Unter Geiern

The Karl May wave had already been going on for two years (since THE TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE) when AMONG VULTURES came to West German cinemas shortly before Christmas 1964. Packed with film stars and, thanks to the direction of Alfred VOHRER, also one of the most action-packed parts of the series! The fight against the vulture gang is always worth seeing.

Winnetou (Pierre BRICE) and Old Surehand (first appearance of Hollywood star Stewart GRANGER in the role) have their hands full trying to pacify a conflict between the rancher Baumann (Walter BARNES) and the Shoshone chief (muscle-bound as usual: Gojko MITIC). Behind the conflict are the brutal murders of the vulture gang of the unscrupulous leader Preston (Sieghardt RUPP). It's good that the powerful Martin Baumann (Götz GEORGE) and the stunning blonde Annie (Elke SOMMER, recently awarded the GOLDEN GLOBE for THE PRIZE) are also involved!

Fights, shootings, explosions: Alfred VOHRER puts on a great action show. There are also beautiful shots of the Krka waterfalls. A Karl May fan couldn't ask for more. 5.6 million viewers wanted to see the film in West German cinemas. The enchanting Dunja RAJTER (as a barmaid, of course) and Mario GIROTTI, who grew up in Dresden for a few years (not yet as powerful as he later became as Terence HILL), also appear in smaller roles.

Well worth seeing!

Yup..." A Merry-Go-'Round". That is what this film should have been titled because that was all the story of this picture did. 'Round and 'round and 'round it went. I stopped watching it a little after halfway into the film I was afraid it would never end. One of the WORST films I've ever seen. The story line was a collection of almost every Western movie ever shown. Except for the horses, the acting of all the Casts were pathetic, to say the least. A total waste of my money and my time.

This film begins with a settler named "Martin Bauman Sr." (Walter Barnes) and his son, "Martin Bauman Jr." (Gotz George), joining Apache Chief "Winnetou" (Pierre Brice) on a hunt for a grizzly bear that has been attacking livestock. While they are away from the ranch, bandits arrive, murder his wife and daughter, and leave evidence suggesting that the perpetrators come from a nearby Shoshone tribe. Consumed by rage against the Shoshone, the father cries out for revenge and lashes out at Winnetou when he disagrees with his conclusions about the identity of the perpetrators. His anger is further stoked when a preacher named "Reverend Weller" (Miha Beloe) arrives and swears he witnessed the Shoshone kill his family. Yet, despite this eyewitness account, a famous frontiersman known as "Old Surehand" (Stewart Granger) remains unconvinced and, with the help of Winnetou, decides to uncover the real identity of the perpetrators before the situation escalates. Now, instead of revealing more, I'll simply say that this fifth film in the series wasn't nearly as good as any of its predecessors, largely due to the rambling plot and some absurd action scenes. Likewise, while I have a certain fondness for her, Elke Summer (as "Annie Dillman") could have significantly improved her performance as well. That said, while this film wasn't entirely bad, it definitely wasn't as good as any of the other films in the series, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.

¨Unter Geiern¨on ¨The vultures¨ is an exciting Western that contains adventures , action , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed and in which takes place the emotive meeting between and Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and Old Surehand (Stewart Granger) replacing to Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker) . This is a thrilling and stirring adventure based on Karl May novel with two agreeable characters as Old Surehand and Winnetou , being stunningly played by Stewart Granger as an expert scout and Pierre Brice as an Apache chief respectively . Old Surehand and Winnetou investigate the murders of a mother and daughter at Bouman's ranch . The surviving husband named Bouman (Walter Barnes) and his son (Gotz George) think that the family was killed by Soshons Indians, but Old Surehand suspects that it was carried out by a band of gold thieves known as The Vultures . Old Surehand (Stewart Granger) helped by Winnetou (Pierre Brice) set out on pursuit of the bandits who disguise themselves as Indians while committing their crimes and both of whom prepare them a trap , but they get escape . Meanwhile , the desperado outlaws attack an Indian cemetery located at Valley of Death . Later on , they besiege a wagon caravan . At the end takes place a moving epilogue by shooting and fighting with no much sense . In successive episodes Old Surehand and his faithful half-brother Winnetou are ready on the trail to undertake new and risked adventures.

This is an acceptable episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the intimate duo formed by valiant ¨Old Surehand¨ 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 . Highlights of the movie are the spectacular attack at Indian graveyard and the impressive bandit raid on the caravan . This enjoyable saga benefits from sensational adventures , shootouts , action , emotion , larger-than-life characters and spectacular scenarios shot in Roski falls, CCC-Atelier, Spandau, Berlin,Grobnicko Polje, Croatia , Krka Falls, Krka National Park, Paklenica Canyon, Paklenica National Park, Croatia , Perucko reservoir, Tolove Grede mountain, Vrlika, Yugoslavia . 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 Surehand/Stewart Granger and Winnetou/Pierre Brice is quite match . The highbrow Lex Barker played the 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 excellent such as Götz George as Martin Baumann Jr. , the gorgeous Elke Sommer (The prize) as Annie Dillman , Sieghardt Rupp (For a fistful of dollars) as Preston , Walter Barnes (who worked in lots of Spaghetti) as Martin Baumann Sr. , the Italian Renato Baldini as Judge George Leader , Terence Hill (future Trinity) as Baker Jr and Gojko Mitic who was one of the most famous and most loved actors in East Germany and in the other countries in Eastern Europe , and starred several roles as an Indian rebel . The film displays a colorful cinematography and a catching , sensitive musical score by Martin Bottcher , series' ordinary , and achieved super-retails , being eventually replaced in some episode by Peter Thomas . The motion picture produced by Rialto Productions (by producer Wendlandt who was subsequently succeeded by Arthur Brauner) was professionally directed by Alfred Vohrer who directed various Karl May episodes and was a German thriller expert called Krimi - Edward Wallace adaptation . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous scenarios and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia including rousing falls , canyon, rivers and mountains; all of them as spectacular as Almeria- Spain- outdoors where at the same time were shot numerous European Western .

Old Surehand and Winnetou investigate the murders of a mother and daughter. The surviving husband believes that his wife and daughter were murdered by Indians, but Old Surehand suspects that it is the work of a gang of robbers and bandits known as the Vultures, who disguise themselves as Indians while committing their crimes.

The fifth West German production of a film based on Karl May's Winnetou novels is a fairly entertaining western with some sharp cinematography, fine action and settings. Stewart Granger takes over from Lex Barker as old SureHand, and does a fine job adding his charm and wit to the character

Frontier Hellcat is slightly darker than the previous four films, opening as it does with house burning and murder. There's stunts, exciting practical effects (explosions, etc.). There's also a tense, character-building scene where Surehand must prove himself to a tribal chief by shooting down arrows fired his way-while he's tied up! It's a solid escapist western with comic book style leanings.