Metaphor for one's most lethal innermost fears
"The White Buffalo" can be and has been seen by many as a poor version of a western crossed with "Moby Dick". On it's surface, yes, that is true to an extent. But imho, i see this film as more of a psychological commentary on man's worst enemy: his inner fears and phobias.
In this case, the character of Wild Bill Hickock, played well enough for the purposes of this film by Charles Bronson, is a man who knows his days as a legend, and his own existence for that matter, are nearing an end. In the depths of his subconcious, this trepidation of his own inevitable mortality is personified by the image of a white buffalo, charging down upon him, bringing nothing but death. This concept in Hickock's mind manifests itself in the form of recurring nightmares, always ending with Hickock while still in his sleep, grabbing his pistol, and blazing away for his very life. Hickcok correctly deduces that the only way to purge this inner demon is to physically destroy it in the real world. Hickock realizes his days are numbered, but he is determined to conclude his life on his own terms, and not at the mercy of a psychological enigma tearing at his very soul.
His equal but opposite ally comes in the form of Will Sampson, playing the native american Chief Crazy Horse. In the wake of his infant child being killed by a white buffalo in a wild stampede, Crazy Horse, just like Hickock, realizes that the only way to free his own tortured soul and come to terms with the loss of his child is to personally destroy the albino bison, lest his life and legacy be ruined forever.
Making a film about a psychological metaphor for one's own darkest dread is a complex exercise at best. It's far too easy to become heavy handed and preachy about the "resiliency of the human spirit", and yet, The White Buffalo is a film that manages to avoid this trap by humanizing both men to the point where it is very easy for us, the audience, to empathize and relate to their dilemma.
Who among us has never been tortured by an abstract fear? A fear of losing a loved one, a fear of failure, a fear of rejection, a fear of futility in one's life, and yes, even a fear of death itself. How can we fight what has no physical form? How can we triumph over that which is locked away and embedded in our own minds? Make no mistake about this: Psychological torment and pain is infinitessimally more damaging then physical damage could ever be. Physical wounds can heal over time. Psychological ones...not always.
And it is for this very reason that The White Buffalo works on the hypothetical level on which it is offered. The rare opportunity to vanquish that which countless people have themselves been vanquished by throughout history. The chance to destroy the innermost demons that plague us all in the darkest recesses of our minds and souls.
In the end, we know both Hickock and Crazy Horse are figures in history whose time are nearing their respective ends. The final images of both men displayed during the end credits make this abundantly clear. But there are some things far worse then dying. Living in fear is one of those things.
Watching The White Buffalo can be a cathartic experience for anyone who has ever been afraid of that which they can neither understand nor control. The moral of this story is simply this: If you can best the demon inside of you, even though your body will one day expire, the peace of mind and spirit will be yours, regardless of your fate.
Just my interpretation on this. What do you all think?