194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

Discuss releases by Indicator and the films on them.

Moderator: MichaelB

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
swo17
Bloodthirsty Butcher
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
Location: SLC, UT

194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#1 Post by swo17 » Thu Apr 02, 2020 11:37 am

Image
BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS, OR SITTING BULL'S HISTORY LESSON
(Robert Altman, 1976)
Release date: 14 December 2020
Limited Edition Blu-ray (UK Blu-ray premiere)


An all-star cast – including Paul Newman, Burt Lancaster, Geraldine Chaplin, Joel Grey, Harvey Keitel, and Shelley Duvall – assembles for Robert Altman’s follow-up to his 1975 critical success, Nashville. Swapping the country-and-western scene for Buffalo Bill’s ‘Wild West’ shows of the late nineteenth century, the film is another of Altman’s pitch-perfect satires, offering a sidelong glance at the myths of America.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• High Definition remaster
• Two presentations of the film: the original US and UK theatrical cut (124 minutes); and the shorter European cut (104 minutes)
• Original mono audio
From the Prairie to the Palace (1976): archival on-set documentary featuring rare footage of Robert Altman and Paul Newman
• Interview with Jim Webb (2020): the sound mixer discusses his work on the film
• Seven silent films featuring Buffalo Bill and the stars of his Wild West shows, with optional musical accompaniment by Bernard Wrigley: Annie Oakley (1895); Parade of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, No. 1 (1898); Parade of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, No. 2 (1898); Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Parade (1902); Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Pawnee Bill’s Far East (1910); The Life of Buffalo Bill Parts I–III (1912); and Ford Animated Weekly (1916)
• Original theatrical trailer
• Teaser trailer
• TV spot
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Richard Combs, extracts from Altman on Altman, an overview of contemporary critical responses, Peter Stanfield on the silent films of Buffalo Bill, and film credits
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 3,000 copies

#PHILTD194
BBFC cert: PG
REGION B
EAN: 5060697920598

User avatar
therewillbeblus
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Re: Forthcoming: Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#2 Post by therewillbeblus » Thu Apr 02, 2020 11:56 am

This is one of the few Altmans I haven't seen, any opinions from those that have seen it?

Not always a fan of too-busy artwork, but I absolutely love this cover.

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Forthcoming: Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#3 Post by domino harvey » Thu Apr 02, 2020 12:10 pm

Here are my thoughts from almost a decade ago:
domino harvey wrote:
Mon May 16, 2011 10:55 pm
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (Robert Altman 1976) A peculiar film, one competently furnished and seasoned with droll humor, but essentially an exercise in... I don't know how to finish this sentence, because why does this movie exist? It can't be so as to further the nth "Print the legend" diatribe. And it sure isn't to tell a story, as there is none. An excuse for a bunch of stars to parade around in western garb and talk over one another? I'm not an Altman disciple, and while this one fares better than most, I can't really hang this entertaining diversion on anything beyond the fleeting immediacy of what it presents. A film should have a better defense for having been made.

User avatar
Rayon Vert
Green is the Rayest Color
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:52 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Forthcoming: Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#4 Post by Rayon Vert » Thu Apr 02, 2020 8:48 pm

For me definitely the one lesser film in his stellar 1971-to-1977 run.

User avatar
Adam X
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:04 am

Re: Forthcoming: Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#5 Post by Adam X » Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:16 pm

Yeah, I do remember somewhat enjoying the film, but mostly agree with what domino said (as in I don’t feel it “fares better than most”, it’s not cohesive enough). It feels like the film went into production with some actors Altman liked but without a finished script, and then they all just workshopped some ideas on camera and called it a day. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that there were production troubles on this one. For me, an ‘interesting failure’, maybe?

