I tried to read it. 23 pages in I accepted that Twain was on the right track. OK, it was written in 1830, so the language is more antiquated than Dickens. And boy, what a Mary Sue is old Hawkeye.

[Craiglxviii]

It’s one of the few instances of the movie being superior to the book.

[1Big Rich]

When I was a young un whatever improving comic I was allowed to read serialised the LOTM as an illustrated tale. I recently picked up a copy and rather than read it, had a look at the history behind the French_British war, and got a map, and so on. I also came across Twain's vicious and funny review of Fenimore Cooper's work.

And then I tried to read it. 23 pages in I accepted that Twain was on the right track. OK, it was written in 1830, so the language is more antiquated than Dickens. And boy, what a Mary Sue is old Hawkeye.

You know Cooper wrote the Natty Bumppo saga because he thought the novels of his time were crap and he could do better, right? How bad did the competition have to be drive him that?

And if you noticed, he was more wordy than Perfesser T!!

AIGF,

[MFOM]

It’s one of the few instances of the movie being superior to the book.

Agreed the soundtrack from the Michael Mann version is fantastic

[Johnnie Lyle]

When I was a young un whatever improving comic I was allowed to read serialised the LOTM as an illustrated tale. I recently picked up a copy and rather than read it, had a look at the history behind the French_British war, and got a map, and so on. I also came across Twain's vicious and funny review of Fenimore Cooper's work.

And then I tried to read it. 23 pages in I accepted that Twain was on the right track. OK, it was written in 1830, so the language is more antiquated than Dickens. And boy, what a Mary Sue is old Hawkeye.

You know Cooper wrote the Natty Bumppo saga because he thought the novels of his time were crap and he could do better, right? How bad did the competition have to be drive him that?

And if you noticed, he was more wordy than Perfesser T!!

AIGF,

See The Scarlet Letter, the most boring book ever written about sex, betrayal and revenge.

[Craiglxviii]

It’s one of the few instances of the movie being superior to the book.

Agreed the soundtrack from the Michael Mann version is fantastic

Yep, the soundtrack is epic, as is the scenery, and the (cinematic) shooting, with those huge sweeping views of mountainsides, forests, it’s a stunning movie.

Plus, tap-loading a musket whilst running (+1!) and dual-wielding muskets (+4!). And let’s not forget the epic gunstock war club fight/ execution at the end.

[Rocket J Squrriel]

It’s one of the few instances of the movie being superior to the book.

Agreed the soundtrack from the Michael Mann version is fantastic

As is the acting.

Spoiler!

The scene where Uncas fights Magua and is killed follow by Alice's suicide was wonderfully done. The actors spoke with the looks on their faces and not with words. I especially liked how Jodhi May's Alice went from terrified to calm and determined in seconds as she made her choice. Magua even seemed taken aback by it,

[warshipadmin]

Which film version?

[MFOM]

Which film version?

Early 90's I think, with Daniel day Lewis as Hawkeye

[MFOM]

Which film version?

Early 90's I think, with Daniel day Lewis as Hawkeye

And is currently free with ads on YouTube

[Poohbah]

It’s one of the few instances of the movie being superior to the book.

Agreed the soundtrack from the Michael Mann version is fantastic

The movie version of "The Gael" somehow managed to be even more haunting than the original--and that was after getting rid of the bagpipes!

[warshipadmin]

OK, let's see how it goes.

[kdahm]

Last of the Mohicans isn't a bad book. It's actually fairly good for the time period. The major issue with it is that time has moved on, and people have become better writers, and tastes have changed. The closest well known contemporaries are Hugo, Dumas, and Dickens internationally, and Longfellow and Oliver Wendell Holmes in the US. Hawthorne was later. To really get a feel for him, you must read other books of the series and keep in mind when he was writing.

Much like reading E.E. Doc Smith today, or H.G. Wells, or anything by Roald Dahl. Half of all Shakespeare's writings are dick jokes, with much of the rest being scurrilous social commentary. You can't separate the author from the time period when they were writing, nor judge them by the mores and writing standards of today.

Another book from the period that is worth reading is Two Years Before the Mast by R.H. Dana, a far superior sailing book than that Melville hack's. The Senior Chief may have met the fellow in passing.

[Craiglxviii]

The Senior Chief? Who do you think taught Melville how to sail?

[rtoldman]

I recall the series from Masterpiece theater back in the early '70s. I thought it was a great series. Im sure there has been a remake at somepoint with the original series being deemed culturally unacceptable.

[Jotun]

As a student of English, I actually like the original novel a lot. I get a kick out of how language changes and progresses/regresses over time.
As a kid, I read a lot of old novels in their German translation (Three Musketeers, Ben Hur, 20,000 Leagues etc.) and even in the translations, the somewhat archaic language was an absolute joy.

On youtube, I found an interview with Erich Maria Remarque, recorded in the sixties. Remarque and the interviewer both spoke "druckreif" (fit to print directly) German, and compared to the stammering and mumbling and all the fillers that is in today's speech even and especially on TV, it was nectar.