Asterix Conquers America
Asterix Conquers America is a 1994 French and German animated film produced by Jürgen Wohlrabe and Gerhard Hahn, the latter of whom also directed it. It was produced in Germany, under the title of Asterix in Amerika, and is the first Asterix film to be produced outside France, which refers to it as Astérix et les Indiens. The movie's plot is loosely adapted from the comic Asterix and the Great Crossing, with a number of changes to it. While the film was distributed in Germany by Jugendfilm, 20th Century Fox handled its distribution in France and the United Kingdom. As of 2019, this film has yet to be officially released in the United States.
| Asterix in Amerika | |
|---|---|
 VHS cover | |
| Directed by | Gerhard Hahn |
| Produced by | Gerhard Hahn and Jürgen Wohlrabe |
| Written by | Thomas Platt and Rhett Rooster |
| Based on | Asterix and the Great Crossing by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo |
| Starring | Roger Carel (French) / Peer Augustinski (German) / Craig Charles (English) |
| Narrated by |
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| Music by | Harold Faltermeyer |
Production company | Extrafilm Produktion GmbH |
| Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country |
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| Language |
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| Budget | DEM 19.000.000 |
| Box office | $768,488 (USA) |
Plot
After the rebel village of Gauls defeat another army of Romans, Julius Caesar faces embarrassment when news of their victory is announced in the presence of his senators. Angered, he decides the village must be cut off from the magic potion that gives them super-human strength. Caesar orders Lucullus, a loyal patrician, to kidnap Druid Getafix and send him off the edge of the world. Following another fight amongst the villagers, Unhygienix accidentally spills a cauldron of potion Getafix was making. Although there is a small amount left, Getafix is forced to locate ingredients to make more, with Dogmatix accompanying him. Taking advantage of this, Lucullus pretends to be a druid in order to entrap him, whereupon he brings both him and Dogmatix aboard a Roman galley. Asterix and Obelix, helping to get him fish for the potion, spot him being taken away, and proceed to pursue after him over the Atlantic Ocean.
Despite losing the galley in a storm, a dolphin helps them to track it down, after reuniting them with Dogmatix. Upon arriving at the eastern coastline of North America, which they mistake as the world's edge, the Romans catapult Getafix ashore and watch as Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix make landfall, destroying their boat. Delighted, Lucullus returns home to inform Caesar of the good news. Surprised to find there is more land in the west, Asterix and Obelix venture out into North America, exploring the area for Getafix. The group make camp as night falls, capturing some of the indigenous turkeys to make a meal with. In the morning, while Obelix is off hunting turkeys, Asterix is captured by a tribe of Native Americans and taken to their village. He quickly finds himself tied to a pole alongside Getafix, who reveals that the Romans catapulted him onto the hut of the tribe's Medicine Man, alongside his observation that the world is round rather than flat.
When Obelix discovers Asterix is missing, he begins searching for him. His search leads him to saving Minihooha, the daughter of the Native American's chief, from a stampede of bison. Brought to her village, Obelix saves Asterix and Getafix by impressing the chief with his strength. That night, he, Asterix and Getafix join in with the tribe's evening customs. Getafix quickly humiliates the Medicine Man in front of the tribe with his magic, and gives Minihooha some magic potion so she can punish him for getting her wet with a cheap trick. That night, the Medicine Man visits the group on the pretense of offering peace, only to knock them out with hallucinogens in a pipe, kidnapping Getafix. The next day, Obelix awakes in a drug-induced amnesia, leaving Asterix having to locate Getafix on his own. He quickly finds and rescues Getafix, after the Medicine Man tries to force him into giving up the magic potion's recipe.
After Minihooha cures Obelix of his condition, the group say farewell to the tribe and make their way back to Gaul. Upon returning home, the group find that the Romans overwhelmed the village, after they ran out of magic potion. Finding all but Cacofonix were captured and are set to be taken to Rome by Caesar and Lucullus, Getafix brews the magic potion, and gives Asterix and Obelix two phials for the villagers. Sneaking into a Roman camp disguised as Roman soldiers, the pair supply their fellow Gauls with the potion, whereupon they proceed to trash the camp. Lucullus is eaten by his Caesar's pet panther, while the emperor discreetly escapes and returns home. As the villagers hold a celebratory feast, the group listen to Obelix tell them of his new adventure, before teaching them the song that the Native American tribe sung during their stay.
Cast
| Character | Original | English |
|---|---|---|
| Asterix | Roger Carel | Craig Charles |
| Obelix | Pierre Tornade | Howard Lew Lewis |
| Getafix | Henri Labussière | Geoffrey Bayldon |
| Vitalstatistix | François Chaix | Unknown |
| Cacofonix | Michel Tugot-Doris | Rik Mayall |
| Unhygenix | Jean Dautremay | Unknown |
| Caesar | Robert Party | Henry McGee |
| Lucullus | Jean-Luc Galmiche | Christopher Biggins |
| Stupidus | Olivier Jankovic | Unknown |
| Falbala | Nathalie Spitzer | Vanessa Feltz (uncredited) |
| Centurion | Yves Pignot | Unknown |
| Impedimenta | Claude Chantal | Julie Gibbs |
| Capitaine | Joël Zaffarano | Unknown |
| Chef/Medicine Man | Sylvain Lemarie | Rupert Degas |
| Redbeard | Thierry Buisson | Unknown |
| A pirate | Phillipe Solier | |
| A senator | Jean-Philippe Bouton and François Jaubert | |
| A senator and a galley | Michel Prud'Homme | |
| Narrator | Pierre Tchernia | John Rye |
| Pirate 3 | Christian Pellissier | Unknown |