Westerns with a Twist (Apaches / Chingachgook - The Great Snake / The Sons of the Great Bear)
WESTERNS WITH A TWISTLike Spaghetti Westerns, the Red Westerns are classic American Westerns created far, far from the American West - in this case, by Communist East Germany's legendary DEFA Film Studios. Turning the traditional American cowboy and Indian movies on their head, these beautifully shot films make the Native Americans the heroes, and cast the American Army and white settlers as villains - with obvious Cold War overtones.3 DVDS INCLUDES:APACHESThe year is 1822, and the Mimbreno Apache Indians enter into an agreement with a Mexican mining company, relinquishing all mining rights and pledging the safety of the copper town of Santa Rita del Cobre. In return, the company guarantees the livelihood of the Indians, whose hunting grounds are fast disappearing. Unfortunately, American companies are also interested in the precious metal deposits, and the Apaches are ultimately massacred under their orders. On the eve of the Mexican-American war, Ulzana, a young Apache warrior, sets out to avenge the extermination of his tribe. APACHES was filmed in Romania and Uzbekistan.94 minutes, color, 1973, in German w/ English subtitlesTHE SONS OF GREAT BEARWhen gold is discovered on lands belonging to a clan of the Dakota Indians, the area's ruthless white settlers attempt to drive the Indians away, ultimately murdering the clan's chief in front of his son, Tokei-ihto. Tokei-ihto refuses to move to a reservation in an infertile area with his tribe and is incarcerated. When the Dakota Indians have been defeated and resettled, he is released, and Tokei-ihto immediately sets out to avenge his father's murder and reclaim his clan's ancestral lands. THE SONS OF GREAT BEAR was filmed in Montenegro and East Germany.93 minutes, color, 1965, in German w/ English subtitlesCHINGACHGOOK: THE GREAT SNAKEBased on James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Deerslayer. When English troops attempt to seize the French colonial settlements in North America in 1740, the local Indian tribes become involved as mercenaries - the Huron on the French side, and the Delawareans on the English side. Wahtawah, the daughter of the Delawarean chief, is promised to the young warrior Chingachgook, but before the nuptials can take place, the Huron raid the Delawarean camp and run off with Wahtawah. Together with his friend Deerslayer, Chingachgook sets out to free Wahtawah from her captors - and to convince the Huron that the war between the whites ought not concern the Indians. CHINGACHGOOK: THE GREAT SNAKE was filmed in Slovakia and Bulgaria.86 minutes, color, 1967, in German w/ English subtitles