6/10
Nice eighth installment on the famous saga based on Karl May novel with the ordinary Lex Barker and unforgettable Winnetou
22 May 2014
Entertaining Schnitzel/Gibranica adventure co-produced by Germany and Yugoslavia based on Karl May novels about beloved Winnetou and Old Shatterland . Adventures , action , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed and in which takes place a new emotive meeting between great leader Apache Winnetou and Old Shatterhand who works as a railway engineer and wagon conductor . This is a thrilling and stirring adventure based on Karl May novel with two agreeable characters as Old Shatterhand and Winnetou , being stunningly played by Lex Barker as measurement expert and Pierre Brice as Apache chief's son respectively . It deals with Old Shatterhand , a railway engineer who works at a western little town , then nasty band led by Curly-Bill sets his eyes on a gold mine whose owner is Mac Haller (Walter Barnes) married to Indian woman and have two children . Violent conflict breaks out between greedy bandits led by Curly-Bill (Ilija Djuvalekovski) when abduct to Apanatschi (young Uschi Glas) and her little brother , because they know where a gold mine is . Only two men, destined to be blood brothers, can prevent all-out facing : chief's son Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and German engineer Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker) . Old Shatterhand , aware the kidnapping and attempts to save the children and kill bandits in an effort to avoid they take their gold mine located at Indian territory . Later on , the desperado outlaws attack the little town and the good guys (Lex Baker , Brice , Gotz George and usual Ralf Wolter as Sam Hawkens) are surrounded by the bad guys . There takes place shootouts and a lot of explosions . Shatterland and Winnetou prepare them a trap by means of explosives at a mine . Meanwhile , Jeff Brown (Götz George) falls in love for the Mestiza girl named Apanatschi (Ursula Glas), Winnitou's sister , in an enjoyable love story . At the end takes place a moving epilogue by shooting and fighting with no much sense . In successive episodes Old Shatterland and his faithful half-brother Winnetou are ready on the trail to undertake new and risked adventures .

This is an acceptable eighth episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the intimate duo formed by valiant ¨Old Shatterhand¨ who decides to save the kidnapped children taken by mean outlaws and immortal ¨Winnetou¨ , both of them repeat their same notorious roles as dignified as always . Highlights of the movie are the spectacular pursuits on riding across marvelous landscapes , the impressive enemy attack over town and breathtaking chase between the train and the nasty gunfighter running along the railroad track . This enjoyable saga benefits from sensational adventures , shootouts , action , emotion , larger-than-life characters and spectacular scenarios shot in Tulove Grede Mountain, Croatia , Zrmanja Canyon, Solin, Split, Croatia and Prezed passage, Obrovac, Radmanove Mlinice, Omis , Rastevic, Benkovac, Yugoslavia . Winnetou-Pierre Brice plays , 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 engineer who joins forces with Winnetou . Enjoyable relationship between Old Shatterhand and Winnetou is quite match . The highbrow Lex Barker 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 as ¨Surehand¨ took the role in two occasions , he starred a diverse character but is pretty similar to Old Shatterland , he plays with mirth and sympathetic 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 as well as sensitive musical score by Martin Bottcher , series' ordinary , being eventually replaced in some episode by Peter Thomas . The motion picture produced by Rialto Film Preben-Philipse/Horst Wendlandt /Constantin Film was professionally directed by Harald Reinl who directed all kind of genres : action , Western , Wartime , besides he was a German thriller expert called Krimi - Edward Wallace adaptation- . He was a professional director and writer, known for Sergeant Berry (1974), The Oil Prince (1965) and The Whole Truth (1961) , División Branderburg (1960) and Punishment Battalion (1960) . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable 8º Winnetou entry . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous scenarios and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia including rousing falls , canyon, rivers and mountains ; all of them as spectacular as Almeria- Spain- outdoors where at the same time were shot numerous European Western .
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