Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Mesophilic on February 19, 2019, 09:26:14 am
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N-flix finally has Dances With Wolves. I haven't seen that movie in a really long time. In fact , last time I watched it, was a VHS copy on a 32" tube TV.
So no wonder I didn't really notice it till now, that the dress that Stands With A Fist wears is decorated with a bunch of elk ivories. I just thought they were some kind of seashell.
I really appreciate the props and costumes a lot more now that I've dabbled with primitive arts.
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(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ff/e8/60/ffe8603d1b8479176c1ad847d528a07e.jpg)
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I haven't seen that movie in a long time also. Need to see it again and pay more attention to the details.
I saw a dress in the Museum Of The Native Americans in Washington a few years back. It had so many elk ivories on it I bet it weight 50#+. It looked way cool but I bet it was an uncomfortable dress to wear.
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There was a shop in Gatlinburg owned by the late Polly Bergen that had a lot of the dances with wolves props and costumes in it, lots of bows and arrows.
One dress from the movie had hundreds of tiny bells on it made supposedly from tobacco can pieces.
I remember the war shirt on the right was in the shop, I don't remember what it was priced at but I believe is was several thousand dollars, a lot of money 25 or so years ago.
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I had the privilege of working with Spotted Horse reproductions, (John Arrasmith), one of the production companies supplying a lot of "stuff" for the movie. John called me up and asked me if I would make a few iron arrowheads for him. He said he had a contract to supply "stuff" for a new movie going into production. At the time we did not even know the name of it. I said sure, how many do you want. He said how about 3000+ of them. You can guess there was a pregnant pause for a while. I said “your kidding.” Well the short of this is I worked for GE at the time. My friend worked in a small machine shop in Bristol Ct. He agreed to make a punch and die and the owner donated a coil of iron and one night I punched out about 3000 of them. I also punched out 5 Sterling silver heads and John made the arrows and gave one each to Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Green, and Wes Studi. He sent the last one back to me and I still have it. You can see some of the heads in the photo. If anyone wants one just Email me your address and I will send you one. The arrow you see Kevin pull out of the body on the plains has a head "well" corroded. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Just Cool Reb!
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Thank you Ben. There were several businesses involved in making that movie as you might guess. John said that no one supplier could possibly make and supply all the costumes and accoutrement's for such an undertaking in the time they wanted it. Kinda neat thou. My wife exclaims each time we watch the movie, "Well there is one of your damn arrowheads". She is funny.
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Rev,
PM sent. A near story and a generous offer!
Hawkdancer
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Jerry, its in the mail box and will go out tomorrow. Enjoy.
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BTW Dieselcheese, I did not intend to hijack your thread. Sorry about that. :-[
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Love that movie. I watch the dvd every few months in my shop.
I’ve got about two dozen elk ivory’s and a few red stag, always thought about making my wife a dress like that.... but first I’d need a bunch of buckskin, then I doubt she’d ever wear it. Lol...
I’d love one of those heads reb, got lots of stuff to trade...
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Changing the subject a bit but what kind of feathers do they have in their head dresses?
I found it, they are Golden Eagle tail feathers. Found a great site Google "feather identification"
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I have a few of those trade points and you gave them to me, Dick. I didn't recognize your handle. :OK
Welcome back.
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Thank you Pat. Been a while. Long recovery, natural, from a LH injury, ouch. :'( Maybe go out to Pappy's this year. Lots on my plate with the BSofA and long range shooting. Tough being retired. No time to do ANYTHING. Later
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I’ve got about two dozen elk ivory’s and a few red stag, always thought about making my wife a dress like that.... but first I’d need a bunch of buckskin, then I doubt she’d ever wear it. Lol...
Mounter, I made an elk skin dress for my wife with a "bunch" of the "cowrie" shells on it besides the quills and beading. She claims she gains 25#s when she puts it on. She is still funny. Love her to death.
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Because it is illegal to own eagle feathers I suspect the headdress feathers are white turkey feathers dyed to look authentic. The could be real because NAs can own them but I doubt if Mr Green would subject real feather to the rigors of movie filming.
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Eric- I was pretty sure they were eagle(or imitation eagle) but I keep seeing pictures like that with the white and black feathers and I knew Bald Eagles didn't have feathers like that. The only pictures I had seen that looked like they might be close were from a Sea Eagle and I was pretty sure the native people didn't have access to them. I thought Golden Eagles were brownish all over so I was stuck as to what kind of Eagle feathers they were using. A quick search on the Feather ID site sorted me out. We don't have many Golden Eagles here, they are rare on the coast, so I didn't really know what they looked like.
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I’ve got about two dozen elk ivory’s and a few red stag, always thought about making my wife a dress like that.... but first I’d need a bunch of buckskin, then I doubt she’d ever wear it. Lol...
Mounter, I made an elk skin dress for my wife with a "bunch" of the "cowrie" shells on it besides the quills and beading. She claims she gains 25#s when she puts it on. She is still funny. Love her to death.
That’s cool Reb, and thank you. Your a genorus man!
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Great movie. Interesting thread. Cool stories. I've got some hides and furs I need some inspiration for
Bjrogg
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Somewhere down in the basement bookshelves I have a book on the making of the movie. Guess I'd better go look for it...
And Thanks to Reb. A generous man indeed. :OK
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Thanks reb. My wife was thrilled. She called me at work. I Was to.
Bjrogg
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Got mine and Little Fiddle Woman (Jacie) wants to copy the pattern for necklaces and earrings! They might make a nice Turkey point, but a bit too narrow for big game here in Colorado! Good wall hangers, though, hope to make a plaque.
Hawkdancer
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All of you are most welcomed. ;D Sometimes the small things we do for each other have a lasting impression. Enjoy them.
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My wife and I watched this movie. Great plot, beautiful costumes. I was amused that I might give my wife such a dress decorated with elk ivory, though I don't think it's the most ingenious idea. In the 21st century, which elk ivories are we talking about? I think she would throw that dress in my head. She is a fan of a more formal and conservative style; she would not experiment. She is the one who ordered a Prayer Dress (https://www.amanis.co.uk/Clothing/Prayer-Dress/) last week, which she said, she would wear when to church.
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So when you do watch the movie, watch for one of the initial scenes where the corpsman is pouring the cup of coffee at the fire for Kevin Costner's character. That's my buddy, Jim. If you know where to look, you will see him time and time again in the film. He's now done 4 projects with Costner including the recent prequel to the Yellowstone series.
Someone mentioned that no one props company could turn out what they needed for the film, and that's the truth. Almost anyone that could make a decent reproduction arrow was called on to make arrows for the movie. I have several of the broken off arrows that were used when Oliver Platt's character was pincushioned with arrows while he writhed on the ground. By the way, he was really in serious agony for the filming of that scene because he had unknowingly laid down on a nest of red ants and they were biting the crap out of him. When Costner yelled "CUT", Platt lept to his feet and started shucking out of his clothes and beating at his body to get the ants off. When asked why he didn't say something, Platt replied, "I used it to make the scene work." Freaking method actors!
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So much awesomeness in that post, JW