User avatar
RitrovataBlue
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2019 4:02 pm

Re: Forthcoming: Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#6 Post by RitrovataBlue » Thu Apr 02, 2020 10:08 pm

I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It’s a continuation of Nashville’s showbiz satire theme, but leavened with more overt comedy. Paul Newman gives a surprising performance, almost entirely hollow-eyed and hopeless beneath his outlandish western costume. It’s not one of Altman’s best, but if you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy it.

User avatar
rapta
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
Location: Hants, UK

Re: Forthcoming: Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#7 Post by rapta » Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:55 am

For me at least, from what I've seen so far, even a 'lesser' Altman film is pretty enjoyable (see: Dr. T and the Women). Looking forward to this, although I am still surprised no UK label managed to get like Thieves Like Us or A Wedding before this and Kansas City (and we're still waiting for The Player, Short Cuts, Brewster McCloud and even The Gingerbread Man over here too).

User avatar
MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
Contact:

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#8 Post by MichaelB » Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:53 am

Bumped to mark the official announcement.

beamish14
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 3:07 pm

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#9 Post by beamish14 » Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:08 pm

Just curious-were Arthur Kopit and Alan Rudolph approached about this disc? I'm curious to know their thoughts
on it today.

yoshimori
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:03 am
Location: LA CA

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#10 Post by yoshimori » Thu Sep 17, 2020 2:31 pm

I've been wanting to support this release since I heard about it but've been too lazy to post. Until now, apparently. So ... I'll weigh in as someone who considers BB&I/SBHL among his or her favorite Altmans (probably after only Nashville, Long Goodbye, Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, A Wedding, M*A*S*H, and Three Women). I found it long (but, like the Variety reviews in the 1990s, I find most films long) but overall quite funny. Newman delivers a line I'll never forget ... in a conversation with Sitting Bull in which BB pokes fun at the chief's periphrastic-metaphorical mode of discourse.

I agree with dh's characterization above -- that its immediacy may feel "fleeting". And his description of it as an "entertaining diversion" works as a basic summary of my response. But for me those are not necessarily drawbacks, since most films, again for me, don't reach those "heights". [I'd posit, contra dh, however, that a film doesn't needs an obvious defense for its being made.] If you haven't seen it and have any affinity for Altman's humor or aesthetics, you shouldn't hesitate, I'd think.

User avatar
therewillbeblus
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#11 Post by therewillbeblus » Thu Sep 17, 2020 2:42 pm

The seven silent films are exactly the kind of fun extra I'd expect from this label


User avatar
hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#13 Post by hearthesilence » Tue Nov 03, 2020 1:08 pm

I'll have to check this out. It gets knocked around a lot, but I know Kent Jones and Michael Atkinson have argued for its reappraisal. From Atkinson: "In many ways, Buffalo Bill caps off Altman’s ’70s project, cynically boiling down his accomplished naturalism into a death march of commodified suffering. This grim parade of mutated history—which focuses almost entirely on the eponymous Wild West show and its heroic depiction of Native American subjugation—barely acknowledges the requirements of dramatic narrative in its disgusted litany of showbiz prevarications. Easily the least entertaining of Altman’s key movies, it’s also his most outraged."

User avatar
MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
Contact:

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#14 Post by MichaelB » Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:14 pm

Last edited by MichaelB on Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Deleted stuff about Gary being sent info; he's updated his review.

nitin
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 6:49 am

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#15 Post by nitin » Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:29 pm

Michael, is the updated part of the review to do with the comments about the 'antique' look being the correct look? And if so, was the colour corrected by Indicator?

