Laikals
The greatest movie ever made..!
Bardlerx
Strictly average movie
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
ma-cortes
First entry of a string based on the famous saga about Karl May novel inspired by Fenimore Cooper with the ordinary Pierre Brice as Apache leader and the serious Lex Barker as a German adventurer , being well produced by great producer Horst Wendlandt . This was the first shooting of a novel by author Karl May set in the American West and his earlier movies after his novels were all set in the Near East . Glimmer and exciting Western that contains adventures , action , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed and in which take place the emotive meeting between Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and a bearded Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker) , being subsequently replaced by Old Surehand (Stewart Granger) . 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 an expert scout and Pierre Brice as an Apache chief respectively . Old Shatterhand and Winnetou investigate the murder of a man at a stagecoach , being committed by a greedy outlaw named The Colonel (Herbert Lom) supported by his hoodlums . The stagecoach's passenger had a map that describes the treasure of Silver Lake and his son named Fred Engel (Gotz George) sets out in pursuit the murderers . Fred befriends Old Shatterland and Winnetou who along with the usual , the butterfly hunter named Lord Castlepool (Eddi Aren't) and Sam Hawkens (Ralf Wolter) set off in seek for treasure and chase the killers . Meanwhile , Fred saves and falls in love with Ellen Patterson (a gorgeous Karin Dor , director's wife who will follow playing other characters in various episodes) . Later on , there takes place a spectacular assault on a fort, a fighting between Shatterland and an Indian chief and a spectacular climax at Silver Lake.This is an acceptable episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the intimate duo formed by valiant ¨Old Shatterhand¨ who agrees to guide the revolt against outlaws located at Indian territory and immortal ¨Winnetou¨ , both of them will repeat their same notorious roles as dignified as always . There appears Pierre Brice as noble Apache chief , he was hired in 1962 when the German producer Horst Wendlandt searched for an actor who should play the Native American chief Winnetou and got to know Brice at the Berlin Film Festival , as 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 . Although appearing on countless other movies and TV shows, he will always be best remembered as "Winnetou", whom he also played at theater. Highlights of the movie are the spectacular attack at a fort and the final scene in Silver Lake . This enjoyable saga benefits from sensational adventures , shootouts , action , emotion , larger-than-life characters and spectacular scenarios ; set-location was in former Yugoslavia , as Grobnicko Polje, Croatia , Paklenica National Park, Plitvice, Croatia and Hamburg, Germany . The immutable and incombustible Winnetou-Pierre Brice plays , as usual, his excellent and unforgettable role to be continued in a TV series . Lex Barker scored especially high marks , though he played as a serious and intelligent man who joins forces with Winnetou , while Stewart Granger as Old Surehand performs with humor and joy , he's the perfect counterpoint to Winnetou . Enjoyable relationship between Old Shatterhand/Lex Barker and Old Surehand/Stewart Granger along with Winnetou/Pierre Brice is quite match . The highbrow Lex Barker 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¨, being succeeded by Stewart Granger : ¨Old Surehand¨ (1965) directed by Alfred Vohrer, ¨Rampage at Apache Wells or ¨Der Olprinz¨ by Harald Philipp . Stewart Granger as Old Surehand took the role in three occasions , he starred a diverse character but the role is pretty similar to Old Shatterland , he plays with mirth and liking manner but in ironic tone , almost parody style , 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 .This time the support cast is top-notch such as Götz George (The Deathmaker) , the gorgeous Karin Dor (Topaz) and special mention to excellent villain Herbert Lom (Inspector Clouseau) . The film displays a colorful and rousing cinematography by Kalinke . Catching , sensitive musical score by Martin Bottcher , series' ordinary , and achieved super-retails , being eventually replaced in some episode by Peter Thomas . The "Old Shatterhand-Melodie" was the most successful track in German hit parades in the 1960s ; the theme later also was recorded as vocal track by several singers, including a version by the movie's actor Pierre Brice . The film achieved a successful box office and was the very first movie to receive the "Golden Screen" for having over 3 million visitors within 12 months . The motion picture produced by Rialto Productions (by producer Wendlandt who was subsequently succeeded by Arthur Brauner) was professionally directed Harald Reinl who directed various Karl May episodes and was a German thriller expert called Krimi - Edward Wallace adaptation . Rating : 6'5/10 , acceptable and passable first installment . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous scenarios and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia including breathtaking falls , canyon , rivers , lake and mountains; all of them as spectacular as Almeria- Spain- outdoors where at the same time were shot numerous European Western .
millenniumgirl6
I saw this strange little film at a rural drive-in as a child, and was struck even then by a strangeness that no one else seems to have remarked upon: the Indians appear to be wearing uniforms -- a strange departure from the usual Western convention whereby the Indians "all look the same," but are hardly dressed to resemble an army. This anomaly remains my most vivid memory of what we judged, as a family, a horrifically awful film and worse Western (a genre on which my father considered himself something of an expert, having followed Westerns since Tom Mix, in his youth) -- making it a perfect booking for drive-in showing in the sticks when it entered U.S. release. A question for the more knowledgeable and hard-core devotees out there: did this film gain wide release in U.S. theaters at the time?
