#winnetou remake

I've been watching a few of the old movies this week and while they definitely capture the spirit of the books better than the new movies I have to say I prefer the new Winnetou actor. The reality check was also necessary for sure. However, I much preferred the battle and fight scenes in the old movies. In my opinion those tricks and the planning is way better than the "Let's all just run into their guns"-mentality I noticed in the new movies.

So, given that I had some time now to let the movies sink in, let’s see what points come up. *cracking knuckles* Let’s start with the good stuff: I loved the actors and the characters! For me, Nik had the advantage of not knowing Winnetou and therefor being able to play him in the new setting that was given. I really liked his performance, the youthfulness of Winnetou still portrayed in everything. Now, for Old Shatterhand, I think will be the most diverse opinions from the fans. Personally, I also really liked his portrait. Sure, he isn’t the can-do-everything-in-one-try guy, but that is, what I actually liked. I mean, he IS a guy who was an official until now. He still had his noble attitude, just not the understanding of how to handle certain things. It made him more sympathetic to me. Sam Hawkins...I needed some time to get warm to him. But then I came around quickly. Seeing him so “tamed” in the third movie still was a bit weird, but he never felt out of place or anything. And of course I am all in love with the female characters!! Nscho-tschi and Belle were such well written/played characters, I think. Belle was hands down badass when she had to be. And Nscho-schi! Let’s just say, I really want to marry her xD The villains were amazing too. Those good old clichee villains. <3 The scenery was, of course, amazing. The music was amazing. Nothing to criticise here. Kudos to those responsible for it! The movies got the historic reality check they needed, which also was well used, I think. I personally don’t mind that there was little original storyline because I think it would have been hard to fuse this together with the historic context portrayed. But at the same time there were still enough story elements from the originals in there for me. So, different story but with original storyline elements. Although I did compared the movies to the orginals in my head, I didn’t think negative of this point. It was interesting at least. With the reality check came different costumes for the native americans. I have just limited knowledge on things like the clothes of different tribes etc, but at this first look, it actually looked more authentic than in the original movies. Plus, I liked how they dealed with the shamanism. I never had the feeling that their belief system or the rituals were made fun of or anything. The felt like a valid part of the whole movie, no matter what your own thoughts on the matter are. The not so great stuff: I think those who followed my commentary already know this point: the romance of OS and Nscho-tschi. For me, she was unnecessary, felt a little awkward and was too dominating! They could have made it naturally flown, more background-ish like they did with Belle and Sam, and I maybe wouldn’t have hate it so much then. Because theirs was a great romance. OS and Nscho-tschi, not so much for me. Plus, OS settling down in any way - be it the marriage with Nscho-tschi or the farm - doesn’t feels right with the character of OS? Parallel to this: in my opinion, there was too little interaction between OS and Winnetou. Given that the original story is actually about their relationship (whatever you want to read into it), Winnetou often did felt a little disconnected from OS, and at some times even more like a sidekick who maybe was valid on his own, but...yeah. Felt like he was pushed aside for the sake of the unnecessary romance. Given that, the whole Blutsbrüderschaft part couldn’t really be portrayed as as meaningful as it acutally was. Winnetou trusted OS with the care for his people! From how their connection felt at this point, I rather thought Winnetou would make this one native american from his tribe (the one who just had become father?) the chief. Just saying... Also I am not sure about the ending of the third movie...? Is this how it worked? Could a white person who knows so little about the tribe and the rules between the different tribes become chief just like that? Because he and Winnetou had this Blutsbrüderschaft? It doesn’t fit well with OS’ character in my mind. In general, the movies couldn’t really generate this certain feeling, I got with the original movies and books. I had sat down to see some becoming-close friends and their shenangians and fights in the Wild West. Something just...pure? If this makes sense? Pure not in the sense of “not dealing with the problematic history of the country” but just....adventures, bromance, and...stuff? I don’t know how to explain this. But the new movies couldn’t bring this cozy feeling up in me like the originals. The movies one for one: Winnetou - Eine neue Welt: Definitely the best of the three movies for me. Great start for the series. They established the characters rather well (maybe besides Belle, who I didn’t expected to meet again in the other movies). For me, it made clear in which setting the movies will take part and how it’s dealt with. There isn’t really anything else I can say about it than it was really really good and gave me so much hope for the remakes. Winnetou - Das Geheimnis des Silbersees: Okay, this movie..had the potential to be really really good, but I was too grossed out by the everything-dominating OS/Nscho-tschi romance. Started so well with Winnetou and OS catching their horses. And then Winnetou became like a side kick for some parts. The villain was great, completely clichee crazy, but I liked it. For me, they just had to take out the romance, and I would have loved the movie just as the first one. Winnetou - Der letzte Kampf: Personally, the weakest movie for me. Nice idea for the villain, but didn’t feel well excecuted. I guess, simply because I found the start/build up too long. In between I paused the video, had conversations, played with my friend’s dog. That doesn’t really speaks for the movie. The fighting scenes were definitely good. Could have lived without Nscho-tschi and OS romance, but gladly it was not as in-your-face as in the second movie (still too much for me but hey...). The Blutsbrüderschaft didn’t feel as important as it should have been. Given that in the Winnetou story that’s a very meaningful part...meh. The ending was weird. Wasn’t really animated to cry; lovely how they all got together there; OS being the new chief wasn’t fitting (for me). All in all: Would I buy the DVDs? Yes. Do I prefer them over the original movies or the books? No. If anybody would ask about the Winnetou story, would I show them the remake? No, I would always point to the books or the movies from the 60/70s. For me, the movies still were a solid good. A nice movie for an evening to turn your brain off and do something besides watching. Basically, just like most of the movies. BUT they were hard on the edge of me saying “they could have given them different names” Still there were just enough original story elements for me to not quite say this.

Winnetou gets told he will die

winnetou remake part 3

The remake of Winnetou from germany. This Winnetou is so fucking hot;)