The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981 film)

Infobox Film
name = The Legend of the Lone Ranger


image_size =
caption = Original threatrical poster
director = William A. Fraker
producer = Walter Coblenz
writer = Gerald B. Derloshon,
Ivan Goff,
Michael Kane,
Ben Roberts,
William Roberts,
George W. Trendle
narrator =
starring = Klinton Spilsbury,
Michael Horse,
Christopher Lloyd,
Matt Clark,
Juanin Clay,
Jason Robards,
John Bennett Perry
music = John Barry
cinematography = László Kovács
editing = Thomas Stanford
distributor =
released = May 22, 1981
runtime = 98 min
country = United States
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0082648

"The Legend of the Lone Ranger" is a 1981 film of the story of The Lone Ranger, a Western character created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker. The title has been used twice previously.

Reception

The film was released to massive publicity in 1981 and did poorly. Box office receipts were far short of the amount needed to recoup the costs of the film, and critical reviews were almost unanimously negative. Despite the presence of renowned actors in supporting roles, including Christopher Lloyd as villain Butch Cavendish and Jason Robards as President Ulysses S. Grant, the film vanished from theaters rapidly. The actor playing the Ranger (Klinton Spilsbury) has never appeared in another film, while the actor portraying Tonto, Michael Horse, has done somewhat better, appearing in many minor films and as a regular on the Canadian television series North of 60 as well as the American series "Twin Peaks".

Trivia

* The events surrounding the release of this movie would be satirized in the episode "Who Was That Mashed Man" of the TV sitcom Night Court, where a case comes through the courtroom involving: an elderly man who played the "Red Ranger", a famous cowboy of yesteryear that was popular with children; and the producers of a movie that is a modernized remake of the character...turning him into a swearing, womanizing modern action hero. Both parties are clashing over the elderly man appearing in public as his old persona.

* Humorist Russell Baker satirized the producers' legal action against Clayton Moore in his newspaper column. The piece (titled "Bye Bye Silver Bullets") had the Lone Ranger in a swank attorney's office being forced to hand over Silver, his mask and his silver bullets.

* Klinton Spilsbury's dialogue was overdubbed for the entire movie by actor James Keach.

* Two of the movie's four screenwriters, Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, previously created the hit TV series "Charlie's Angels."

* The movie's ballad-narration, "The Man In The Mask", was composed by Dean Pitchford of "Footloose" and Sing fame.

* This telefilm was shot in New Mexico, Utah, and California.

* The film had a line of action figures which included George Custer.

Awards and nominations

*Golden Raspberry Awards:Won: Worst Actor (Klinton Spilsbury):Won: Worst New Star (Klinton Spilsbury):Won: Worst Musical Score:Nominated: Worst Picture:Nominated: Worst "Original" Song ("The Man in the Mask")

External links

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