User avatar
antnield
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
Location: Cheltenham, England

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#16 Post by antnield » Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:45 am

ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONS

Studiocanal’s HD remaster of Buffalo Bill and the Indians provided the source of this remastered Indicator edition. Further restoration, to remove thousands of instances of dirt, repair hundreds of splices, and improve stability throughout, was undertaken at Final Frame Post, London, where a full regrading of the image was also done, using original theatrical prints as reference, in order to reinstate what Altman termed the film’s ‘antique look’. Original stereo audio for both the 105- and 124-minute cuts was captured from original optical tracks, and audio restoration, to reduce crackle and remove other imperfections, was performed by Michael Brooke.
Also from the booklet, Altman on the ‘antique look’:
Everything about the film was consciously controlled – the wardrobe and the sets. I didn’t want any blue to appear in the film; it was red, yellow and black, the circus colours, with the reds really saturated. I don’t know what exactly I was after, just an antique look that corresponded to those period signs, but I knew I didn’t want it to look like any other film.

nitin
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 6:49 am

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#17 Post by nitin » Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:52 pm

Great, thanks for that info Anthony!

User avatar
TheKieslowskiHaze
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2020 10:37 am

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#18 Post by TheKieslowskiHaze » Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:13 pm

Thanks for the helpful info. This movie is available to stream on Prime video, but it seems to be the old, more naturalistic transfer. I'm a big Altman fan, but haven't seen this one (about which I've heard not-so-great things). Might have to give it a watch on amazon, and then decide if it's worth seeking out the "proper" version.

User avatar
therewillbeblus
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#19 Post by therewillbeblus » Wed Dec 16, 2020 12:37 am

I consider myself a considerable Altman advocate, especially from the near-perfect period of That Cold Day in the Park through Nashville (except Thieves Like Us, which I recall being a mess) but this was a big swing and a miss for me. I can appreciate the idea of consolidating oral history into a roadshow circus routine, recreating the process of myth-making by presenting layered legends (most seemingly self-created, but who would know or care is part of the gag) in a satirical production of self-conscious artifice... it's just not very funny, and the material isn't interesting enough to fill the time. I'm curious if the shorter European version allows some elements to click better without so much aimless meandering, and I might pick up the Indicator to find out, but a first viewing was a mostly frustrating glance at a waste of potential. Now, there are definitely a few great dry scenes, especially a setpiece that seems laughless around the 3/4 mark and ends with an anti-joke 'climax' due to confusion from what should be an expected language barrier, but isn't, which is the whole laugh. I have to wonder if Altman deliberately constructed and dragged out these lavish choreographed segments just for the sake of esoteric deadpan punchlines for self-amusement. The defenses in this thread are going to likely support another viewing, so hopefully this one grows on me in due time, but for a mundane look at a fragment of America's sad and empty chronology, this could have been more stimulating. Or maybe its subversive temperament is the whole point.


User avatar
tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#21 Post by tenia » Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:30 am

I'm making my way through this release and have a small curious question : is Bernard Wrigley related to Nick ?
After the Billingtons' credits on the Fu Manchu silents and who I'm wondering if they're related to Jeff, this looks like another case of familiar last names !

User avatar
MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
Contact:

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#22 Post by MichaelB » Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:33 am

Father (Bernard) and son. Bernard Wrigley has also contributed scores to MoC releases (the Lubitsch silents).

I can also definitely foresee my own son getting a credit in the not too distant future, when he'll finally catch up with his sister, who got a credit on Arrow's Tales of Terror for the Anne Billson piece on cats in horror films, her specific contribution being the loan of most of the toy cat props.

(She was nine at the time, but not only insisted on an onscreen credit before she'd even consider such a loan but when the final product arrived she made me unwrap it in front of her and prove that I'd fulfilled my part of the bargain. Her grandfather was a pretty distinguished lawyer, so it's clearly genetic.)

User avatar
Drucker
Your Future our Drucker
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 9:37 am

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#23 Post by Drucker » Sun Dec 20, 2020 12:41 pm

So now the MSRP of Indicator releases will be going up 10% so MichaelB's children get residuals, smdh.

User avatar
tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am

Re: 194 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

#24 Post by tenia » Sun Dec 20, 2020 5:53 pm

Thanks for the answer Michael. I was just curious, sometimes it's just a coincidence and they're indeed unrelated !


Post Reply