View source for Asterix Conquers America

{{Short description|1994 animated film by Gerhard Hahn}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Asterix in Amerika
| image          = Asterix conquers america cover.jpg
| caption        = UK VHS cover
| director       = {{ill|Gerhard Hahn (director)|de|3=Gerhard Hahn (Regisseur)|lt=Gerhard Hahn}}
| writer         = Thomas Platt<br />{{ill|Gerhard Hahn (director)|de|3=Gerhard Hahn (Regisseur)|lt=Rhett Rooster}}
| story          = [[Pierre Tchernia]]
| based_on       = {{based on|''[[Asterix and the Great Crossing]]''|[[René Goscinny]]<br />[[Albert Uderzo]]}}
| producer       = Gerhard Hahn and {{ill|Jürgen Wohlrabe|de}}
| starring       = [[John Rye]]<br>[[Craig Charles]]<br>[[Howard Lew Lewis]]<br>[[Geoffrey Bayldon]]<br>[[Henry McGee]]<br>[[Christopher Biggins]]
| narrator       = [[John Rye]]
| music          = [[Harold Faltermeyer]]
| studio         = Extrafilm Produktion GmbH
| distributor    = {{plainlist|
* {{ill|Jugendfilm|de|Jugendfilm (Verein)}} (Germany)
* [[20th Century Fox]] (Select European territories)
}}
| released       = {{Film date|1994|09|29|Germany|1995|04|05|France|1995|08|04|Ireland|1995|08|11|United Kingdom|1995|09|22|United States}}
| runtime        = 85 minutes
| country        = Germany
| language       = English
| budget         = [[Deutsche Mark|DEM]] 19.000.000
| gross          = $768,488 (United States)
}}

'''''Asterix Conquers America''''' (in France as '''''Astérix et les Indiens'''''; in Germany as '''''Asterix in Amerika''''') is a 1994 German [[animated film]], directed by {{ill|Gerhard Hahn (director)|de|3=Gerhard Hahn (Regisseur)|lt=Gerhard Hahn}}, and co-produced by Hahn and {{ill|Jürgen Wohlrabe|de}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Collins |first1=Fiona M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=saePI5AowVMC |title=Turning the Page: Children's Literature in Performance and the Media |last2=Ridgman |first2=Jeremy |date=2006 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-3-03910-255-6 |pages=141, 144 |language=en}}</ref> The film is a loose adaptation of the ''[[Asterix]]'' graphic novel, ''[[Asterix and the Great Crossing]]'', and the second film adaptation to be produced outside [[France]]. It is also the first ''Asterix'' movie to be made in English.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.asterix.co.nz/movies/asterixconquersamerica.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061210010412/http://www.asterix.co.nz/movies/asterixconquersamerica.htm | archive-date=10 December 2006 | title=Asterix NZ – Asterix Movies "Asterix Conquers America" }}</ref> The plot focuses on Asterix and Obelix seeking to rescue Getafix, who is transported to North America by the Romans, before their village runs out of magic potion to defend themselves.

The film was mainly made for the direct-to-video market, and was distributed in Germany by {{ill|Jugendfilm|de|Jugendfilm (Verein)}}, with [[20th Century Fox]] handling distribution in several European territories, including France and the [[United Kingdom]].

== Plot ==
After the rebel village of Gauls defeat another Roman army, a humiliated [[Recurring characters in Asterix#Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] angrily devises a plan to cut them off from the magic potion that gives them super-human strength. Caesar's most loyal patrician, Lucullus, finds himself instructed to kidnap the druid [[Recurring characters in Asterix#Getafix|Getafix]] and send him off the [[Flat earth|edge of the world]]. Meanwhile in Gaul, a freak accident during a fight amongst the villagers 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 both. While fishing for fresh fish, Asterix and Obelix spot the pair being taken away across the Atlantic Ocean on a Roman galley, and pursue after them.

