verbusen Review of Buffalo Rider

Buffalo Rider (1976)

More Animal Abuse Then ALL The Tarzan Films Combined?

[5/10 · 17 August 2014]

This is one crazy film. Looks like it was some kind of Morman production because BYU is thanked at the end but there is alcohol involved so maybe not. Anyway for it being made in the modern age of 1976 it sure does have a lot of animal abuse in it. For starters there are many buffalo shot. If they are not being shot at close range thats a pretty good special effect because it sure looks like they are being shot in the spine and fall down immediately like a dead cow. Then there are animal pairings kind of like putting a cat in with a pit bull, except it's a cougar with a raccoon. I have to give this film some credit though because there is a man lying on the ground next to two grizzly bears fighting each other and those bear claws look real. This film has seen a revival because it's production values are so low (95% of the dialog is from a off screen narrator or two, very Beast Of Yucca Flat'ish), and because there is some very un-PC animal abuse moments that would never be tolerated in today's American cinema. In revival I mean that it has been riffed by Rifftrax (formerly actors from Mystery Science Theater 3000) and it seems also has a web TV parody going around with a new comedic soundtrack. That would be the best way to watch this, then no one can accuse you of being a supporter of animal cruelty, because you are watching it in a comedic way. I only watched the Rifftrax version and it was a solid 9, very very funny. If I were to rate the film on it's own I would score it a 5 although it probably deserves a 1 for all the animal cruelty. I am amazed at the main actor's toughness and picking up a porcupine by the tail, and all the other crazy stuff he did, he's a tough guy!