The Colorado Death Rock
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The Colorado Death Rock |
| Original title | New Mexico |
| Country of production | USA |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1951 |
| length | 76 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Irving Reis |
| script | Max Trell |
| production | Irving Allen , Joseph Justman |
| music | Lucien Moraweck , René Garriguenc |
| camera | William E. Snyder , Jack Greenhalgh , Lester White |
| cut | Louis Sackin |
| occupation | |
| |
The Rock of Death in Colorado is a 1950 American western directed by Irving Reis based on a story by Max Trell , who also wrote the screenplay. The main role was played by Lew Ayres .
action
President Abraham Lincoln and Acoma, New Mexico Indian chief , meet to reaffirm their mutual will for peace. However, Acoma is very cautious about Judge Wilcox, who is also present. This meeting was suggested and prepared by Lieutenant Hunt. Immediately after Lincoln's death, Wilcox publishes a directive that expels Acoma and his people from their villages. After a few incidents, Acoma would like to clarify the situation. On the way to the army headquarters he meets Hunt, who is now a captain. Hunt wants to stand up for Acoma, but urges him to stay peaceful. The well-known singer and dancer Cherry, who arrives with her manager in a stagecoach on the way to the West, is irritated by this. When Hunt presents Acoma's request to his superior, Colonel McComb, and Wilcox, who happens to be present, he is brusquely rejected. Acoma is arrested; three men are shot dead by his company, whom he sends away. In the evening, while Hunt is writing a report to Washington, Acoma is freed from his men. McComb is killed in revenge.
Despite a warning from Acoma, Hunt and a few volunteers follow him into the desert to restore peace. He is looking for him in a small village on a hill that seems deserted. You only find two sons of Acoma; the older one is shot by an overzealous soldier, the other, Charlie, is captured. In the valley, Acoma's people chase a carriage. Hunt and his team rescue Cherry, who defied Hunt's instructions to return east, her manager, and Wilcox. Acoma offers Hunt and his people free reins and even some water; he just wants his son back and also the soldier who shot the other son. Hunt refuses, whereupon the enraged Wilcox steps in and tries to urge him to accept the offer. Acoma now wants Wilcox too. Hunt retreats to a rock / hill. But civilians in particular have problems with this, as well as with thirst. During the night, Hunt and his men fortified the occupied hill. Meanwhile, Charlie befriends the thirsty Cherry and shows her where to get water, but asks her to keep it a secret. Since this is an arsenal created by Acoma, Cherry reports this to Hunt. Wilcox, who has watched the whole thing, wants to save his neck and persuades Charlie to return with him to his father. However, Wilcox has him executed.
The attack on Hunt's positions begins the next morning. Although these are well defended, Acoma's superiority is slowly gaining ground. The badly injured Hunt now wants to blow up the arsenal with Cherry's support. After the detonation has detonated, however, he doesn't get far and wants to send Cherry away when Acoma arrives with Charlie. Acoma tries to prevent the demolition, but is seriously injured by a dying soldier. The weapons cache explodes, killing Hunt and Acoma. Cherry and Charlie leave the place; they are the only survivors.
production
Producer Irving Allen bought the story in 1946 from writer Max Trell, who later also wrote the script. Initially, Eddie Albert was to be the lead actor. The film was shot by Irving Allen Enterprises from mid-April to early June 1950 for an estimated $ 635,000. Filming locations were on location in Gallup and Paguate in New Mexico . The interior shots were shot in Hollywood .
Assistant director was Robert Aldrich , who later made a name for himself as a director.
colour
The color of The Rock of Death in Colorado was created by Ansco using a relatively new process (see also US color films in Ansco Color ). In particular, novel film material from this company was used for this film. This led to some very negative evaluations of the colors of the film. However, the version of the film stored in the Internet Archive appears black and white.
Premiere
The Colorado Death Rock premiered on May 3, 1951 in Albuquerque . The film was distributed by United Artists . The film was released on DVD on December 1, 1999.
The film premiered in Germany on October 31, 1952.
reception
Reviews
The Death Rock of Colorado is mostly classified as standard cavalry westerns according to usual patterns and without any formal specialty as well as mediocre. But it is a bit better than the westerns of the time, not a bad story. But the western shows more violence than usual and has many shocking scenes.
However, the characters are not well elaborated and stereotyped. Lew Ayres, on the other hand, is praised for his performance, especially because he makes his character look better than its elaboration would allow.
Mark S. Reinhart points out in his book on Abraham Lincoln's portrayal in films that Lincoln never went to New Mexico during his presidency. He also finds that Hans Conried as a performer of Lincoln is not convincing , if only because he doesn't look like him at all.
The colors were also criticized. The contemporary critics in particular were not convinced. The criticism in the Variety was still comparatively cautious and saw postcard colors rather than natural colors. In addition, Marilyn Maxwell's costumes are not suitable for these colors. On the other hand, the formulations were more drastic in Harrison's reports , where the colors were described as hideous. The faces of the actors looked "ceramic", that is, terracotta-colored. The New York Times took a similar view. Everything was smeared and the actors appeared as red as lobsters. In the meantime, however, the colors are viewed less critically; Craig Butler speaks of pretty color photography in his review.
Web links
- The death rocks of Colorado in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- New Mexico on the Internet Archive
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d New Mexico (1951). In: American Film Institute . Accessed June 30, 2018 .
- ^ New Mexico (1951). In: Rotten Tomatoes . Accessed June 30, 2018 .
- ↑ a b The Death Rock of Colorado. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed June 30, 2018 .
- ^ A b c d e Craig Butler: New Mexico (1951). In: All Movie. Accessed June 30, 2018 .
- ↑ a b Mark S. Reinhart: Abraham Lincoln on Screen: Fictional and Documentary Portrayals on Film and Television . McFarland, Jefferson 2009, ISBN 978-0-7864-5261-3 , pp. 163 (English, limited preview in Google Book Search [accessed June 30, 2018]).
- ↑ a b c d e New Mexico (Song-Color) . In: Variety . May 2, 1951, p. 6.12 ( online at Archive.org [accessed June 30, 2018]).
- ↑ a b “New Mexico” with Lew Ayres, Marilyn Maxwell and Andy Devine . In: Harrison's Reports . May 5, 1951, p. 70 ( online at Archive.org [accessed June 30, 2018]).