BUFFALO BILL & THE INDIANS (DVD/WS/2.35/1976/THEATRICAL T/WESTERN LEGENDS DVD

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson
"Truth is whatever gets the loudest applause." Debunking western myths even more than he did in McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), Robert Altman's Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) sardonically explores the gap between western history and legend in show biz-obsessed America. Megalomaniac "Buffalo Bill" Cody (Paul Newman) assumes the legend created for him by writer Ned Buntline (Burt Lancaster), aided and abetted by his producer (Joel Grey) and his publicist (Kevin McCarthy), perpetuating myths of white triumph over savage "Injuns" in his Wild West show, as audiences cheer him on and buy his merchandise. But when Sitting Bull (Frank Kaquitts) joins the troupe with his interpreter (Will Sampson), his request for authenticity threatens to throw a wrench into the proceedings. Regardless of how Bill may feel about the facts, he must bow to the preferences of the paying public. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Cast Paul Newman as William F. Cody Joel Grey as Nate Salibury Kevin McCarthy as Maj. John Burke Harvey Keitel as Ed Goodman Allan Nicholls as Prentiss Ingraham Geraldine Chaplin as Annie Oakley John Considine as Frank Butler Will Sampson as William Halsey Burt Lancaster as Ned Buntline Robert DoQui as Oswald Dart Mike E. Kaplan as Jules Keen Bert Remsen as Crutch Denver Pyle as McLaughlin Noelle Rogers as Lucille DuCharme Evelyn Lear as Nina Cavalini Pat McCormick as Grover Cleveland Shelley Duvall as Mrs. Cleveland

Crew Jack Maxsted - Art Director Bob Eggenweiler - Associate Producer Anthony Powell - Costume Designer Tommy Thompson - First Assistant Director Robert Altman - Director Dennis M. Hill - Editor Peter Appleton - Editor David Susskind - Executive Producer Richard Baskin - Composer (Music Score) Monty Westmore - Makeup Tony Masters - Production Designer Paul Lohmann - Cinematographer Robert Altman - Producer Richard Portman - Sound/Sound Designer Jim Webb - Sound/Sound Designer Chris McLaughlin - Sound/Sound Designer Robert Altman - Screenwriter Alan Rudolph - Screenwriter Arthur Kopit - Play Author

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson
Exploring thematic terrain similar to Nashville (1975), Robert Altman and co-writer Alan Rudolph turn Arthur Kopit's play Indians into a blunt indictment of contemporary pop culture and the fallacies of western pop history. The star may perpetuate lies to sell tickets, but the audience buys those tickets and worships the star's "heroic" image, guaranteeing that the lies, and their legacy of Native American abuse, will endure. Altman denies a similar star- worshipping satisfaction to his movie audience, obscuring his own star with facial hair and few close shots (as he did with Warren Beatty in McCabe and Mrs. Miller), even as Paul Newman's presence also lends Buffalo Bill "star quality." Audiences and critics did not look kindly on Altman's schematic critique, ensuring that Buffalo Bill and the Indians' ironic view of American history-making was little seen in its Bicentennial year release. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
 

Berlin International Film Festival, Golden Bear (winner)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: Spanish, French Sound Processing: 5.1: 5 full-range channels. Includes 3 for the front speakers, 2 surround channels for rear speakers, & 1 low-frequency effects (LFE) channel to carry deep bass effects 1: PCM mono Additional Features: "From the Prairie to the Palace" original featurette Original theatrical trailer Teaser trailer English: mono French & Spanish subtitles DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1: Cinemascope MPAA Rating: PG DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 123 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 0. Scene Selections 1. Title/Show Business [11:36] 2. The Star! [5:02] 3. Sitting Bull Is Tired [9:14] 4. The Chief's Demands [8:01] 5. Womanizing Hot Shot [6:11] 6. A Few Rewrites [9:59] 7. Wild West Premiere [5:12] 8. Annie Shots Her Gun [:30] 9. The Indians Escape [7:08] 10. Empty-Handed Bill [7:58] 11. Generous & Flexible [:44] 12. Cleveland's Close Call [6:22] 13. The Summit [5:44] 14. Facing The Legend [8:23] 15. A Bluff in Red & White [9:57] 16. Another Show/Credits [4:56]