Ranown Westerns: Five Films by Budd Boetticher Criterion Collection 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Randolph Scott Amazes In Genre Classics

The five briskly entertaining, vividly performed westerns made by director Budd Boetticher and strapping star Randolph Scott in the second half of the 1950s transcend their B-movie origins to become rich, unexpectedly profound explorations of loyalty, greed, honor, and revenge. Often grouped under the name Ranown (after producer Harry Joe Brown and Scott’s production company) and colorfully scripted by Burt Kennedy and Charles Lang, these films seem to unfold in a world unto themselves, staking a claim between traditional westerns and the subversive genre revisionism of the 1960s—and representing the crowning achievement of the underappreciated auteur Boetticher.

The Tall T – Based on a story by Elmore Leonard, this collaboration between director Budd Boetticher, actor Randolph Scott, and screenwriter Burt Kennedy is a model of elegantly economical storytelling charged with psychological tension. Here, Scott is the easygoing rancher who, along with the newlywed daughter (Maureen O’Sullivan) of a wealthy mining baron, must use his wits to stay alive when he is taken hostage by a band of ruthless stagecoach robbers. He is memorably matched by Richard Boone’s dangerously charming, nearly sympathetic villain in a performance that exemplifies the fine moral shading that distinguishes the Ranown westerns.

Decision at Sundown – Randolph Scott boldly subverts his upstanding image in this stark, often startlingly bleak tale of revenge and a man’s misguided quest for redemption. He plays the mysterious stranger who, consumed by hatred for the man he blames for his wife’s suicide, rides into the corrupt town of Sundown hell-bent on vengeance. There, both he and the townspeople face a reckoning that forces them to confront disturbing truths about themselves. All but annihilating the myth of the righteous western hero, Decision at Sundown edges the Ranown films into increasingly dark, despairing territory.

Buchanan Rides Alone – Welcome to Agry Town, a corrupt border outpost presided over by a pair of rival brothers whose bottomless greed corrupts everything in their orbit. Into this moral cesspool rides drifter Tom Buchanan (Randolph Scott), who soon finds himself railroaded for murder and, alongside a vengeful young Mexican vaquero, forced to take a stand for justice. The noir-tinged narrative—replete with twists, double crosses, and the kind of richly drawn villains who are hallmarks of the Ranown westerns—moves with entertaining economy toward a memorably ironic climax.

Ride Lonesome – Mysterious motivations drive taciturn bounty hunter Ben Brigade (Randolph Scott) to capture a wanted murderer—but his quest is complicated when he is accosted by a pair of outlaws who have their own inscrutable reasons for riding along. Masterfully scripted by Burt Kennedy, who weaves a complex web of ambiguous loyalties and motives, and featuring supporting turns by genre icons James Coburn (in his film debut) and Lee Van Cleef, the first of the Ranown westerns to be shot in CinemaScope makes striking use of the enlarged frame—with a final shot that stands as perhaps the single most unforgettable image in the series.

Comanche Station – The last collaboration between Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott brings the Ranown westerns full circle, reexamining many of the films’ key themes and tropes: greed, loyalty, hidden motivations, and the fine moral line that separates heroes from villains. Scott stars as the enigmatic Jefferson Cody, who rescues a woman kidnapped by Comanches for reasons that may have nothing to do with the bounty offered for her return. But before he can bring her to safety, he’ll have to contend with the dangers of the Comanche warpath and a trio of bounty hunters who have designs on the reward.

For thoughts on Ranown Westerns: Five Films by Budd Boetticher, please check out our discussions on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

The Criterion Collection presents the Ranown Westerns: Five Films by Budd Boetticher set with glorious 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfers all in their original aspect ratios sourced from 4K restorations of the original 35mm camera negative conducted by Sony. With the combination of Sony’s nearly flawless track record when it comes to recent restorations and Criterion’s strong showing in the 4K UHD space thus far, these films rank among the top presentations we have ever seen for a classic on 4K UHD. This set includes The Tall T, Decision at Sundown, Buchanan Rides Alone, Ride Lonesome and Comanche Station, all of which were previously released by Mill Creek in a 12 film Randolph Scott collection on Blu-Ray in 2021. We do not have that release for comparison, but judging by reviews and knowing the track record of the company, we are confident this is a night-and-day upgrade for fans. 

All five of these films are of a nearly identical level of quality, so they will be talked about as a group with any variances pointed out. These films feature some truly splendid cinematography which captures the rich western landscape replete with bold colors that pop off the screen with a vibrant intensity. The Dolby Vision offers a depth and stability of color that is frankly staggering. While the settings may be very brown and dusty, they prove to be a stunning sight when viewed here. The black levels are outstanding with nothing in the way of crush or banding present. For example, when our main characters are being held captive in The Tall T in their dark shack, the interior stays crisp and clear with depth and delineation. Highlights are likewise solid as a rock with no evidence of blooming even under the sweltering sun. 

The level of detail and clarity is jaw-dropping with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves very well without ever being clumpy, swarming or unsightly. The texture on display in the costumes and within the production design and natural environments are a revelation. Even facial details like sweat present with impressive clarity. We did not spot any specks of damage within the source. This presentation is true to the original look of the film without the added resolution making elements seem out of place. There does not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is an award-worthy effort from the team at the Criterion Collection.

