Verdict
Summary
Eureka! brings all seven of these titles to Blu-ray in a nifty box set, and honestly I’m ready for the second volume! These were all films I’d never even heard of and I feel as though I’ve made a discovery with these, despite the fact that they were literally handed to me by the movie gods (a wink and shout out to Eureka!). They’ve made a fan out of me and I want more. Packed with bonus features and a booklet to go with the discs, this collection is a great place to start with these German adventure films, all based on work by Karl May.
Old Shatterhand (1964) Plot:
A frontiersman and an Apache chief team up and go to war against the U.S. Army, which has a corrupt General who wants to eradicate the Apaches.
Review:
On the unsettled plains of the United States, sentiment for the Native peoples is at an all-time low, despite the government set to sign into law a peace treaty that would give the Apaches and other tribes immunity and their lands to keep. A group of mercenaries are hired by an Army General to slaughter white Americans, framing Comanche and Apache tribes for the massacres, which would threaten and put a stop to the treaty. With a single survivor of the massacre – an adolescent boy – now in the care of a white and well-respected frontiersman named Shatterhand (Lex Barker who played Tarzan in some movies), the mercenaries must kill the boy before he has a chance to testify of what he witnessed. Shatterhand travels with good company: His best friend and ally is a stalwart Apache brave who rises to the role of chief, a hero to his people: Winnetou (Pierre Brice), whose own son will become chief one day. Also, Shatterhand rescues a white woman who dresses like a squaw, a beauty named Paloma (Daliah Lavi), who attracts the eye of every man she comes across, namely the corrupt general and his sleazy mercenaries. When Winnetou’s son is captured and tortured, held prisoner in the army stronghold, Shatterhand tries to rescue him with a limited amount of bloodshed, but then he too is captured, forcing Winnetou to launch a full siege with the united tribes against the whites.
The third entry in a huge series of films that chronicle the adventures of Shatterhand and Winnetou, Old Shatterhand is an incredibly impressive western that was shot in Europe in absolutely gorgeous locations. The film is red-blooded and violent, and also much sexier than expected, but what makes it extremely unique is that it was shot in German by filmmaker Hugo Fregonese. It has a distinct and unusual flavor not found in American or Italian westerns, and that makes the film stand out, but in a great way because this was something very special. The score by Riz Ortolani is incredible, and the overall effect of the film (even at a full 120 minutes) is strong and vivid, fit for fans of the western genre.
Winnetou and Shatterhand in the Valley of Death (1968) Plot:
Brigands out to claim a stash of gold are interrupted by an Apache chief and a frontiersman.
Review:
Only one man knows where stolen Army gold ended up, and he has the directions written down on a piece of paper … but the words are written in Apache, which no white man – aside from a frontiersman named Shatterhand (Lex Barker) – is able to read. The man is killed by some brigands who are after the gold, and the piece of paper ends up in the care of an Apache chief named Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and Shatterhand himself, and they inform the dead man’s daughter Mabel (Karin Dor, You Only Live Twice) of what happened to her father, which ends up being taken to court. Asking the army judge for some time to produce the gold, using her father’s directions, she’s granted her request, but every step of the way she’s hounded by the brigands who want to steal the gold before she ever has the chance to reach it. Good thing she has Winnetou and Shatterhand to protect her, but when the three of them are captured by a Sioux tribe who want the gold for themselves to buy guns and whisky, Winnteou has to challenge the Sioux chief (played by Vojislav Govedarica, later in Rambo II) to a fight to the death in order to free himself and his friends.
A solid follow-up to the Winnetou / Shatterhand films that came before it, In the Valley of Death is much tighter and even more thrilling as an action western than some of the others. With great fight scenes, gorgeous scenery, an easy to follow plot, and fantastic characters you actually care about, this one is a sold “A” western. From director Harald Reinl.
In the Kingdom of the Silver Lion (1965) Plot:
Two groups vie for a treasure in the desert.
