| Asterix in Amerika | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Gerhard Hahn |
| Produced by | Gerhard Hahn and Jürgen Wohlrabe |
| Written by | Thomas Platt and Rhett Rooster, adapted from René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo |
| Music by | Harold Faltermeyer |
| Distributed by | 20th Television |
| Release date(s) | 1994 |
| Running time | 85 minutes |
| Language | German |
| Budget | 19.000.000 marks deutsche |
Asterix Conquers America is a 1994 animated movie directed by Gerhard Hahn. It was produced in Germany as Asterix in Amerika by Gerhard Hahn and Jürgen Wohlrabe, and is the first Asterix film produced outside of France (where it is known as Astérix et les Indiens). It is loosely based on the comic Asterix and the Great Crossing but has a numerous significant variations on the plot. It featured the voice talents of Craig Charles as Asterix and Howard Lew Lewis as Obelix.
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After another spectacular defeat of a fresh centurion Caesar sends Lucullus, one of his sycophants, to try to capture Getafix and throw him off the edge of the world (away from prying eyes in case things go badly).
Meanwhile Unhygienix is out of fresh fish (as always) which starts a fight, upsetting the cauldron of magic potion. Since fresh fish is a necessary ingredient Asterix and Obelix go to catch some while Getafix gathers herbs (Obelix sends Dogmatix with him to protect him). In the woods the druid meets Lucullus disguised as another druid, who leads him into a trap.
Lucullus bundles him and Dogmatix onto a Roman galley and heads for the "world's edge". On the way they pass Asterix and Obelix whose fishing is not doing well and Lucullus taunts them. The heroes give chase using Obelix as an outboard motor, but he is diverted by the aroma of food from the passing pirate ship, and then blown off course by a violent storm. After a long pursuit, when they've nearly lost hope, a dolphin brings Dogmatix (who Lucullus had dropped overboard) and guides them to the Romans. Seeing the Gauls catching up and land ahead which he feels must be the world's edge, the Roman loads Getafix onto a catapult and flings him "over the edge". The Gauls follow the flying druid while Lucullus turns about for home.
Back at the village Caesar lays siege and waits for the last of the magic potion to run out, much to the centurion's chagrin (since having him attack is the test).
Asterix and Obelix explore the new land looking for Getafix, and find delicious birds they call "gobble gobbles" (turkeys). Asterix is captured while Obelix hunts for breakfast, but instead catches an Native American whom he mistakes for a disguised Roman. When he finds Asterix gone and his helmet lying on the ground, he has Dogmatix follow his scent. On the way he saves a young Native American girl from being trampled by a stampede of bison.
In the Native American camp Asterix awakes to find himself tied with Getafix to a pole, and the natives becoming restless — particularly the medicineman. Obelix and the girl arrive just in time to save them, and the chief (who turns out to be her father) frees them, but the medicine man is furious, especially after Getafix shows him up in a magic competition. That night he comes to the tipi assigned the visitors and pretends to offer peace, but uses the peace pipe to drug them.
In the morning Obelix is still suffering hallucinations from the drugs and Getafix has been taken prisoner by the medicine man in an attempt to learn the secret of making the magic potion. When he refuses, the medicine man releases a grizzly bear to tear him to bits, but Asterix — guided to the cave by Dogmatix — arrives in time, knocking the bear and villain both out of the picture. Minihooha, the chief's daughter, cures Obelix with a huge meal.
The natives give them a well-provisioned canoe which Obelix paddles tirelessly back across the ocean, but when they arrive back at their village, there are only burnt ruins left. A bound, gagged and forgotten Cacofonix tells them that Caesar has captured the villagers, so Asterix and Obelix — disguised as legionaries — take gourds of fresh potion to their friends imprisoned at the nearby camp of Compendium.
Soon the camp is wrecked, the Romans thumped and life gets back to normal for the gauls. Caesar himself takes the better part of valour and leaves disguised as a wine barrel, but the luckless Lucullus becomes the opportunistic meal of Caesar's pet panther.