Produced and photographed by Dr. Rudolph Jaeger of Colorado, “Battling Bulls Below the Border” is a beautiful account of 1930s matador and bullfighting culture in Mexico City. This color, educational style film features footage from the final and largest bull fight of that year at Plaza De Toros “El Toreo” on March 28th, 1937. The various silent scenes are broken up by slides of text explaining what will come next. The film opens by panning the packed arena to convey its sheer size and the scope of cultural significance that the bullfighting performance carries. This particular bullfight featured Armillita, Garza, and Solorzano, some of the most famous matadores of the world, tasked with fighting six bulls from Piedras Negras. Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations – it is considered a practice of both ceremony and sport. Bullfighting was first introduced to Mexico about five hundred years ago shortly after the arrival of Cortes and the Spaniards. It grew in popularity in Mexico and even today Mexico City’s Plaza De Toros bullring is said to be the largest in the world. Despite the sports’ cultural significance in Mexico, bullfighting was permanently banned in Mexico City as of June 2022, forcing the Plaza De Toros to shut its doors.
Opening credits (0:06). Title page (0:15). Information describing the bullfight at Plaza de Toros “El Toreo” (0:21). Exterior of the circular bowl/ bullfight arena (0:34). Camera pans packed stadium which can fill up to 25,000 (0:46). “Senoritas” in sombreros and what appears to be china poblana costume wave from a decorated car before a parade procession (1:02). The generalissimo of the bull fight and his assistant on horseback and wearing what seems to be typical charro cowboy costume announce the start of the bullfight (1:14). Parade procession of bullfight participants enters the arena – cowboys on horseback follow the car with the “senoritas” (1:41). A senorita in full Spanish dress approaches the President’s box on horseback and asks for permission to start the fight (2:09). Parade of the matadors and their assistants; some on foot and some on horseback (2:34). Matadors Armillita, Garza, and Solorzano address the crowd while wearing pink and green pastel-colored traje de luces (2:51). A matador’s assistant (peon de brega) carries the bronze trophy for the day through the arena (3:16). Bull is released in the marina (3:24). The matador’s assistant plays the bull with his cape (3:44). Horse-mounted bullfighter (picador) charged by bull; the horse wearing protective blanket (4:06). Banderilleros stick barbed darts (banderillas) into the shoulders of the bull (4:29). Various scenes of matadors preparing to kill the bull by draping a red cloth over a long sword (muleta) (4:52). A matador stabs bull close to its spinal column (6:06). The bull dies and is removed from the arena (6:18). Herd of bulls enters the marina to lure out a non-cooperative bull (6:43). A bull charges furiously (7:02). Bull violently attacks a picador on his horse (7:07). Picador’s assistant scrambles to save him from being mauled (7:28). A matador places his hat (montera) in the center of the arena to signify dedication of his bull to the audience (8:10). Another series of scenes depicting the killing of a bull by matadors (8:16). Crowd cheers for matador and flowers are thrown to him (9:02). Picadors’ assistants carry banner seeking donations for the brave man that saved his picador (9:27). Another series of scenes depicting bull performance by matador Solorzano (9:34). Matador Solorzano applauded by judges and the audience as best performer of the day (11:17). Another series of scenes depicting bull performance by matador Garcia (11:37). The dead bull is dragged out of the arena by horses to the bologna factory (12:48). Closing credits (13:07).
