Western

Adventure

Action

The White Buffalo

The De Laurentiis Company

United States of America

English

Charles Bronson

Jack Warden

Will Sampson

Kim Novak

Clint Walker

Stuart Whitman

Slim Pickens

John Carradine

Cara Williams

Shay Duffin

Clifford A. Pellow

Douglas Fowley

Ed Lauter

Martin Kove

Richard Gilliland

Eve Brent

Scott Walker

Ed Bakey

David Roya

Phil Montgomery

Linda Redfearn

Chief Tug Smith

Douglas Hume

Cliff Carnell

Ron Thompson

Joseph Roman

Larry Martindale

Scott Bryson

Gregory White

Bert Williams

Christopher Cary

Bob Harks

Dan Vadis

Donald C. Rogers

Shirley Padgett

Pat Kehoe

Phil Rhodes

Lyle J. Burbridge

Eric Seelig

James L. Berkey

Michael Hancock

Ross Taylor

Harlan Riggs

Richard Sale

J. Lee Thompson

John Barry

Dino De Laurentiis

Michael F. Anderson

Joyce Selznick

Tambi Larsen

Pancho Kohner

Paul Lohmann

Frank Meadows

Roy L. Downey

Larry L. Fuentes

Hal Klein

Alfred M. Kemper

Terence Anderson

Bruce Paul Barbour

Michael Cipriano

Greg Walker

William L. McCaughey

Michael J. Kohut

Ben Bates

Eli Bo Jack Blackfeather

Jack Aldworth

Jack Nigh

Darrell L. White

J. Michael Marlett

Ann Morrissey

Bennie E. Dobbins

Richard M. Parker

R. Anthony Brown

Joe Pronto

George P. Wilbur

Ron Frantzvog

Dan Perri

Wayne Rose

_**This is what-were-they-thinking bad, but sorta enjoyable if you can acclimate**_

Wild Bill Hickok (Charles Bronson) is haunted by nightmares involving a legendary white buffalo and so travels to the Black Hills region to hunt the creature with his old geezer pardner (Jack Warden). The problem is Crazy Horse (Will Sampson) is seeking vengeance on the beast for killing his daughter. Meanwhile Clint Walker appears as a heavy.

"The White Buffalo" was ready for release by 1976, but was withheld for over a year before being dumped into the general-circulation market. Based on a 1975 book, Director J. Lee Thompson described it as Moby Dick of the West. There’s also a “Jaws” (1975) angle with the three guys teaming up to find and slay the beast. 

The wintery outdoor locations are wonderful and the cast is great, also including notables Kim Novak, Stuart Whitman, Slim Pickens, Ed Lauter and John Carradine. I also appreciate the sensitive story of Wild Bill and the great chief Crazy Horse overcoming prejudice to discover common ground and friendship of sorts. In addition, there’s some profound explorations of finding yourself, seeking your destiny, ridding yourself of fears to become more human.

Regrettably, the indoor sets are too artificial and the bison animatronics leave a lot to be desired, resembling a giant shaggy toy, but I guess producers had limited options in the pre-CGI era, especially if they lacked the necessary funds. These elements plus the comic book vibe will leave you wondering “What were they thinking?” The white bison’s godawful attack on the Oglala camp is Exhibit A. Another glaring issue is that not enough backstory is given for Hickok’s nightmares that would provoke him to suddenly wake-up all guns blazing and travel to some remote area to slay this legendary beast (I’m assuming such scenes were cut). 

But, if you can adjust, there’s a lot to enjoy here. It’s basically a cult Western — bad, for sure, but somehow entertaining and profound, IF you can adapt to its peculiarities.

The film runs 1 hours, 37 minutes, and was shot partially in the studio & Bronson Canyon, Los Angeles, but also in Colorado, Arizona & New Mexico.

GRADE: C

The White Buffalo (1977) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Best Movies

The White Buffalo

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Charles Bronson

Jack Warden

Will Sampson

Kim Novak

Clint Walker

Stuart Whitman

Slim Pickens

John Carradine

Cara Williams

Shay Duffin

Box office

More Like This

Stardust

The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising

Along Came a Spider

I, Robot

Open Range

Raw Deal

Payback

The Perfect Storm