Steve Nyland (Squonkamatic)
First off, I usually avoid commenting on the thoughts of other contributors to the IMDb, but since when does anyone evaluate a Western strictly on the basis of it's historical accuracy? Sounds about as logical as noting that Wile E. Coyote was working with materials purchased out of the ACME catalog that were not available in 1967 when a given cartoon was made. Like, whatever: Cowboys wear six-guns, ride horses, have mountains in the background of their locations, and don't look twice at supporting characters who are wearing baseball caps ... even though baseball had not yet been invented whenever TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE is supposed to be set.Back to matters at hand, this was the first of a string of German made "Schnitzel Westerns" based on the books of Karl May, sort of a Teutonic version of Zane Gray who probably never got out to Dodge City either -- proof positive that anyone can write convincing fiction on any subject they choose so long as they are properly inspired & enthusiastic about it. As one other contributor notes this film is actually more progressive than American made productions of the time in it's respectful (if somewhat childish) portrayal of Native American culture. The Germans may not have gotten the war paint right but they were in awe of the Indians and don't just regard them as pop-up targets to be shot at -- though the idea of having the good guys shoot only their horses as a way to show that they were "friends" is questionable & unfortunate due to the wire tripped horse falls used to simulate it. But that's 1962 for you, and to impose modern day standards on the film is to condemn it to obscurity, which is sadly what has happened. It was wrong to trip the horsies in 1962 but even more wrong to condemn the film for being what it is, and it deserves to be seen.Now with that said this is one of the most endearingly stupid Westerns I have ever encountered, infectiously likable from beginning to end. Euro Manbeef hero actor Lex Barker plays "Old Shatterhand", Mr. May's version of Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett combined into one character. He wears a buckskin suit, fights Injun style and at the beginning of the film is wearing a beard for the sole purpose of shaving it off to look more "civilized". Popular film villain Herbert Lom is on-hand to play the scheming, scowling, always cheezed-off villain, who wants to find a treasure of Injun gold and keep it all to himself. Villains are always more believable when they keep their motivations close to the wallet.We also get the fetching 007 Bond Babe to be Karin Dor as the fresh-faced white woman who gets tied up to various posts no less than three times during the course of the movie and is not once felt-up by any of the bad guys. This was a more noble time in the west before Peckinpah when cowboys did each other the courtesy of fighting fair, washing regularly and wearing color coordinated costumes. There are mass horseback charges, duels to the death, a stockaded settlement to be defended, honor to be upheld, friends to be saved from doom, wise-spoken blue eyed Indian braves and doting womenfolk who dutifully stand by their men through thick & thin.The movie has a cast of hundreds, it's Yugoslavian location work is impressively authentic if yet refreshingly unfamiliar, and the good old poetic justice ending for the greedy villains straight out of TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE get the heroes out of having to actually kill anyone. It's sweeping theme music is quite enjoyable, the camera-work arty without being bogged down by distracting flourishes, and only some unnecessary comic relief in the form of a wayward butterfly collector come between the film and a masterpiece status. It is enjoyable if somewhat socially naive, wholesome and visually compelling entertainment that the whole family can enjoy together. A testimony to modern day man's unquenchable desire to play cowboys & Indians, with even the Indians coming off as the good guys. It's stupid for sure, but aside from some wire-tripped tumbling horsies (and I pray that none were hurt), what about this movie isn't there to like? 7/10
pawcatch
I just watched this turkey on the Western channel and I must say that it is extremely inaccurate.First off,the choice of firearms was laughable.I saw Nagant revolvers that didn't come out till the 1890s and even then they were only available in Europe.I also saw what looked like S&W M1917 revolver. Virtually every firearm in this movie was in the wrong place. Even their choice of knives was inaccurate.Two of the characters get into a knife fight with Puma White hunters.Now these knives didn't come out till the 1950s.I guess they were used because they were popular in Europe.On to the other flaws. The choice of war paint and giving all the indians bows and arrows was just plain ignorant.All in all,this movie just didn't cut it. 1* out of 5*