Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 11, 2015

After scoring a career highlight with 1975’s “Nashville,” director Robert Altman followed up one of his most famous efforts with a movie that perhaps only his die-hard fans have seen. 1976’s “Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson” is far from Altman’s most lauded work, but it’s one of his better pictures, spotlighting a filmmaker working his gifts with conviction, bringing in major Hollywood heavyweights to help him realize his idiosyncratic vision. In this case, the star is Paul Newman, yellowing his teeth and wearing a cruddy wig to portray a Wild West icon coming to terms with the crumbling foundation of his mythological origins. While “Buffalo Bill and the Indians” teases a tone of revisionist western lecturing, it remains a semi-comedy with outstanding screen detail, electing to trust the audience when it comes to the deconstruction of a western legend by simply providing the uncomfortable particulars of these characters and their abrasive interaction during a time of premiere American storytelling.

As the Wild West fades into history, Buffalo Bill (Paul Newman) keeps the spirit of American history alive with his stunt show, setting up camp in a remote area as his employees prepare to wow ticket buyers, rehearsing their theatrical material. To help boost publicity, Bill and his partner Nate (Joel Gray) secure the participation of the legendary Native American, Sitting Bull (Frank Kaquitts), who arrives with his interpreter, Halsey (Will Sampson). While Bill anticipates a surge in revenue due to this unusual booking, the reality is much more painful, with Sitting Bull making specific demands about money, location, and dramatic representation that threatens to ruin the original agreement. Frustrated but unwilling to let his prize go, Bill attempts to restore order as the show opens to the public, only to be thwarted by Annie Oakley’s (Geraldine Chaplin) sympathies for Sitting Bull and an unannounced visit from President Grover Cleveland (Pat McCormick).

“Buffalo Bill and the Indians” isn’t always outwardly funny, but it does retain a healthy sense of humor about itself. The screenplay by Altman and Alan Rudolph takes great pleasure in detailing the insanity of show business, with Bill overseeing a small band of performers and handlers scrambling to put together an extravaganza, this time armed with a headline-grabbing addition of Sitting Bull, with his reputation as a cold-blooded killer of white men a perfect addition to Bill’s narrative of cowboy heroism, which is quick to depict Native Americans as the evil of the Old West. Acquiring the most loathsome figure around, the gang is counting on ticket sales to skyrocket, with Bill and Nate gearing up for a major turn in their fortunes, hoping to reignite the nation’s interest in the Buffalo Bill legacy.

Once Sitting Bull refuses to acquiesce to Bill’s routine, returning fire with his own demands through Halsey’s stoic demeanor, “Buffalo Bill and the Indians” develops into a rich showdown of wills. Bill, all puffed up on his own legend yet winded by age, an impending divorce, and dependency on drink, attempts to enforce his blustery expectations, while Sitting Bull carries on with his people, boldly distancing himself from the show until absolutely needed. And when he does participate, he puts himself on display without comment, shaking up audience expectation for a Native American monster. The story follows this concept in many ways, most pointedly in the character of Ned (Burt Lancaster), a writer well-versed in the manufacturing of Wild West conquerors, watching Bill explode as his authority, built on layers of fiction, is finally being challenged. Altman and Rudolph carry out a subtle plan of attack, breaking down the illusion of valor as Bill is reduced to a panicked man with no control, eventually watching Annie, one of his top acts, side with the enemy. The burn of this betrayal and the recognition that time has caught up with the cowboy is pointedly explored in the picture, but often sold with a dusting of silliness to alleviate the gloom.

Characterizations are crisp and performances are spot-on (the cast included Harvey Keitel, Kevin McCarthy, and Shelley Duvall), but the highlights of “Buffalo Bill and the Indians” are found during the performance sequences. Altman creates an evocative space for the movie, with terrific sets and naturalistic expanse helping to sell the era, while the cast digs into the Old West atmosphere. It’s a level of showmanship that’s entertaining to watch, exploring harsh depictions of Native American savagery and Annie’s sharpshooter skills, with her nervous but attentive husband holding the targets. The second half of “Buffalo Bill and the Indians” is handed over to lengthy passages of the camp at work, getting a feel for the show and how it changes under Sitting Bull’s influence. It’s fascinating to watch, especially with Altman’s attention to detail and fluid filmmaking style, deftly organizing a collision of actor and producer egos (a mood he would return to several times in his career, including the stagebound antics of his final effort, “A Prairie Home Companion).

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation breaks away from the Altman routine, with original cinematography favoring a bright, outdoorsy look, which appears faithfully replicated on this BD. Inherent softness is rampant, with long lenses refusing sharpness. Detail isn't emphasized but stays available, isolating the personality of the camp, with its working parts and bustling staff. Facial textures emerge periodically with definition, along with flavorful costuming decoration. Colors are inviting, enjoying outdoor greenery and vivid signage, while interesting, stable hues also emerge from fabrics. Newman's famous blue eyes register as intended. Delineation is satisfactory, losing nothing to candlelit and evening sequences. Print isn't in the finest shape, with speckling, scratches, and splice marks visible.

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix sustains Altman's mix of performances and atmospherics, with a few crackly limitations identifying the original quality of the track. The overlapping listening experience is easy to follow, with actors distinct and locations understood, never clouding to a point of unintelligibility. Music is sparse, preserving its live sound. The life of the camp is most interesting, finding sound effects and daily business combining to deliver a comfortable you-are-there event, without overt spots of damage and hiss.

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "From the Prairie to the Palace" (4:33, SD) is a making-of featurette from 1976, with cameras visiting the set as the production was in the midst of shooting camp performance sequences. It's a brief snapshot of craftsmanship, but a welcome peek at BTS atmosphere, including a brief moment where Newman and Altman have a slight disagreement over how violent the picture's climatic duel should be.

• And a Teaser Trailer (1:45, SD) and Theatrical Trailer (2:28, SD), which is missing some audio, are included.

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson" works wonderfully as a time machine to another era, but it's also surgical in design, looking to expose Wild West mythology to a different perspective, picking away at its false sense of gallantry. However, it's not heavy work, keeping an Altman-esque snap as it investigates varied personalities and their developing concerns. It's sly, but also evocative and greatly entertaining, avoiding a professorial attitude when it comes to shifting thought concerning the Old West's most determined showman.