VOX shows on Thursday, 07.03., at 20:15 Watch part 1 of the remake of the cult classic about the Apache chief Winnetou.
Realistically staged by director Philipp Stölzl, emotionally moving and carried by a terrific cast, the Winnetou trilogy tells a thrilling adventure journey through America's Wild West. Filmed was awarded in 2015 to the already legendary Original locations in Croatia as well as in NRW, where in the MMC Studios in Cologne the Interior photographs for the three films were realized.
Besides Wotan Wilke Möhring as Old Shatterhand and Nik Xhelilaj as Winnetou, is Milan Peschel in "Winnetou - A New World" as Sam Hawkens, and Iazua Larios as Nscho-tschi. Jürgen Vogel plays the merciless villain Rattler. In addition, there is a reunion with Gojko Mitic, the star of numerous DEFA Indian films.
"Winnetou - A New World" - The Story:
The Wild West 1860: German engineer Karl May gets a job as a surveyor for the Central Pacific Railroad Company. When the railroad line is laid through Apache territory, contrary to the original plans, war breaks out. Karl meets Winnetou, the son of the Apache chief. The two become friends, and Karl is given the name Old Shatterhand.
While surveying on the prairie, Karl, the foreman Rattler and his men get into an altercation with the Indians. Karl is seriously wounded. But before the "savages" take his scalp, he fends off the chief's son Winnetou with a fist punch and thus receives the name: Old Shatterhand.
Karl wakes up as a prisoner in the village of the Apaches, where Winnetou's beautiful sister Nscho-tschi heals his injuries with the help of her strange rituals. He learns about the world of the Indians, is increasingly fascinated by the foreign culture of the Apaches and falls in love with Nscho-tschi.
Then the railroad construction site approaches. The line is blown right through the mountains, which are sacred to the Apaches, against the approved plan. The Apaches are determined to defend their land by any means necessary, even though they are hopelessly outnumbered. The destruction of the tribe is imminent.
Winnetou and the warriors want to attack the town of Roswell to prevent the construction of the railroad through their land. Karl convinces the Indians to negotiate a deal with the railroad company. But during the negotiation, the deceitful Rattler shoots Chief Intschu tschuna. Karl has to watch as Rattler's men massacre the Indian warriors with a machine gun.
In an action-packed showdown, Winnetou and Old Shatterhand fight side by side and with them Sam Hawkens and the Indians. They destroy the bridge construction of the railroad and beat Rattler's men into flight.
About the production:
The three Winnetou films were made with a great logistical effort on over 80 shooting days at the original locations of the 60s movies in Croatia turned, as well as in the MMC Studioswhere the interior shots were taken. Here was several weeks in parallel in three different studios as well as on an outdoor set turned.
In the MMC Studios 37, 38 and 42 the complete "Winnetou world" was created: Various Indian tents, sheriff's office, saloon, courtroom, telegraph office, print shop, hardware store, several hotel rooms, the railroad company office, wooden huts, caves, mountain tunnels, and many other sets provided the backgrounds for the adventures of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand. Also a Tank for underwater photography came into use, and on the Outdoor area of the MMC was also included in a 6 m high well shaft set turned.
The Winnetou Trilogy was produced by Rat Pack Filmproduktion in cooperation with Beta Film on behalf of RTL. Producers are Christian Becker and Christoph Müller. Co-producers are Matthias and Felix Wendlandt with Rialto Film, Dr. Marcus Englert, Mythos Film and Tabbenoca. The screenplay is by Jan Berger, in the second part with co-writer Alexander M. Rümelin.
For the film music, cult composer Martin Böttcher could be won over with his popular as well as world-famous original Winnetou melodies, which were newly arranged and interpreted by Heiko Maile and newly recorded with the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg.
The films were supported by Film und Medienstiftung NRW, FFF FilmFernsehFonds Bayern and HAVC Croatian Audiovisual Centre.
Karl May's Winnetou:
Karl May's (1842-1912) adventure stories are among the timeless classics of German literature for young people. With esteemed 200 million books sold worldwide the Saxon became an idol for generations of young people - and the most successful German writer.
With the Apache chief Winnetou and his friend Old Shatterhand, Karl May created two great heroes who are role models and companions for their fans. In his novels, May tells of a unique friendship, of the longing for freedom and of the daring fight against all the dangers of the wilderness. With Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, his fans can experience exciting adventures in the distant world of the Wild West. The stories about the Apache chief Winnetou and his friend Old Shatterhand are world-famous and have deeply imprinted themselves in the hearts of the fans.
In the 1960s, a total of eleven feature films were made, loosely based on Karl May, in which Pierre Brice played the Apache chief Winnetou. With the great success of the adventure films, a cult arose around the characters and their actors, the music by Martin Böttcher and the filming locations in Croatia, which continues to this day.
"Winnetou" (1963) was the most successful of the cinema series after "Der Schatz im Silbersee" (1962), which lost none of its charm and appeal later when it was broadcast on television.
Harald Reinl's Winnetou adaptations were so successful with audiences because they made a contemporary adaptation by retelling the Karl May originals in this spirit. The filming of "Winnetou and Shatterland: In the Land of the Dead" was the last time a Winnetou film was made in Croatia in 1968.
"Winnetou - A New World" on March 7 on VOX.
The second part, "Winnetou - The Secret of the Silver Lake"., follows on 09.03., at 8:15 p.m., the third part, "Winnetou - The Last Fight", on 16.03. at 8:15 p.m.
Cover photo: Nik Xhelilaj and Wotan Wilke Möhring. © TVNOW / Nikola Predovic