Review:
A Christian group living in the mountains guards a treasure in the desert, and Muslim group is on the hunt for it. Arabians rule the land, while anyone passing through must pay heavy tolls for even a drink of water from their wells. A Christian woman named Ingdscha (Marie Versini) is captured by the Islamists to use as collateral, but a hero named Kara (Lex Barker, formerly one of the on-screen Tarzans and Shatterhand) is in the mix to help rescue her and bring her back where she belongs. The treasure is real, and the bloodshed in the sand will flow.
Confusing if you haven’t seen the previous entries in the series which I mistakenly didn’t watch before this, In the Kingdom of the Silver Lion is true adventure film with scores of extras, high production value, appropriate comedy relief, solid action, and a spirit of pulpy novels, and yet you really must have seen the previous films to understand just what the heck is going on. The characters have continuity, and so make sure to catch up with the other films before watching this one. From director Franz Josef Gottlieb.
The Shoot (1964) Plot:
A Persian villain terrorizes an Albanian region, collecting women for his harem, and only a German hero can stop him.
Review:
Adventuring throughout he Ottoman Empire, a German traveller named Kara Ben-Nemsi (Lex Barker, who would go on to play this character a few more times) arrives in the Albanian countryside, hires a guide, a simpleton with a heart of gold (played by Ralf Wolter), and soon enough Kara becomes mixed up in a chase to save a woman who was kidnapped by a dastardly and elusive villain known as “The Shoot,” a man so heinous that his very name inspires fear throughout the land. The Shoot, is, in fact, sort of the opposite of Zorro in that no one knows what he looks like, and he always leaves his mark, and the truth about his identity is that he’s a wealthy carpet baron named Nirwan (Rik Battaglia) who collects beautiful women for his harem, and he has a habit of kidnapping wealthy foreigners and exchanging them for ransom. When Kara and his bumbling sidekick (and Kara’s beautiful black horse, which he loves dearly) run afoul of The Shoot, the Albanian countryside will run hot with sweat and blood.
A rousing and well-crafted adventure film with crazy stunts, gorgeous cinematic locations, solid set pieces (a huge bridge collapse is a highlight), memorable characters, comedy relief, and a bad guy you love to hate, The Shoot is a true pulp action movie, in the style of the very, very good ones. Director Robert Siodmak’s take on this is to fill it to the brim with all the good stuff (there’s even a bear attack scene that looks and feels pretty real), and with its colorful, scenic foray into a strange land for westerners, this has the flavor of an exotic meal that you’ll likely remember for a long time.
Through Wild Kurdistan (1965) Plot:
An adventurer pitches in his help to rescue a sheik’s son from a corrupt governor’s captivity.
Review:
Adventurer Kara Ben-Nemsi (Lex Barker) is becoming famous in the Ottoman Empire, and his reputation precedes him when he arrives in Kurdistan. A sheik’s son, who was traveling through the desert, was captured by an evil governor simply for drinking out of his water well without permission, and he is due to be executed if he’s not rescued, and soon. The sheik presents Kara Ben-Nemsi with a free-range passport to go through the land, which is basically his diplomatic immunity, on the condition that he lead a rescue for his son. Agreeing, Kara takes his bumbling sidekick Hadi (Ralf Wolter) with him, and they run afoul of all sorts of desert warriors and clans. Meanwhile a proper British gentleman named David Lindsay and his butler have travelled into the desert with their endless supplies of dynamite, tea, and a hot air balloon to rescue a damsel in distress. Lindsay’s path will inevitably intersect with Kara’s.
A fun adventure in the vein of men’s adventure novels of a bygone era, Through Wild Kurdistan very much feels like an episode of a series of adventures for the Kara Ben-Nemsi character that was chronicled in a series of stories and films. It’s enjoyable as long as you’re up to date with the order of the franchise. Filled with action, near-death escapes (the hot air balloon stuff is cool), and a rollicking sense of fun, this one is a winner. From director Franz Josef Gottlieb.
The Treasure of the Aztecs (1965) Plot:
The American Civil War efforts need funding … and the hunt for an Aztec treasure is on!
