Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The White Buffalo Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 6, 2015

After the blockbuster release of 1975’s “Jaws,” the global film industry was eager to cash in on its success, scrambling to find material that played with haunted characters and monster animal attacks. In 1977, producer Dino De Laurentiis developed a few of his own entries in the sudden subgenre, with “Orca” and “The White Buffalo” emerging with stories of bloodshed and revenge, pitting man against an unstoppable enemy. While “The White Buffalo” teases exploitation elements, especially with Charles Bronson in the lead role, the western, directed by J. Lee Thompson, is actually more of a meditation on wild west reputation and aging obsession, more interested in exploring personalities and fragmented communication between recognized foes than dealing with visceral horror. Of course, a gigantic white buffalo does appear in the picture, using its strength and size to mow down and harpoon seemingly innocent humans, but at the feature’s core is a quest to capture the ragged edges of Wild Bill Hickok and Crazy Horse, working to understand clouded headspaces as their vivid and violent legends work to stunt their growth as men.

The year is 1874, and Wild Bill Hickok (Charles Bronson) is traveling across America under an assumed name, hoping to avoid interest from those seeking revenge for his years of killing. Working his way to the Black Hills, Hickok hopes to take part in the local gold rush, meeting up with old friend Charlie (Jack Warden) to help with prospecting and travel. However, his quest takes a different turn after visions of a white buffalo haunt his dreams, pushing Hickok deeper into obsession as the pair begins to cross the land, determined to hunt and kill his dreamscape visitor as a way of conquering his fears. Also out to claim the stampeding invader is Crazy Horse (Will Sampson), a proud man who’s lost his young child to the fury of the white buffalo, tasked with killing and skinning the beast as a way to restore balance to his honor. Crossing paths on the open range, Hickok and Crazy Horse establish a tentative connection, with the pair teasing an unlikely alliance as they close in on the white buffalo’s location.

Adapting his own novel for the screen, writer Richard Sale is determined to retain the flavors of life in the old west while dealing with the obvious attention the titular creature commands. Language plays an important role in “The White Buffalo,” with Sale preserving lingo and salty punctuation to best infuse the material with a distinct personality. The feature isn’t difficult to follow, but it does retain cryptic dialogue exchanges at times, necessitating the addition of body language to understand in full. The reward for such scripting is textured appreciation for character and setting, feeling transported back to a time and place where the English language was also an unsettled land, building its own vocabulary as a test of authenticity. The downside comes with performances. While the cast is solid, not everyone communicates naturally, leaving an actor like Bronson slightly out of his range when tasked to sell a word like “flummery” in a sentence. However, I probably wouldn’t say that to his face.

While it appears on the outside to be a metaphorical tale, “The White Buffalo” establishes its flesh and blood threat from the main title sequence, where we witness the hulking creature in action, stampeding across snowy terrain, eventually barreling through a Native American encampment, killing warriors and children without pause. Sale does pursue dreams of a “Moby Dick”-style tale of preoccupation, keeping Hickok in a state of alarm every time he goes to sleep, enduring violent visions of the creature that snap him awake, often in the midst of discharging gunfire. Thompson never reaches the parallel to satisfaction, but there’s enough grit here to satisfy, allowing Hickok dimension as he stalks the white buffalo and makes an effort to connect with Crazy Horse. The screenplay also makes plenty of room for traditional western encounters, introducing men, like Whistling Jack Kileen (Clint Walker), who are out to end the shootist’s life, advancing on their target in various saloons, always underestimating Hickok’s way with a gun.

Shootouts are fast and furious, adding some spark to a largely contemplative picture. Also filling genre demands is hooker with a heart of gold, finding Poker Jenny (Kim Novak) ready to devour Hickok when he arrives to find a temporary safe haven. Perhaps the most intriguing exchange in “The White Buffalo” is found here, revealing Hickok to have some type of STD, making him unwilling to perform for his lover. Later in the story, we learn that Charlie is impotent, creating a fascinating inner drive for the men, who’ve transferred their sexual frustration to the buffalo hunt, stroking firm weaponry like a pair of 13-year-old boys.

Thompson directs with gusto, ornamenting the picture with plenty of camera movement (including a plethora of Spielbergian push-ins) and chaotic edits, attempting to create a storm of hellish activity around the hunt and the buffalo itself, who’s only viewed in distant shots or obscured close-ups. Visually, “The White Buffalo” is energetic, but obviously so, watching the helmer whip up a frenzy to help cover filmmaking seams. Still, the build-up works, finding buffalo encounters agitated enough to generate required threat. Performances also do their part to create tension, watching Warden completely inhabit Charlie, an intolerant, one-eyed prospector who can’t believe Hickok is making peace with a native. Sampson shows unexpected vulnerability as Crazy Horse, with the character’s visible grief used to demote him within his tribe, while scenes featuring conversation with Hickok celebrate thawing cultural ice to satisfaction. And Bronson is suitably Bronsonesque in the lead role, working with dark glasses and long hair to articulate the gunslinger’s withdrawal from life, trying to travel without detection. Masculinity and moments of intimidation are secure.

The White Buffalo Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation does battle the elements, with smoky, wintry cinematography creating an inherent softness to the viewing experience, and the Blu-ray appears sourced from an older master. Fine detail does remain to a certain extent, with snarling buffalo particulars remaining textured, along with facial close-ups and western costuming, but sharpness isn't profound. Colors look faded but not entirely lost, drained of a little life as the action visits gnarled men and small towns. Decorative fabrics bring out bolder hues, while bloodshed holds its artificial redness. Skintones aren't flush. Crush is present during evening encounters, losing delineation on dramatic events. Print is largely intact, but displays damage and speckling.

The White Buffalo Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix finds some heaviness with buffalo encounters, which carry thundering intensity, but also fried extremes, with a minor amount of distortion detected as panic ensues. The rest of the track is flat but serviceable, finding dialogue exchanges comfortable but never crisply defined, managing accents and verbiage adequately. Scoring is thick but passable, creating necessary mood, but specific instrumentation isn't crisply identified. Atmospherics are open for inspection, with wild winter weather the most dominant, while group activity supplies necessary bustle.

The White Buffalo Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:51, HD) is included.

The White Buffalo Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Jaws" elements are sprinkled throughout the picture, though "The White Buffalo" never registers as an explicit knockoff (unlike "Orca"), providing a sufficient amount of dramatic texture (including a debate on the true nature of land ownership in America) to keep cheap thrills at bay. It's best appreciated as a study of two men burdened with troubling degrees of influence coming together to achieve a common goal, adding dimension to extensive western legends already worked over by fact and fiction.