New Euro-Western!

WinneToons – Die Legende vom Schatz im Silbersee – German title
WinneToons: The Secret of Silver Lake – English title

A 2008 German, Belgium co-production [ASL (Hamburg)]
Producer: Wolfram Greifenberg, Gert Ludewig, Daina Sacco, Linda Van Tulden, Egon
Kemmerich, Christoph Ludz, Till Weitendorf, Marc Gabizon
Director: Gert Ludewig, Jody Gannon
Story: Jeffrey Scott, Lee Maddux
Screenplay: Jeffrey Scott, Lee Maddux
Animation: Animationsstudio Ludewig
Music: Adrian Askew
Running time: 80 minutes

Cast:
Old Shatterhand, Nscho-tschi, Winnetou, Colonel Brinkley, Bobby, Sam Hawkens, Aunt Droll, Hobble Frank, Matron, Black Hawk, Jake


This animated film removes all connection between Karl May’s characters and the Winneotu films of the 1960s films which were based on his books, only the framework and the names of the main characters remain. The main roles are played by not the noble Apache chief Winnetou and his blood brother, Old Shatterhand, but a New York orphan boy and Winnetous’ rebellious teen sister: Bobby and Nscho-Tschi are together, searching in the Wild West for the legendary treasure of Silver Lake, with a roguish bandit on their heels and with the help of good friends.

The tricky situations, in which the children find themselves in, however, are overly simplistic with staged slapstick: The "Winnetoons" are a pretty silly bunch, and follow the path of least resistance and on to the next gag, and the repetition of more. For children, surely it will be fun, because the protagonists are quite loving and identifiable figures - from prominent speakers like Christian Tramitz, Cosma Shiva Hagen and Thomas Fritsch which are synchronized. The film is laces with great adventure packed, and not always successfully, with issues like friendship, loss and tolerance to deal with. Adults, however, should avoid it and will prefer for the umpteenth time, Pierre-Brice repeats on TV.


You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDgoQir5GUs