Two ex-confederate soldiers, Jerry Brewster and Ken Seagull(pronounced Segal), head home at the end of the Civil war with a stash of stolen government money. However they are caught by union troops and Ken is fortunate enough to escape, although Jerry serves five gruelling years in prison. When he is released Jerry heads home to Texas only to find Ken in a corrupt position of power as a rancher who dominates most of the territory. Jerry becomes increasingly enraged when he learns that his wife was driven to an early grave by Ken who evicted her from her land and took Jerry's baby son. Demoralised and angered by his "friend's" betrayal, it isn't long before Jerry's death is ordered by Ken. Consumed by hatred, Jerry sets out to destroy Ken and his empire.Carlo Lizzani's oft filmed tale of greed and revenge in the old west is a highly enjoyable affair. The Hills Run Red has all the traits of a 50s B western, still it's just a little too violent to be made by Hollywood but definitely not as grotesque as other spaghetti westerns. Some of the performances were rather over-the-top. Little known American actor Thomas Hunter makes for an inspiring hero in Jerry Brewster, his athleticism means the role is tailor-made for him and his obsessive rage is exploited to great effect. Rising Hollywood star Henry Silva was quite hammy as bandit leader Mendez to the point of being hilarious. He wasn't as menacing as I would have liked and his death is overly melodramatic. Dan Duryea was a favourite in Universal's B westerns throughout the 1950s(Waco Johnny Dean in Anthony Mann's Winchester 73 anybody?)and here he makes his only spaghetti western appearance as Colonel Winny Getz, a gunman who aids Jerry in his quest for retribution. The gorgeous Nicoletta Machiavelli was also excellent as Ken Seagull's sister Mary-Ann. The action scenes were nothing short of enthralling. The movie commences with a rollicking horseback chase and later on we have a riotous shootout in the saloon. There's even some fantastic dynamite-tossing action near the end as Jeff and Colonel Getz take on Mendez' gang in a sequence featuring amazing stuntwork. The fistfights were also really good and I was surprised to learn that the film was scored by Ennio Morricone, as always the maestro does it again with a roaring soundtrack that can only be defined as superb. The song "Home To My Love" was rather beautiful, although again it's like something you would hear in a mid 60s Hollywood western. The happy ending was extremely Hollywood-esque, however it was refreshing to see such positivity in a spaghetti western.A terrific spaghetti western with a fine soundtrack and rousing action. Highly recommended.8/10

Here is a Spaghetti Western that is from early enough in the genre's brief history that is seems colorful, fresh, enthusiastic and straightforward -- much more like a "traditional" Western that its later, more cynical counterparts.The little-seen American actor Thomas Hunter stars in a lush Dino DeLaurentiis production that is a brisk and intensely violent if simple revenge saga. Hunter and Nando Gazzolo play robbers that are apprehended by soldiers after a big heist. The men quickly determine one can run with the loot if the other takes the rap for the crime. A simple draw of the cards (Hunter picks an 8 against his partner's Jack) means that Hunter is sent away for five years. Upon his release, Hunter finds Gazzolo has become a wealthy miser with no inclination to share his bounty. With help from American Western veteran Dan Duryea as a helpful Samaritan whose intentions seem to good to be true, Hunter sets to battle Gazzolo and his henchmen, led by the outrageously evil Mendez (Henry Silva).I really liked Thomas Hunter's squinty-eyed ferocity in this flick -- he is like a flipside of Clint Eastwood's brusque-demeanored persona. Hunter narrows his eyes and grits his teeth plenty, but also manages to cut loose with wildly flailing fists in several nice hand-to-hand combat scenes, including an exciting ambush of Hunter in his family's abandoned barn. He also has a few maniacal outbursts in which he literally howls to the sky in frustration, which you definitely do not see in a Western very often. In fact, both hero Hunter and villain Silva are enthusiastically intense in their performances with Silva especially chewing scenery like he hasn't eaten for days. Silva's portrayal of Mendez is halfway between a posh, refined Mexican Caballero and a proud, crazed, black-leather-clad savage. As his men unsuccessfully attempt a capture of Hunter early on, Silva gleefully holsters his pistol so that he may fervently applaud his adversary. One great moment of many for Silva in the flick, he is terrific.Also noteworthy in the cast are Duryea, as Hunter's ardent and everpresent ally, playing it solid and simple; Gazzolo in his small part as the cowardly, weirdly effeminate turncoat; and lovely redhead Gianna Serra as a two-timing saloon singer, whose sassy bravado and piled-high hair bring to mind a wild west version of B-52's singer Kate Pierson.The scenery and photography here are lavish for the genre -- filled with beautiful vistas and big-scale, epic sequences suggesting the pic was not done on the cheap. One of the most impressive scenes is the bad-guys' dramatic horse-trail ambush which includes huge, flaming bundles of tinder rolled down a mountain to scatter the horses. The acting business is well-handled, too, with a highlight being the intense scene where Hunter finally reveals himself to his rival, verrry slowly lifting his head til his eyes are visible from under his hat.The big, brassy theme by Ennio Morricone also aids in the film's cause, as it is a powerful, unsubtle blast of a tune that is reminiscent of the famous MAGNIFICENT SEVEN sound. It is an appropriate scene-setter for the brisk, bold vibe of THE HILLS RUN RED.The verdict? A forthright, spirited and easy-to-watch Western and one to recommend. 7/10 stars.

Basic plot involves Brewster taking the fall for his robbing partner Seagull and after being released from prison (which includes having to stand upright in a small barb wire cage) finds that his partner (now known as Milton) has taken the loot and prospered as an evil land baron. Not only that, but Brewster's wife has died in poverty and his young son believes him too be dead. It abandons logic and sense in favor of over the top abstract moments, lots of scenery chewing, like the expressionistic yelling on Brewster's behalf, and typical throwaway action. Fair supporting roles for Henry Silva as the Mexican henchman, with the wondrously cliched name Garcia Mendez, and Dan Duryea as the angel of mercy, Getts. Kudos to Milton/Seagull's line `I wanna' see you spit out your soul, Brewster.', and director Carlo Lizzani's pseudonym, Lee W. Beaver. The finale, like the film, is ridiculous, but fun and effective, involving Brewster and Gett's alone against a posse of bad guys, a ghost town, and some conveniently available dynamite.

I'm catching up on old westerns lately. And I must admit I haven't seen many good ones. The John Wayne-"classic" THE SEARCHERS was a real disappointment for example. But this movie is by far the worst I have ever seen in the western-genre. The story is set against the background of the Civil War. Two "buddies" return home with a large amount of stolen money, when they are being caught. One of them(Gazzolo) escapes from the "yankees"(with the money). The other one(Hunter) gets locked away for 5 years. When he is released, he finds out that his "friend" is now the richest and most feared/hated man around. He is also to blame for the death of Hunter's wife. Our hero seeks for revenge, but he stands alone...The movie is very very bad: the first half might work as a parody, but this is denied by a boring and predictable second half. The acting is really bad, especially by the leads: Hunter is awful as the hero(look out for the scene in which he screams for revenge)and Gazzolo doesn't get much to do either. The only actor I knew in this "film" was Henry Silva and his role(leader of Gazzolo's men) is, to say the least, dynamic, but pointless at the same time. Silva gives an awkward, but often amusing performance. The other performances range (surprisingly) from mediocre to rather good, with Machiavelli as a Catherine Zeta-Jones-lookalike from years ago. Most of the dialogue is dubbed too which can easily be noticed. The music however has some nice moments, but all in all it's by far not enough to cover up for the rest.If you want a really bad comic(?) western, you might want to see this. Just don't pay any dollari for it. 3/10