1981 - THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER, western suck fest

As a large scale remake of The Lone Ranger prepares to rear it's ugly head this summer, it's time to have a look at the first attempt to bring the old radio serial and television show western back to life.

The Legend of the Lone Ranger was directed by a notable cinematographer, William A Fraker and photographed by Laszlo Kovacs another famous cinematographer.  It was filmed on location at various western location which included Monument Valley.  This film was an attempt to resurrect the famous character and the western film in general.  This film is very bad.

The decision to cast unknown actors in the lead roles was not a good idea, they do not deliver.  Klinton Spillsbury was so hopeless that his voice was completely re-dubbed.  The female lead Juanin Clay apparently didn't have much of a career either.

Another odd film making choice was Fraker and Kovac's decision to shoot the film with lots of diffusion to give it and old fashioned look.  This makes the film look like it's out of focus for most of the running time.
 
98 minutes. A lot of writers on this one a very bad sign, Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts,William Roberts,Michael Kane and Jerry Derloshon.