6/10
Again the unforgettable Winnetou and Old Shatterhand in a dangerous adventure set on wonderful landscapes
25 October 2011
Adventures , action , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed .This is a thrilling and stirring adventure based on Karl May trilogy with two agreeable characters as Old Shatterhand and Winnitou, being stunningly played by Lex Barker and Pierre Brice respectively . It deals with Forester (the British Anthony Steel), a ruthless oil baron, who spreads a reign of terror from the badlands of Oklahoma to the hell-hills of the Dakotas and attempts to take Indian lands where there's petroleum . He wants to create a war between the native American tribes and the white men . Then there takes place an emotive meeting between and Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker who married Spanish Carmen Cervera who subsequently wedded Braon Thyssen) .Old Shatterhand, Winnetou and their sidekick Castlepool (Arent) try to prevent this . Meanwhile Apache chief Winnetou saves a girl from a bear attack and then he falls in love for the gorgeous Indian (Karin Dor who married to director Harald Reinl) . They free three US soldiers taken prisoners by the Ponka tribe . They are joined by an army party and an amateur botanist to track down the outlaws .There is also a Lt. named Robert (Terence Hill or Mario Girotti previously his successful ¨Trinity¨) from the Army helping the group and he also falls in love with the Indian girl ,and takes place a particular loving triangle between Pierre Brice , Terence Hill and Karin Dor (of ¨Topaz¨ and appeared in other Karl May films as white woman) . Old Shatterland and his faithful half-brother are on the trail to chase the nasty Forester . In spite of troubles caused by bandits led by Luke (Klaus Kinski) who attack and massacre an Indian village , they get escape . Old Shatterhand set out on pursuit of the bandits and prepares them a trap . But when Shatterhand rides for military help against Forester's gang who captured their companions, he finds the tribe's friendly chief succeeded by his hostile Indians who prove to be a dangerous enemy . Later on , Winnetou attempts a treaty of peace and prepares a summit between the Indian tribes and the Northern Colonel (Renato Baldini). At the end , into a cave occurs a breathtaking epilogue by means of shootouts , explosions and fire .

This Western|Adventure results to be an acceptable episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the duo formed by valiant ¨Old Shatterhand¨ who agrees to guide the motley group trough Indian territory and immortal ¨Winnetou¨ , both of them repeat their same notorious roles as dignified as always . This enjoyable saga benefits from sensational adventures , shootouts , explosions , exciting combats, larger-than-life characters and spectacular scenarios shot in Atelier, Spandau, Berlin, Germany (studio),Grobnicko Polje, Croatia ,Kredarica, Lukovo, Plitvice, Yugoslavia ,Postojna cave, Radmanove Linice valley,Stobrec quarry, Yugoslavia,cement factory, Solin, Split, Croatia

Winnetou-Pierre Brice repeats , as usual, his excellent and immortal role to be continued in a TV series. Lex Barker scores especially high marks , though he plays as a serious and intelligent frontiersman . Enjoyable relationship between Old Shatterhand and Winnetou is quite match . Pierre Brice is sensational as Winnetou , he is descendant of old French nobility , after enlisting as volunteer to the French Army and fighting in Indochina, he attended acting lessons and got a first small role in some film . In 1962, a German producer searched for an actor who should play the Native American chief Winnetou on a Western movie adapted from novels by Karl May and got to know Brice at the Berlin Film Festival. He got the role and portrayed "Winnetou" in ten more movies with his co-star Lex Barker as "Old Shatterhand". These very successful productions made him a superstar in Germany, winning several awards such as Bambi or the Golden Otto of teenager magazine "Bravo". Furthermore , received Germany's Cross of Merit, First Class as one the most popular Frenchmen in Germany . Although appearing on countless other movies and TV shows, he will always be best remembered as "Winnetou", whom he also played at the Bad Segeberg open air theater.

The highbrow Lex Barker who like his co-star and good friend Pierre Brice started a singing career and released several records and played the most part of series : ¨Apache gold(1963)¨ by Harald Reinl, ¨Apaches last Battle(1964)¨ by Hugo Fregonese, ¨Last of renegades(1964)¨, ¨The desperate trail¨, ¨Old Surehand¨ (1965) directed by Alfred Vohrer, ¨Old Shatterland(1966)¨ by Harald Philipp, ¨In the valley of death(1968)¨ by Harald Reinl . Stewart Granger took the role in two occasions ,he starred a diverse character but the role is pretty similar to Old Shatterland , he plays with mirth and liking manner as ¨Among vultures¨ and ¨Winnetou and Surehand¨ .Besides Rod Cameron starred only one : ¨Old Firehand¨ in which chemistry between stuffy Cameron and Brice is inexistent . The film displays a colorful cinematography and a catching , sensible musical score ,though with excessive use of synthesizer by Martin Bottcher , series' ordinary , being eventually replaced in some episode by Peter Thomas . The motion picture produced by Rialto Productions is professionally directed by Harald Reinl who realized various Karl May titles , besides he was a German thriller expert called Krimi - Edward Wallace adaptation- and filmed other Western as ¨The last Mohican¨ and a epic rendition , ¨Nibelungen ¨ also with Terence Hill and his wife Karin Dor ; unfortunately Harald Reinl died a few years ago , he committed suicide in Santa Cruz De Tenerife , Islas Canarias . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous landscapes and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia and Croatia.
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