Despite losing the galley in a storm, a dolphin helps the pair track it down, after reuniting them with Dogmatix after he was thrown overboard. Upon arriving at the eastern coastline of [[North America]], which they mistake as the world's edge, the Romans catapult Getafix ashore. Lucullus becomes delighted when Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix crash on the shoreline, and soon returns home to inform Caesar of the good news. When the pair discover where they are, Asterix and Obelix begin exploring North America, before camping for the night while enjoying meal of the indigenous [[wild turkey|turkeys]]. The following morning, Asterix is captured by a tribe of [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|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, who had gone off hunting, discovers his friend missing, he soon begins searching for him. In the process, he finds himself rescuing Minihooha, the daughter of the tribe's chief, from a stampede of [[bison]]. Brought to her village, Obelix soon impresses the chief with his strength, leading to Asterix and Getafix being freed. That night, the group 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. Angered, the medicine man visits the group in their tent on the pretense of offering peace, only to knock them out with hallucinogens in a [[Smoking pipe|pipe]], kidnapping Getafix. The next day, Obelix awakes in a drug-induced amnesia, leaving Asterix to seek out Getafix on his own. He quickly finds and rescues him from the medicine man, who had tried to force him to give 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 [[Recurring characters in Asterix#Cacofonix|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 Caesar's pet panther, while Caesar himself 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==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Character
!English (Original)
!French
!German
|-
!Narrator/Le narrateur/Erzähler
|[[John Rye]]<ref name="Conquers America">{{Cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/Asterix-Conquers-America/|title=The Asterix Conquers America Cast|website=Behind The Voice Actors|language=en-US|access-date=2024-02-21}}</ref>
|[[Pierre Tchernia]]
|[[Harald Juhnke]]
|-
!Asterix/Astérix
|[[Craig Charles]]<ref name="Conquers America"/>
|[[Roger Carel]]
|[[Peer Augustinski]]
|-
!Obelix/Obélix
|[[Howard Lew Lewis]]<ref name="Conquers America"/>
|[[Pierre Tornade]]
|[[Ottfried Fischer]]
|-
!Getafix/Panoramix/Miraculix
|[[Geoffrey Bayldon]]<ref name="Conquers America"/>
|[[Henri Labussière]]
|[[Ralf Wolter]]
|-
!Julius Caesar/Jules César/Julius Cäsar 
|[[Henry McGee]]<ref name="Conquers America"/>
|[[Robert Party]]
|Thomas Reiner (uncredited)
|-
!Lucullus/Tumulus 
|[[Christopher Biggins]]<ref name="Conquers America"/>
|Jean-Luc Galmiche
|[[Michael Habeck]]
|-
!Medicine Man/Le sorcier/Medizinmann 
|colspan="2"|[[Rupert Degas]]<ref name="Conquers America"/> (uncredited)
|Tommi Piper
|-
!Cacofonix/Assurancetourix/Troubadix
|[[Rik Mayall]]<ref name="Conquers America"/> (uncredited)
|Michel Tugot-Doris
|[[Jochen Busse]]
|-
!Vitalstatistix/Abraracourcix/Majestix
|[[Jim Carter (actor)|Jim Carter]] (uncredited)
|François Chaix
|Jürgen Scheller
|-
!Unhygienix/Ordralfabétix/Verleihnix
|[[Jonathan Kydd (actor)|Jonathan Kydd]] (uncredited)<ref name="Jonathan Kydd">{{cite web|title=Jonathan Kydd 2 min Animation Reel|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKYWH308X_o&t=55s|publisher=YouTube|access-date=4 May 2024}}</ref>
|Jean Dautremay
|Peter Zilles (uncredited)
|-
!Stupidus
|Unknown 
|Olivier Jankovic
|rowspan="2"|Unknown 
|-
!Panacea/Falbala
|[[Vanessa Feltz]] (uncredited)
|Nathalie Spitzer
|-
!Centurion Voluptuous Arteriosclerosus/Le centurion Caius Faipalgugus/Zenturio Gaius Ausgus
|Jonathan Kydd (uncredited)<ref name="Jonathan Kydd"/>
|[[Yves Pignot]]
|Andreas Mannkopff (uncredited)
|-
!Impedimenta/Bonemine/Gutemine
|Julie Gibbs (uncredited)
|Claude Chantal
|Unknown 
|-
!The captain Redbeard/Le capitaine Barbe-Rousse/Kapitän Der Rote Korsar
|rowspan="8"|Unknown
|Joël Zaffarano
|Walter Reichelt (uncredited)
|-
!The indian chief/Le chef des indiens/Indianerhäuptling
|rowspan="2"|Sylvain Lemarié
|rowspan="4"|Unknown 
|-
!A roman/Un romain/Römisch
|-
!Pegleg/Triple-Patte/Dreifuss
|Thierry Buisson 
|-
!Pirate Lookout/Baba, la vigie des pirates/Baba 
|Philippe Sollier 
|-
!A senators/Un sénateurs/Senatoren
|Philippe Valmont<ref>Credited under the pseudonym of Jean-Philippe Bouton.</ref><br>François Jaubert<br>Michel Prud'homme
|[[Alexander Allerson]] (uncredited)<br>Michael Gahr (uncredited)
|-
!A galley slave/Un galérien/Galeerensklaven
|Michel Prud'homme
|rowspan="2"|Unknown 
|-
!A pirate #3/Un pirate #3/Pirat #3
|Christian Pélissier (uncredited)
|-
!Ha-Tschi/Ah-Choo 
|colspan="2"|Unknown 
|[[Kristiane Backer]]
|-
!rowspan="2"|A legionnaires/Un légionnaires/Legionäre
|colspan="2"|Unknown 
|Thomas Albus (uncredited)
|-
|colspan=2"|Unknown 
|Michael Rüth (uncredited)
|-
!Fulliautomatix/Cétautomatix/Automatix
|colspan="2"|Unknown
|[[Oliver Stritzel]] (uncredited)
|-
|}

=== Additional Original Voices ===
* [[Olivia d'Abo]] (uncredited)
* [[Rupert Degas]] (uncredited)
* [[Jennifer Blanc|Jennifer Blanc-Biehn]] (uncredited)
* [[Jim Carter (actor)|Jim Carter]] (uncredited)
* Julia Brahms (uncredited)
* [[Jonathan Kydd (actor)|Jonathan Kydd]] - Parrot (uncredited)<ref name="Jonathan Kydd"/>

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|109162|title=Asterix in America}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|title=Asterix Conquers America}}

{{Asterix|America, Asterix Conquers|type=film}}
{{20th Century Studios theatrical animated features}}

[[Category:1994 films]]
[[Category:1994 animated films]]
[[Category:1994 children's films]]
[[Category:1994 direct-to-video films]]
[[Category:1994 comedy films]]
[[Category:Asterix films]]
[[Category:Films set in pre-Columbian America]]
[[Category:German children's films]]
[[Category:Animated films about Native Americans]]
[[Category:Animated films based on French comics]]
[[Category:Films scored by Harold Faltermeyer]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox animated films]]
[[Category:1990s children's animated films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Pierre Tchernia]]
[[Category:1990s German films]]
[[Category:1990s German animated films]]
[[Category:German animated comedy films]]