We're watching The Lone Ranger at Roy's request

Apparently the Arnie Whathisname / Johnny Depp Lone Ranger is getting some belated press in railroading circles because they built a special railroad track for the film. So Roy asked me to get it from Netflix, which I did. We started watching it tonight. It's looooong -- two hours and thirty some minutes.

Any resemblance to the storyline of the Lone Ranger some of us know and love from childhood is fleeting. There's a guy with a mask, some Indians, and the pursuit of a bad guy.

Johnny Depp's Tonto is Captain Jack Sparrow in whiteface and without the ditzy walk. A lot of the action sequences offer copious nods to the Pirates films. The contrast between where it's supposed to be taking place (Texas) and the actual scenery is hilarious. There's a chase scene up the dry bed of the Chinle Wash in Canyon de Chelly [Arizona], and one scene was photographed right at White House Ruins, same canyon. The "Texas Rangers" were standing on Ansel Adams' (and my) tripod holes in that scene, for crying out loud. Monument Valley [Arizona/Utah], Shiprock [New Mexico at Four Corners], and other decidedly un-Texan places also are making an appearance.

The film is a dog but I'm sorry to say I have the taste of a Philistine and all the nods to Pirates are making me guffaw.