South Dakota has played host to plenty of production crews, many of which use the state’s unique physical and cultural landscape – from the rolling prairies to the Badlands and from Indigenous people to early settlers – as inspiration for their stories.
‘Dances With Wolves’ (1990)
Arguably the state’s most iconic film, “Dances With Wolves” was shot in western South Dakota in 1989 and released worldwide in 1990. Directed by Kevin Costner, it tells the story of Costner as Lt. John J. Dunbar, who travels to a South Dakota military post and meets a group of Lakota people.
Notably, much of the dialogue in the film is in the Lakota language, which was translated by Doris Leader Charge. Leader Charge taught Lakota studies courses at Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.
The film won Best Picture, Best Director for Costner and five other Oscars in 1991. Visitors to western South Dakota can see set pieces from the film at Fort Hays outside of Rapid City, the Tatanka Museum in Deadwood and the 1880 Cowboy Town outside of Murdo.
‘National Treasure: Book of Secrets’ (2007)
“National Treasure: Book of Secrets” famously shot one of its critical scenes at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. In the film, the monument was revealed to be constructed to cover up natural landmarks that led to Cibola, the city of gold.
Scenes from “National Treasure,” which starred Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger and Helen Mirren, were shot on location at Mount Rushmore and also at nearby Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park.
‘Thunderheart’ and ‘Incident at Oglala’ (1992)
“Thunderheart” is a 1992 film starring Val Kilmer and Graham Greene, directed by Michael Apted. Kilmer plays an FBI agent with Indigenous heritage visiting a reservation to investigate the homicide of a tribal council member.
“Thunderheart” was shot on the Pine Ridge Reservation, which is called the “Bear Creek Reservation” in the film, and in the Badlands.
The film was well-known for casting Lakota elders like Ted Thin Elk and John Trudell to play critical characters in the story which reflected their own lives. The movie is loosely based off of the events of the American Indian Movement’s occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973.
Apted also directed “Incident at Oglala,” a documentary about the occupation.
“Incident at Oglala” is narrated by Robert Redford and tells the story of the American Indian Movement, covering the death of two FBI agents and a member of AIM on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on June 26, 1975.
The film follows the trial of AIM leader Leonard Peltier, who was convicted of murder and given two life sentences. His sentence was commuted to home confinement earlier this year.
‘The Rider’ (2017) and ‘Nomadland’ (2020)
Director Chloe Zhao has been inspired by the state of South Dakota for much of her career. A master of “docu-fiction,” Zhao has told stories of real South Dakotans, who often play themselves. “The Rider” and “Nomadland,” Zhao’s most successful releases, were shot in western South Dakota.
“The Rider” follows the true story of Brady Jandreau, who is Lakota from Pine Ridge, after a head injury ends his rodeo career. It was primarily shot on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the Badlands. Jandreau plays himself in the film, as well as several of his family members.
“Nomadland” follows Frances McDormand as Fern as she travels across rural America. She spends a significant portion of time in the film in the Badlands and at Wall Drug.
“Nomadland” won three Oscars in 2021: Best Picture, Best Director for Zhao and Best Actress for McDormand.
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This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email for statewide stories. Investigative reporter Molly Wetsch is a Report for America corps member covering rural and Indigenous issues. Contact her at molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.org.
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