Winnetou

Karl May's novels of the fictional Native American hero, Winnetou gave lasting impressions of America to unexposed German population and became a collection of stories required in classes in Germany and beloved by many. May, having never traveled to America, based his stories off of the impressions received from other travelers. He wrote his stories between 1875 and 1910. The stories were so beloved in Nazi Germany that they were not banned, like many books were. They cling to romantic ideas where man is close to nature, and May sympathizes with the native population who have not yet found the time or need for ideas such as industrial growth or worldly expansion. These stories, and the film adaptations present the intrigue for internationalism, desire to understand varying cultures, and give insight into the challenges encountered in multicultural societies. In these stories we observe cultures clashing due to different ideologies, interests and cultural understandings.

The movie adaptations of the book, first released in 1963 and directed by Harald Reinl, consist of an international cast including the German actor Mario Adorf, American actor Lex Barker and the French actor Pierre Brice. The movie takes the audience through a world of tragedy, strugle, love, and brotherhood. Watch Winnetou I on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zklMom_5cp0

TRANSATLANTIC ZOMBIES!

Zombies have taken over Berlin! The intrigue of zombie movies has become transcontinental, seeing as how this is an inevitability we must all prepare for and unite over. This was intended on being a post-Halloween post, a little late maybe, but none-the-less relevant. We should all be well versed as to how Americans handle our not-so-friendly undead friends: machine guns, flamethrowers (everyone has these), chopping off of heads, and driving around in hummers. Americans are well aware of the perils of having open wounds, untrustworthy friends, and leaving one's house alone during a zombie apocalypse. So how would Germans handle such a terrifying situation?

The 2010 German zombie film Rammbock deals with the outbreak of an uncontrollable zombie virus in Berlin. Hoping to surprise his ex-girlfriend, Gabi, with the keys to her apartment and conclude a relationship, Michael unexpectedly becomes trapped in her apartment with Gabi nowhere to be found, and zombies on the loose allover Berlin. Also trapped in her apartment is a young handyman, Harper. They communicate with the neighbors through the windows of their apartments overlooking the a courtyard. The communication between the neighbors does little to remedy any situation, or provide any sort of camaraderie because they have to yell to hear each other, and we all know zombies love loud noises nor have they learned that zombies die when you chop off their heads or hit them in the skull with an axe, as we have learned from movies like Zombie Land, and TV shows like The Waking Dead.  As the apartment complex becomes infiltrated with zombies they learn that the progression of the virus can be delayed by taking heavy sedatives. The movie gains speed as a fellow neighbor across the way ask for Michael's help to find more sedatives for his pre-zombified wife. During the fight against the zombies to find and deliver more sedatives, Michael and Harper learn several things: Gabi is alive living with her new lover in the attic (a total bummer for Michael), and that zombies are afraid of quickly flashing lights (like those from a camera flash). And with this I leave you to watch the movie, which you can find for instant play on Netflix. 

From this movie we can observe that Germans and Americans react fairly similarly during a zombie apocalypse. There is a common sense of concern for loved ones, camaraderie, and in the end, every man for himself. Germans just need to learn how to kill zombies, and they'll be OK.







Dorothy