Rodeo
“A view of the 1968 National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City.”
Synopsis
Shot in four days during the 1968 National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City, this lyrical documentary takes you inside the arena atop a 2800 lb bull. Watch Freckles Brown, a legendary cowboy, conferring with a young Larry Mahan, the previous year's champion and see crowd favorite Myrtis Dightman trying to hold his own in a dramatic ride. "Rodeo" shows the classic struggle of man against beast, a matter of life and death. Dick Rosmini's hypnotizing folk-fusion soundtrack and an intricate sound mix add to the climatic result.
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
July 10, 1969
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$20K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Carroll Ballard
- Original Score
- Richard Rosmini
- Original Title
- Rodeo
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 20m
- Production Budget
- $20K
- Production Studios
- Concepts Unlimited
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Carroll Ballard
Richard Rosmini
Caleb Deschanel
Joe Ravetz
Gaby Monet
Department Leadership Roster
Carroll Ballard
Director
Joe Ravetz
Editor
Caleb Deschanel
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Rodeo.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Rodeo.
Criterion US - Action Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on Criterion (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Rodeo
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Rodeo about?
Shot in four days during the 1968 National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City, this lyrical documentary takes you inside the arena atop a 2800 lb bull. Watch Freckles Brown, a legendary cowboy, conferring with a young Larry Mahan, the previous year's champion and see crowd favorite Myrtis Dightman trying to hold his own in a dramatic ride. "Rodeo" shows the classic struggle of man against beast, a matter of life and death. Dick Rosmini's hypnotizing folk-fusion soundtrack and an intricate sound mix add to the climatic result.
Who directed Rodeo?
Rodeo was directed by Carroll Ballard.
Who stars in Rodeo?
The principal cast of Rodeo includes Larry Mahan, Freckles Brown.
When was Rodeo released and how long is it?
Rodeo was released in 1969 with a total runtime of 20m.
Who composed the musical score for Rodeo?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Rodeo was composed by Richard Rosmini.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Rodeo?
Rodeo holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).