A Million Shades of Red

Utah promises you a picture-perfect journey with stunning backdrops that have made it to the silver screen. Kiran Mehta invites you to experience these awe-inspiring backdrops and feel like a star

- Kiran Mehta

THE TWO MUSTACHIOED LADS, in buckskin suits, complete with Stetson hats, walked a few feet apart. Their movements were calculated, creating a rhythm as their cowboy boots with heels hit the floor with a distinct sound, stirring up dust. The scene was straight out of a Western film: sepia-toned, with the sun setting in the distance, highlighting the expanse of the red rock landscape of Kanab, Utah, in the Western USA. A crowd was slowly gathering to watch the drama unfold. On cue, the boys turned towards each other to face off, while the older lad said, “Kid, there’s something I ought to tell you.” Western movie fans will recognise the lines from the 1969 hit Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Just then, the younger of the two lads burst into laughter. The boys—eight and nine years old—pulled out their fake moustaches and ran towards each other giggling. They were re-creating iconic Western scenes to celebrate their ‘Grandpa’. On speaking to the family, I learned that Ttheir patriarch had once auditioned for a small role in a Western drama in this time-trapped city in Utah. Their beloved 'Gramps' didn't make the cut, but the memory stayed with him; the family had come to Kanab to celebrate him on his first death anniversary.

Talk to any local in Kanab, also known as 'Little Hollywood', and chances are you'll hear about their older family members having auditioned for a role. I hear of some who made it to the silver screen; a handful were featured in blink-and-you-miss-it roles, while everyone came away with memories. In a sense, Kanab is their hero. Its distinct landscape is what put this tiny town, with a population of around 5,400, on the tourist map.