Audio Quality

All of these films come with an LPCM 1.0 track in the original English which represents these narratives in a pretty impressive way sonically. The desolate stillness of the desert settings creeps through to provide some excellent ambient details. All of the various sounds in the mix seem precisely rendered so that nothing ever feels off. The dialogue comes through crystal clear without being drowned out by the sound effects or score. There are many moments of gunshots that deliver enough of a punch without becoming a muddled mess in the ensuing chaos. Every score brings the appropriate atmosphere to the proceedings that is represented well in the mix. Everything is presented with an excellent fidelity. This presentation is free of any hiss or other age-related wear-and-tear. Another 5-star effort from the Criterion Collection. There are English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Ranown Westerns: Five Films by Budd Boetticher includes a bound booklet featuring the essays “Some Things A Man Can’t Ride Around: Budd Boetticher’s Ranown Westerns” by film scholar Tom Gunning  and “The Outlaw Variations: The Ranown Westerns’ Finely Drawn Antagonists” by film critic Glenn Kenny. All of these pieces work together to explore the key figures in this set, their impact on cinema history and much more that is very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

• The Tall T Audio Commentary: Film scholar Jeanine Basinger delivers a very informative commentary track in which she discusses the collaborations between Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott, the style and expediency of Boetticher, the Elmore Leonard source material, the backgrounds of the various performers who show up on screen, the themes of the story, the visual language of the film, its legacy and more. 

• Ride Lonesome Audio Commentary: Film historian Jeremy Arnold draws upon his friendship with Budd Boetticher to delve into all of the nuances of the film including the clearly defined roles of the characters, the economical nature of the visual storytelling, the slight tweaks to the screenplay during filming, the background of the creative figures and more that is very worthwhile. 

• Comanche Station Audio Commentary: Filmmaker Taylor Hackford delivers another great exploration of Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott in which he he uses point of view as a director himself to discuss the distinct framing of the film, his deliberate use of dialogue, the way in which he approaches storytelling and more that makes for a great listen. 

• Introductions

• • The Tall T: A seven-minute introduction from filmmaker Martin Scorsese who delivers some personal anecdotes about his connection to the film and some exceptional historical background about its place within the western genre. 

• • Decision at Sundown: A six-minute introduction from filmmaker Taylor Hackford who does a nice job of setting up the film and analyzing its admirable qualities. 

• • Buchanan Rides Alone: A nearly ten-minute introduction from filmmaker Taylor Hackford who applies the same principles towards this feature. 

• • Ride Lonesome: A nearly six-minute introduction from filmmaker Martin Scorsese who discusses how he uses this film as inspiration for a lot of performances in his films along with its place in Western history.

• Super 8 Version of Comanche Station: A 20-minute Super 8 version of the film produced by Columbia Pictures in 1973 is provided here. 

• Budd Boetticher – A Man Can Do That: An 85-minute documentary from 2005 in which historians and famous fans such as Clint Eastwood, Peter Bogdanovich, Quentin Tarantino and more discuss the life and career of Boetticher. 

• Cinéma, de Notre Temps – “Boetticher Rides Again”: An hour-long episode from this television series from 1995 is provided in which Boetticher himself goes in-depth into his career while on his ranch. There are some amusing asides from the French interviewer, but the focus is the numerous anecdotes from the filmmaker. 

• Budd Boetticher – A Study In Self-Determination: An hour-long documentary from 1971 in which filmmaker Taylor Hackford sits down with Boetticher ostensibly to discuss his experiences as a bullfighter in Mexico with many other topics explored throughout the conversation relating to his larger filmmaking career. 

• VIsiting Budd Boetticher: A nearly 38-minute interview from 1999 in which Boetticher discusses his collaborations with Randolph Scott and screenwriter Burt Kenendy during the Ranown cycle. There are some great insights into Boetticher’s relationship to Hollywood, his love for Scott, the psychological study of the characters, which features he does not hold in high regard, his legacy and more. 

• Budd Boetticher and Jim Kitses: A 63-minute audio interview in which Boetticher once again dives deep into his life and career during a 1969 interview. 

• Farran Smith Nehme on Randolph Scott: A great 26-minute piece with the film historian in which she delves into the legacy of Randolph Scott in the western genre, his early efforts in a variety of different genres, his upward trajectory during the latter part of his career, his relationship with Budd Boetticher, the evolution of his persona and much more that is truly terrific. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the trailers for The Tall T (2:08), Decision at Sundown (2:04), Buchanan Rides Alone (1:30), Ride Lonesome (2:04) and Comanche Station (1:56). 

Final Thoughts

Ranown Westerns: Five Films by Budd Boetticher is one of the finest collections of westerns we have had the pleasure of viewing. There is some kind of amazing alchemy that happens when Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott join forces to deliver their brand on western drama. It is not so much that the narratives are blazing new trails, but more so the fact that they are telling these straightforward stories with a greater emphasis on the characters. Of course, this is complemented by a strong eye for storytelling through visual means, which reminds you why Boetticher was so highly regarded within the genre. Every element is simply firing on all levels, and it is a true joy to experience every entry. The Criterion Collection has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray set that offers a practically flawless A/V presentation and top notch array of new and archival special features. If you are a western fan or are looking for a great entrypoint into the genre, this should be a priority purchase. Essential 

The Criterion Collection edition of Ranown Westerns: Five Films by Budd Boetticher is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.