6. The Last Of The Mohicans
With his adaptation of James Fenimore Coopers 1826 novel, Mann was tasked with taking what was, at least at that point, a work that was considered nigh impenetrable and paring it down into something significantly more digestible for modern audiences. And you know what? For the most part, he succeeded splendidly. Breathtaking mountain shots paired with some truly gorgeous work from renowned cinematographer Dante Spinotti help to make Mohicans Manns most visually enticing effort. It also doesnt hurt that the story and characters are pretty compelling, too, with a typically outstanding performance from the great Daniel Day Lewis as the leading man. The film occasionally missteps, especially when Mann and screenwriter Christopher Crowe try to wring a tad too much pathos from the films central romance too early on; yet saccharine though they may be, these scenes do little to dilute the overall impact of what is an satisfying weighty old-school-epic.