Search - Lone Ranger - The Legend Begins on DVD

Your best chance to see a great serial, and at a bargain pri

Jabba | From the Land of Sky Blue Waters | 06/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When Clayton Moore assumed his signature role as The Lone Ranger in 1949, the character had been a fixture on the radio since 1933, played most notably by Earle Graser and then Brace Beemer. (It is actually Beemer's voice, not Moore's, heard calling out "Hi-Yo Silver" at the beginning of the TV episodes.) And Moore himself had starred in a number of other vehicles, most notably the Republic Pictures cliffhanger serials "Perils of Nyoka," "Jesse James Rides Again," "G-Men Never Forget," and "Ghost of Zorro." (The last role led directly to his casting as the OTHER Masked Rider of the Plains.) So, while it is perfectly understandable and unobjectionable that some who are fans only of The Lone Ranger TELEVISION show might look askance at what must be admitted to be a drastically different portrayal, others might well be interested in looking at the earlier, certainly no less authentic incarnations of the character, and particularly this one from the world of cliffhanger serials in which Moore himself first achieved stardom. The 1938 movie serial of "The Lone Ranger" is not only generally regarded as one of the finest examples of the serial form, it also marks an epoch in the developing mythos of the Lone Ranger himself, for it is here, for the first time anywhere, that the story of his mysterious origin was told, being slightly reworked for the radio program only several years later, and then adapted for the first three episodes of the TV show. It is unfortunate that most of the serial exists only in quite poor condition, but as much has been done here as possible to make it viewable (for instance, by replacing the original serial footage where possible with equivalent sequences from the much shorter feature-length version, "Hi-Yo Silver," which has survived in far better condition). Anyone reading reviews of this product probably doesn't need to have Clayton Moore's TV episodes recommended to them, though I certainly will second any such recommendation. I would only like to add that the Lone Ranger movie serial, despite the poor quality of the film master and the differences from the TV version, is likewise very much worth viewing, and that Mill Creek Entertainment has presented it here in the most watchable form that I, at least, have ever seen, and at a really remarkable bargain price, even if the TV episodes were not also included. I think this is a must-have, and a must-see, for any real dyed-in-the-wool Lone Ranger fan."

Lone Ranger TV series - a few episodes

David L. Kennedy | Adams, WI USA | 09/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although I have some of the Lone Ranger movies, I still enjoy watching the half-hour episodes. I would just love to find more of those episodes on DVD."