A few words about Budd Boetticher

The Tall T
Originally uploaded by livingfilm.

So, I once again will need to turn the subject to Westerns. The most loathed genre, right behind the Musical.
I love Westerns. And, I have been again reminded of my deep amour for the subject after a few days of watching some fantastic examples of its type.
I would like to take a moment to talk about Budd Boetticher.
Budd Boetticher is one of the great western directors, though his name is usually foreign to those not closely interested in westerns. Before directing films Boetticher had a career as a bullfighter, this would also be the subject of a few of his films such as The Bullfighter and the Lady-1951 and Arruza-1972. Boetticher first came to Hollywood in 1941 to be the technical adviser on Rouban Mamoulian's Blood and Sand. Fifteen years later after making several mostly low budget films, Boetticher began a close association with the actor Randolph Scott, beginning with the film Seven Men from Now-1956 made for John Wayne's Batjac production company. Boetticher and Scott would make five more films together, now made for Ranown Productions, I mention this because this series of films is usually referred to as "The Ranown Cycle" often including Seven Men from Now which as I mentioned before was actually produced by Batjac Productions.

Boetticher's Westerns are on the surface very simple, and modest (rarely do any of these films run longer than 72 minutes, making them very easy to watch I might add). In Martin Scorsese's words..

"Boetticher's style was as simple his impassive hero's, deceptively simple. The archetypes of the genre were distilled to the point of abstraction."

This I feel, is a pretty clear description of these films. Character was always given precedents over action in the Ranown films. There is a solid if understated humor, wit and sophistication to these films, almost as if Ernst Lubistch had directed them. Actually, I feel you might convincingly translate many of these films to the stage the dialoge is so solid. Yet, you would miss that Boetticher touch. That touch that impregnates The Ranown Cycle with a quiet exitential darkness that seems to drive and haunt the characters through these films, and their destiny.

The other films after Seven Men From Now are The Tall T -1957, Decision at Sundown -1957, Buchanan Rides Again -1958, Ride Lonesome -1959 and Comanche Station -1960. None of these films are available on DVD as of yet, but can be found on VHS or on Cable television. I cannot reccomend these films enough. If you happen to come across one of them, please just invest the 72 minutes and watch it. If for any reason you are dissatisfied, talk to me.