Tonto and the lone Ranger?

[Doc Cherokee, SASS#48332]

Not wanting to hijack any of the other threads about the new Lone Ranger movie and the rumors that TLR will be taking a back seat to Tonto, so I thought I might present this bit of history trivia about the idea..It's actually not a new concept.

 

During the Kaiser's reign in Europe, there lived in the state of Saxony a petty thief and pickpocket by the name of Karl May..He had a rather unique style of con, he would show up at shops and stores impersonating an undercover agent of the royal Saxony counterfeit squad..He would examine the contents of the cash register and ineveitably find a few "counterfeit" bills and confiscate them in the name of the state..He would always leave signed reciepts and impressive-looking documents with the Saxonian coat of arms on them..his downfall was that he operated in a very small area as he had no means of transportation..He was caught fairly quickly and since he was what is referred to nowadays as a "repeat offender" he was sentenced to a lengthy sentence in prison.

 

At the prison library he began to read books about Indians and the American West and became inspired to write penny-dreadfuls which became hugely successful, by the time he was released from prison he was both famous and fairly wealthy..His most famous character was a young Indian chief named Winnetou, who was not only courageous and noble, but was endowed with superhuman strength..He had a sidekick, a trapper named Old Shatterhand..Thus the reversal of the Long Ranger-Tonto story..As far as historical accuracy, his character was sorely lacking-He was an Apache, but he spent his time either paddling his birchbark canoe in forested lakes, or riding his white Mustang over the prairies hunting Buffalo..He wore a plains-style warbonnet, and never killed his enemies, preferring instead to knock them senseless with a blow from his mighty fist..

 

There was a number of movies made about Winnetou and old Shatterhand, which were as famous with both kids and adults in Europe as the B-Westerns were over here.

 

There were a few of these movies aired on the Westerns channel a few years back, I tried to watch some of them and found them somewhat amusing, but not particularly entertaining.

 

It's going to be interesting to see what Depp does with this movie..I don't know much about his pollyticks and viewpoints, and doubt I would agree with them, but he is one of the best actors alive..Capt.Jack Sparrow is the best pirate portrayal that's ever been done, IMHO..

[Utah Bob #35998]

Not wanting to hijack any of the other threads about the new Lone Ranger movie and the rumors that TLR will be taking a back seat to Tonto, so I thought I might present this bit of history trivia about the idea..It's actually not a new concept.

 

During the Kaiser's reign in Europe, there lived in the state of Saxony a petty thief and pickpocket by the name of Karl May..He had a rather unique style of con, he would show up at shops and stores impersonating an undercover agent of the royal Saxony counterfeit squad..He would examine the contents of the cash register and ineveitably find a few "counterfeit" bills and confiscate them in the name of the state..He would always leave signed reciepts and impressive-looking documents with the Saxonian coat of arms on them..his downfall was that he operated in a very small area as he had no means of transportation..He was caught fairly quickly and since he was what is referred to nowadays as a "repeat offender" he was sentenced to a lengthy sentence in prison.

 

At the prison library he began to read books about Indians and the American West and became inspired to write penny-dreadfuls which became hugely successful, by the time he was released from prison he was both famous and fairly wealthy..His most famous character was a young Indian chief named Winnetou, who was not only courageous and noble, but was endowed with superhuman strength..He had a sidekick, a trapper named Old Shatterhand..Thus the reversal of the Long Ranger-Tonto story..As far as historical accuracy, his character was sorely lacking-He was an Apache, but he spent his time either paddling his birchbark canoe in forested lakes, or riding his white Mustang over the prairies hunting Buffalo..He wore a plains-style warbonnet, and never killed his enemies, preferring instead to knock them senseless with a blow from his mighty fist..

 

There was a number of movies made about Winnetou and old Shatterhand, which were as famous with both kids and adults in Europe as the B-Westerns were over here.

 

There were a few of these movies aired on the Westerns channel a few years back, I tried to watch some of them and found them somewhat amusing, but not particularly entertaining.

 

It's going to be interesting to see what Depp does with this movie..I don't know much about his pollyticks and viewpoints, and doubt I would agree with them, but he is one of the best actors alive..Capt.Jack Sparrow is the best pirate portrayal that's ever been done, IMHO..

 

I think the fact that he used Keith Richars to base Sparrow's mannerisms on was brilliant. Weird but brilliant.

[Doc Cherokee, SASS#48332]

Didn't know that..But yeah, now I can see the connection..

 

I thought there can something familiar about Capt. Jack!

[Pack Saddle Slim, SASS #73122]

I guess each actor is entitled to his/her own interpretation of the character portrayed, but, I sure would hate to see the Lone Ranger made out to be a baffoon, no matter what Depp thinks.