Review:
With Abraham Lincoln working hard to bring slavery to an end, the American Civil War is raging, but the cause desperately needs funding. France has installed a puppet “Emperor” president in Mexico, and Lincoln needs a favor from a doctor named Sternau (Lex Barker), who has connections all throughout the regions to help depose the puppet emperor. There is a rumor of a vast Aztec treasure (all gold, but how much remains to be seen) in Mexico, and along with some allies (including an American cowboy, a goofy seller of cuckoo clocks, and an Aztec princess), Sternau ventures into dangerous territory to try to find the loot, which is ultimately contained within an active volcano. But on the trail is a handsome scumbag with ties to the Aztec bloodline.
The first of a two-part adventure that would conclude with The Pyramid of the Sun Gun, The Treasure of the Aztecs ends on a cliffhanger, and in fact the entire movie feels like a serialized adventure with one nail-biting action scene after another. The film is overly complicated with a convoluted plot that gets thicker and sludgier as it goes along, but it’s all in good fun with betrayals, stunts, shootouts, an Aztec layer that would make Indiana Jones drop his jaw, and even booby traps. From director Robert Siodmak.
The Pyramid of the Sun God (1965) Plot:
The Aztec gold is found, but it comes with great consequences to whomever tries to claim it.
Review:
Picking up immediately after The Treasure of the Aztecs, this one begins with the capture of Dr. Sternau (Lex Barker), who was left unconscious in the Aztec lair where an active volcano guards a vast Aztec treasure, all gold and lots of it. When an Aztec princess saves his life, he’s taken back topside before he regains consciousness so that he can never tell anyone about the treasure. But bad news for everyone else is that the princess is later romanced by a conniving Count (Gerard Barray) who has ties to the Aztec bloodline and thinks he’s entitled to the treasure and is willing to kill to claim it. The climax happens within the volcano, where the lava flows, killing everyone within.
The rollicking conclusion to Robert Siodmak’s two-part adventure (based on a book by Karl May), The Pyramid of the Sun God is part Indiana Jones and part western, and it has a fun sense of fantasy that make the spirit of adventure feel both childlike and impossible, which is all part of its charm.
Eureka! brings all seven of these titles to Blu-ray in a nifty box set, and honestly I’m ready for the second volume! These were all films I’d never even heard of and I feel as though I’ve made a discovery with these, despite the fact that they were literally handed to me by the movie gods (a wink and shout out to Eureka!). They’ve made a fan out of me and I want more. Packed with bonus features and a booklet to go with the discs, this collection is a great place to start with these German adventure films, all based on work by Karl May.
Bonus Materials
- Limited Edition of 2,000 copies
- Limited Edition Hardbound Slipcase
- 1080p HD presentations of all seven features from 4K restorations of the original camera negatives undertaken by CCC Film
- Original German audio tracks
- Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
- New introductions to each film by Sir Christopher Frayling, author of Spaghetti Westerns: Cowboys and Europeans from Karl May to Sergio Leone
- New audio commentaries on Old Shatterhand and The Treasure of the Aztecs by film historian David Kalat
- Karl May at CCC – new interview with producer Alice Brauner, managing director of CCC Film and daughter of CCC founder Artur Brauner
- Prodigal Son – new interview with film historian Sheldon Hall on the late career of Robert Siodmak
- Archival making of documentary on Old Shatterhand and Winnetou and Shatterhand in the Valley of Death
- Archival featurette on Daliah Lavi, star of Old Shatterhand
- Archival interview with Bernhard Schmid, co-editor and contributor to Karl May Verlag
- Archival featurette on the restoration of The Shoot, Through Wild Kurdistan and In the Kingdom of the Silver Lion
- Archival news footage on The Shoot
- Original theatrical trailers
- Limited Edition 60-page collector’s book featuring new writing on Karl May on page and screen by German popular cinema experts Tim Bergfelder and Holger Haase, a profile of Lex Barker by Boris Brosowski and an essay on Old Shatterhand and Winnetou by Le
