"The Lone Ranger 75th Anniversary Collector's Edition""Who was that Masked Man?" Here's a hint: "Hi-yo Silver, away!"Westerns don't get more iconic than "The Lone Ranger," and this 12-disc box set ($120, Entertainment Rights) is just another chapter in a legend that rode out of 1930s radio and never looked back.With a Disney/Bruckheimer film in development and Johnny Depp rumored as Tonto, the franchise gets a boost from this set of 78 episodes from seasons one and two (1949-50) of the five-season serial, plus an 88-page commemorative book among its features.The late Clayton Moore was the heroic masked man and kemo sabe (trusted scout) to Jay Silverheels, a Canadian Indian and star athlete who portrayed Tonto, the Ranger's loyal companion. To the music of Rossini's "William Tell Overture" (which I grew up thinking was "The Lone Ranger Theme Song"), they battled injustice in the Old West.A bonus DVD includes episodes from the 1960s animated series; a Moore appearance on "Lassie" and a radio broadcast.-- Sharon Eberson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette entertainment editor"The Commander: Set 1"As she did in "Prime Suspect," author Lynda La Plante's "The Commander" ($59.95, Acorn Media) introduces a strong policewoman: a flawed individual dealing with homicide and a streak of self-destruction that takes her to the edge of danger.Clare Blake (Amanda Burton) is the top woman at Scotland Yard heading a murder review team, and she takes chances in both her work and in her life. She makes mistakes, big ones, that come back to haunt her throughout this four-episode set of complex puzzles of murder, lies, loyalty and romance.The extras include interviews with La Plante, Burton and other cast members, and featurettes that give you a chance to meet the fantastic supporting cast and insight into the working of the real Scotland Yard; all worth watching.You might find that Blake is not the nicest of characters, but she is one of the most real. And for that the series is even more engaging.-- Liz Gray, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staff writer(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Post new comment