Stu "Rotgut" Bogey and Tyler Lynch
Lynch and Bogey's inclusion in Caravan was a bit of a fluke. The characters were the only two from the short's line-up to have been in existence prior to its conception: adding the into the mix was, in all honesty, just a bit of fan-service for myself, as I'm tremendously fond of them both. It helps that they seem to be pleased to be along for the ride, content with wherever I place them - they've settled themselves into the Caravan universe without effort.
Their original incarnation as characters were that of back-water lowlifes from the mid to late 1800's. Stu Bogey, appropriately nicknamed "Rotgut," lived in a broken down old Caravan wagon by a creek in the woods somewhere with his 7 large, flea-bitten mutts. He spent his ample freetime creating and peddling moonshine, and pot-shooting rabbits from the roof of his home. Tyler was an odd entity to the local townsfolk as well. He spent so much of his time at the saloon, his perpetually knackered peers often wondered where his proper place of residence was... or if he even had one. Lynch and Bogey were also, as it happens, the best of friends. In this old incarnation, I frequently referred to them as the Beavis and Butthead of the Wild West.
Despite being a rather unsavory, the pair of them are, oddly, quite lovable - silly, wash-about pranksters who want nothing more then good company and a great time. It was these aspects that convinced me to place then in Caravan - a mix that's worked out just fine by them.
In Caravan, they maintain their love for rabble-rousing, hunting, a good hard liquor. They're thieves and peddlers, and talented musicians - Bogey of his well-worn fiddle, and Lynch on a Banjo that has quite certainly seen better days. They're the first of their gypsy Clan to get into trouble at all times, and the most sneakily adept in getting themselves out of tight binds. They're also devout family men. Go figure.
Stu Bogey, in Caravan, maintains his beloved classic Caravan wagon: it's been affixed to the truck-bed of a 50's Chevy pickup. He has one old hound dog now, Hoobler, and a manky old tomcat, Icklefitz. He and his Bride, Madelyn (whom never appears in the film, despite thoroughly existing in my mind) have a 7 year old son, Wassily... quite possibly the coolest little hippie-kid ever. The Bogeys are part of the large portion of Irish Travelers to have melded into Charlie Kavenaugh's Romani clan through the marriage of old Liam McJeeters (Madelyn's grandfather) to Nana Besnik some ten years prior, after Nana's husband of over 35 years passed on.
Stu, as many of my classmates will know at least, was inspired by "Boogie with Stu" by Led Zeppelin.
And, just for fun, here's one of the original drawings of Stu, from back in 2004.
Tyler Lynch, in Caravan, sports his conversion van camper, it strapped to the hilt with satellite dishes and old AV radios. A conspiracy theorist at heart, and never one to trust the local authorities regardless of where the Clan has staked camp at the time, Lynch can often be found in the lawn chair upon the roof of said camper, a whiskey in one hand and the receiver of one of his radios in the other, a cigarette in his maw, listening intently to the goings-on of every police radio in the area. At the time little Mia Talbert begins visiting their encampment in Caravan, Tyler's long-time girlfriend, Naidine Besnik (Nana's daughter, Anya's younger sister, who will not be appearing in the film either) is expecting by nearly 8 months.
Just by comparison to the opening image to this post, below is a drawing of Lynch and Bogey from 2004. Their conversion into the Caravan style and motif was an interesting challenge, but a fun one.
Lynch and Bogey, 2004
-Mel
I spent the day at the camp site that is currently "nearest and dearest" this past Friday, and took a number of photos to look back on while working on Caravan. It's late in the season for casual visitors by now - slowly but surely, the long-term residents (whether by choice or unforseen cercumstance) are being weeded out from those left. While I love these shots, fall is in the air - I'm admittedly rather ecited to get another photo op when the entire woods are on fire in whatever shades of crimson and gold.
One of the various things I love about visual camping aesthetics: even the propane tank gets a little love. It becomes more then an unsightly white heap. It's part of "home" wherever home may be at the time. Flower pots and decorative wiring give it a little spirit of its own.
Dad.
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