Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Old Shatterhand" is a collaboration between four European countries and a German-language film from 1964, so this one is already over 50 years old. It is the third installment of the Karl May Winnetou series and among the most famous films from the series. The title here implies that Old Shatterhand, played by Lex Barker, is the star of this film, but this is not really true. The result is just that Winnetou has less screen-time, which means Pierre Brice is not featured prominently really in here, even if he has more scenes than in latter films. This could be fine as Brice is not the most talented actor under the sun, but sadly the story is so mediocre and forgettable that it's just never an interesting, let alone compelling watch. At over two hours, this is possibly the longest film from the Karl May franchise and this turns into a major problem as the movie drags a lot on many occasions and at some point it just felt as if it would never end. If you know these films a bit, then you will know that the visual side (costumes, sets, cinematography) is always worth seeing, but also that the plot and story are hardly realistic or well thought-through. The character elaboration could have been so much better. There are a handful actors in here like Battaglia and Wolter and others who appears in a whole lot of these Karl May films, but these are also not good enough or don't have enough to work with in order to really elevate the material here. If this is what was considered a quality film over 50 years ago, then I can only say it has not aged well at all and I am glad we have better films in terms of quality and quantity these days. A disappointing watch and worth seeing only for the most die-hard Indian western film fans. I do not recommend it. Thumbs down.
ma-cortes
Adventures , action , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed . Again the intimate Winnetou and Old Shatterhand in a dangerous adventure set on wonderful landscapes . As usual , at the beginning takes place an emotive meeting between and Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker married Spanish Carmen Cervera and early deceased Lex , she subsequently wedded Baron Thyssen) . This time Winnetou and Old Shatterhand have to battle some renegades who attempt to break a peace treaty between White Men and Indians . As bandits trying to get the army to abandon their fort get the Indians addicted to whiskey, then convince them to attack and drive out the soldiers . Then , beloved Winnetou attempts a treaty of peace and prepares a summit between the Indian tribes and the Northern General Taylor (Charles Fawcett) . Meantime , Old Shatterland and his faithful half-brother are on the trail to chase the nasty Dixon (Rik Battaglia) . Capt. Bradley (Guy Madison) , Sergeant (Gustavo Rojo) and Dixon want to create a war between the native American tribes and the white men . Then Old Shatterhand, Winnetou and their sidekick Sam Hawkens (ordinary Ralf Wolter) try to prevent this . Old Shatterhand and Sam set out on pursuit of the bandits and prepares them a trap . Later on , Apache chief Winnetou tries to free his adopted son called Tujunga and Old Shatterhand who have been taken prisoners by a traitor captain (Guy Madison) . Apaches are joined by a Comanche party and both of them attack the fort at a spectacular scenes . At the end , Indians besiege the fort and occurs a breathtaking epilogue by means of arrows , shootouts , explosions and cannons.This Western|Adventure results to be a pleasant episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the duo formed by valiant ¨Old Shatterhand¨ who agrees to help Indians against White traitors 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 impressive scenarios . Furthermore , a lovely support cast ,such as Daliah Lavi as a gorgeous , exotic Mestiza , the American Guy Madison , Spanish Gustavo Rojo , Italian Mirko Ellis and Gojko Mitic who is one of the most famous and most loved actors in East Germany and in the other countries in Eastern Europe and starred a lot of Indian roles . 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 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, "Half-Breed" (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 in Superpanorama 70 , filmed in Atelier, Spandau, Berlin, Germany (studio) and location Krka Falls, Krka National Park, Croatia , Krute, Popovo Polje, Tresbisnica river,Yugoslavia ,Ulcinj, Montenegro . Catching , sensitive musical score ,though with excessive use of synthesizer by Italian Riz Ortalani , replacing Martin Bottcher , series' ordinary , being eventually substituted in some episode by Peter Thomas . The motion picture produced by Artur Brauner Productions - still successfully working- was professionally directed by Hugo Fregonese . Hugo was an Argentina director who emigrated to Hollywood, then became technical adviser on latino themes at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, and subsequently under contract at Universal from 1950 to 1952 filming ¨Man in the attic¨ with Jack Palance , ¨Blowing wild¨with Gary Cooper , ¨Decameron Nights¨with Joan Fontaine , ¨Harry Black and the tiger¨with Steart Granger . Spent the rest of the decade in Europe directing Euro-westerns as ¨Savage Pampas¨ and potboilers as "The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse" , Terror as "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" before finishing his career back in the country of his birth . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous landscapes and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia and Croatia.
