Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

The first must-see film of the year.

For old and new fans alike of The Lone Ranger TV series, this is the three part origin story start to finish without the standard opening and closing sequences of the individual episodes to interrupt the continuity of the story. For devotees of the Ranger, this is the grand daddy of all Western sagas, telling as it does how Texas Ranger John Reid survived the ambush by the Butch Cavendish Gang, and how he was nursed back to health by an Indian friend from his childhood. Tonto (Jay Silverheels) declares his companion a 'trusty scout', and names him Kemo-sabe. I've read various interpretations of the origin of the term Kemo-sabe, but I'm satisfied with Tonto's explanation. Reading too much into it just detracts from the story, just like the English translation of 'tonto' from Spanish, which I won't mention, because it's just better not to know if you can help it.I thought it quite clever how the origin story created the mystique of the Lone Ranger, like the sixth grave that created the illusion that all the Rangers died in the box canyon ambush. You never see the face of the man who becomes the Lone Ranger, as it's always turned away or obscured to hide his real identity. Even the origin of Silver is handled brilliantly; the voice of the story's narrator describing the wild stallion's sterling qualities. I got just the biggest kick out of that explanation.For it's time, The Lone Ranger was a prolific TV Western with two hundred and twenty one episodes spanning eight years on the air from 1949 to 1957. Quite notably, most of the individual shows never quite matched up in quality to the first three episodes telling the origin story, but that was a simpler time and special effects in Westerns was virtually unheard of. But the show captured the imagination of this viewer as a young boy, as the Lone Ranger became one of my personal heroes along with such luminaries as Tarzan and Superman.

I have had the video 'The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1952) for several years. I have enjoyed playing it for my children and grandchildren. They have all been excited, as have I, regarding this wonderful story of two fictional hero's of the old west. This is a well developed story line, which followed that of the radio series with considerable refinement. I had listened to "The Lone Ranger" on radio from the earliest days of my memory. The horses at times almost become stars in their own right. As other Lone Ranger video's became available we purchased them. Even the background music, the finale of the William Tell Overture, is fitting the classic nature of the story. The announcer and the narrative is a class act in itself. In my opinion, one of the best TV series of all time. Dave Barker

This three-episode television classic was filmed in 1949 and introduced Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels as the Lone Ranger and Tonto. This seminal film details the Masked Man's origins as a Texas Ranger who was ambushed with five fellow rangers by outlaw Butch Cavendish, the Ranger's recovery with Tonto's help, why he conceals his identity with a mask, how he finds Silver, and their round-up and arrest of the Cavendish gang. Moore and Silverheels were perfect as the two leads in this series and portrayed the characters as no one else could have. They were supported by some of the old-school, venerable character actors of the day such as Glenn Strange, George Lewis, Tris Coffin, George Chesboro, and Walter Sande. The crisp black and white photography stands up well with time and the Lone Ranger "mood music" is a superb, nostalgic accompaniment to the program. Each of the three episodes is wonderfully narrated by way of introduction, and the narration is also used introduce key plot situations.

This is a compilation of 3 episodes of the long-running TV series starring Clayton Moore. It chronicles the origin of The Lone Ranger, and how he met Tonto and Silver, while avenging the death of his brother. A fairly straightforward good guys vs. bad guys story, it nonetheless evokes a strong emotional appeal to the imagination, showing why The Lone Ranger continues to be popular.