Eastern Trails

This 2-disc Blu-ray set contains four classic East German ‘Westerns’ from the DEFA film studios, made between 1967 and 1975. Nicknamed ‘Red Westerns’ due to their socialist politics, these films idealistically portray the Native Americans as heroic underdogs, while the white prospectors, settlers and the US-army reek of greed and corruption.

While just as action-packed and well-produced as their American counterparts or even the Italian spaghetti westerns, the East German ‘Indianerfilme’ - varied as they may seem, all have one thing in common, namely that the native population is noble and in harmony with nature, whereas the white intruders not only are out to destroy the native population and the mighty buffalo (an important food source for the many indigenous tribes) but in their greed for gold and other precious minerals - not to mention invading the land full stop - aiming for wealth, power and riches is portrayed as something fundamentally rotten. How very socialist! How very communist! Of course, the East German film producers had a valid point: look at the history of how the ‘Wild West’ was conquered, with the buffalo practically hunted to extinction and the native tribes (those who survived) shoved out of the way and made to live in reservations. One can see the difference between ‘East German’ westerns and western ‘Westerns’ straight away. Even later American revisionist westerns like the 1970 ‘Soldier Blue’ still have a white man (in this case, Peter Strauss) as the hero.

In the four films discussed here, the undisputed hero is always a brave native warrior, portrayed by Serbian-German superstar Gojko Mitic (who’s still with us, btw) though strictly speaking, East Germany even disapproved of the word ‘superstar’ as it suggested capitalist wealth and luxury. And we can’t have that!
First up is CHINGACHGOOK, THE GREAT SERPENT (CHINGACHGOOK, DIE GROSSE SCHLANGE) from 1967 and directed by Richard Groschopp. Based on James Fenimore Cooper’s novel ‘The Deerslayer’, Mitic plays the famous Mohican who happens to be accepted into the Delaware tribe, thanks to his wedding to Wahtawah (Andrea Drahota), the daughter of the Delaware chief. Cue for an elaborately choreographed ceremonial dance scene complete with tribal masks, and this does go on for some time. It’s something you would never see in an American western, that’s for sure. In fact, the producers went through great lengths to display some of the native customs in a positive light, whether historically accurate or not. Happiness doesn’t last long for the newlyweds however, namely when Wahtawah is kidnapped by the rival Huron tribe. Together with his white friend Deerslayer (Rolf Römer), Chingachgook leaves no stone unturned in his quest to free his bride from captivity. Along the way, the duo encounter old Tom Hutter (Helmut Schreiber), who lives in a cabin on the lake together with his grown-up daughter Judith (Lilo Grahn) and Harry Hurry (Jürgen Frohriep), a fur trader. Hutter and Hurry make no secret out of the fact that they despise the ‘redskins’, which leads to a tense confrontation not only between Chingachgook, Deerslayer, and the other two men, but also Judith, who disapproves of her father’s attitude towards the native population. Soon, all hell break loose when Hutter, eager to scalp a few Hurons in exchange for money, manages to get everyone in grave danger when the Hurons decide to attack - a situation which Chingachgook had hoped to avoid at all costs…after all, he wants to free Wahtawah.

Next up is FATAL ERROR (TÖDLICHER IRRTUM) from 1970, directed by Konrad Petzold. Here, Mitic is merely a cog in the machine, playing Shave Head, who unwittingly gets drawn into a bitter dispute when, in the year 1896, the native Shoshone tribe signs an agreement with some head honchos from the Wyoming Oil Company after oil had been discovered on the reservation. Per agreement, the Shoshones are to profit from the oil as well, but of course, the oil company has them over. When they complain to company boss Michael Allison (Rolf Hoppe) that their promised share becomes smaller all the time, he merely shrugs his shoulders. The scenario opens a can of worms when some nasty individuals commit murders and make it look as if the Shoshones are the culprits. Shave Head, together with his half brother Chris Howard (Armin Mueller-Stahl) is eager to avoid more bloodshed but as they find out the hard way, it’s easier said than done!

Disc 2 begins with APACHES (APACHEN) from 1973, directed by Gottfried Kolditz. Set in Mexico in 1840, Mitic takes on the part of Ulzana (the character has featured in various American westerns as well, for example in the 1972 ‘Ulzana’s Raid’ starring Burt Lancaster). The Apaches in question live peacefully with their Mexican neighbours, who are allowed to mine the rich copper deposits in the Indian territory in exchange for food. As an added bonus, every year the Mexicans invite the Apaches to a fete in Santa Rita, during which the tribe memebrs can help themselves to even more food, in particular flour. The tune changes when vast silver deposits are being discovered by some American companies in the Mexican/ American border region. This prompts white scalp hunters ($100 dollars per scalp) to ride to Santa Rita, place the Mexican locals under house arrest and wait for the Apaches to arrive… Women, children, the elderly, in fact, the entire tribe enjoys a good time and everyone is looking forward to the sacks of flour they can take back home. They don’t notice that some of the vile white guys suddenly roll a cannon into the courtyard until it’s too late. In cold blood, the white men begin to massacre the assembled Apaches regardless of age or gender, before scalping them. Only Ulzana and a few other Apaches manage to escape but now it’s bloody revenge that’s on the menu…

The final film is BLOOD BROTHERS (BLUTSBRÜDER) from 1975, directed by Werner Wallroth. Despite its well-meant intentions, it’s the weakest of the lot though of course, that depends on one's personal opinion. Set in Colorado in the year 1864, we witness the infamous Sand Creek massacre during which the US-Army brutally slaughtered almost an entire Cheyenne village, and this despite the fact that the Cheyennes were promised no harm would come to them as long as they display the American flag from one of their teepees. Patriotic soldier Harmonika (American actor and singer Dean Reed, dubbed the ‘Red Elvis’) is so disgusted by what he just witnessed, he snaps his own American flag, which he carried throughout the cowardly attack, in two. This results in him being court-marshalled and sentenced to death, though he manages to escape. Riding with two other white men (who clearly are on the dodgy side), he is disgusted all over again when one of the men, completely unprovoked, kills two Indian women and a boy by a river. Noticing that one of the women is still alive, he transports her to the Cheyenne camp. Despite having saved Rehkitz’ life (for this is her name), he is met with suspicion and hostility by the other tribe members, in particular Rehkitz’ brother Harter Felsen (Mitic). The Cheyenne elders condemn Harmonika to death for his participation at the earlier Sand Creek massacre, but when Rekkitz intervenes and points out that he saved her life, Harter Felsen instead challenges him to a tournament - which Harmonika, against all odds, wins. Weeks pass and not only does the traumatised Harmonika begin to settle into his new life as a member of the Cheyennes, but makes Rehkitz his wife. That’s when the film begins to flounder and loses focus, as too much screen time is wasted on the somewhat soppy love story. Alas, death and disaster lurk already ‘round the corner…

For those interested in the Western genre, this set offers an interesting and unusual perspective to the traditional fare. EASTERN TRAILS comes in a hardbound slipcase together with a collector’s booklet and it’s a strictly limited edition (2,000 copies). Special features include optional English subtitles, audio commentaries, interviews, video essays, an archival music performance by Dean Reed and an insightful short docu about Reed’s career and his hardcore socialist politics.