The Hills Run Red

Is it still OK to call a movie a 'Spaghetti' Western - just because it was made by Italian producers and crew? How would we feel in the UK if our rich heritage of quirky comedy was referred to as 'Roast Beef Comedy'? That put to one side, if we're all agreed that it's still OK then 'The Hills Run Red' is very much in the stringy-pasta category, acknowledged by some as the very first of the genre.



This is not necessarily one of Carlos Lizzani's best known works. That accolade probably goes to 'Teenage Prostitution Racket' - one of his many sexploitation outings of the late sixties or possibly to one of his many 'slightly political' outings, like Oscar nominated 'Riso Amiro' (written by one time film critic Lizzani about some agricultural workers). But there's no doubt that his trademark, no nonsense grit is evident here, possibly defining a genre that would see Clint Eastwood clean up in its wake. It's amusing to think that the lack of dialogue, and the endless 'action', may well have been influenced by the need to produce films that would appeal, not only to native Italians, but to a broader English speaking audience too. 'Hills Run Red' may well have plenty of English speaking cast members but it was also a film that helped make acting in your own tongue acceptable so that no matter what country you viewed it in, a percentage of the voices would be dubbed, but not necessarily all. Strange that such bad dubbing was acceptable at all and stranger still that some of us (me included) actually have a certain amount of affection for such techniques.





Right from the outset, if you're feeling even an incy-wincy bit critical then you are not going to enjoy 'Hills'. It's essential that you suspend your disbelief well in advance of slotting the disc into the player, and allow yourself to be caught up in its simplistic good versus evil action. And if that's not enough, at least try to enjoy the soundtrack. It may be credited to 'Leo Nichols' but I can assure you that it's actually an early outing from Ennio Morricone, a name deemed too 'Italian' perhaps at the time.

'Hills' is, quite simply, a revenge movie. The film starts out with ex-confederate soldiers Jerry Brewster (Thomas Hunter) and Ken Seagall (Nando Gazzalo) fleeing by stagecoach from soldiers following a successful heist. They agree that the only chance for escape is if one of them jumps out with the cash so they draw two cards. Brewster is the loser - though the enormity of his loss is not apparent until later.. Seagall promises to look after Brewster's family whilst Brewster is captured and imprisoned for five grueling years.



When he gets out, Brewster goes home to find it in ruins. He finds a diary from his wife and learns that she has been living in poverty struggling to bring up their son alone. Despite his promises it seems that Seagall had shunned them, keeping the money himself and starting a new life under the alias Ken Milton.

Brewster vows to avenge this wrong, but within minutes of returning home is attacked by gun-hands sent by Seagall. Strangely, an older gunman, Winny Getz (Dan Duryea) is on hand to help out - a mysterious character that appears to be some kind of guardian angel for Brewster. Brewster decides to settle his score with Seagalland during his initial search he discovers that Seagall is attempting to drive out the local inhabitants of Austin, and in particular the leading light and saloon owner Brian Homer (Geoffrey Copleston). Aided by Garcia Mendez (Henry Silva who plays the role like a psycho) and his gang. Brewster decides to infiltrate the gang to enable his revenge.




Naturally, it's not all guns and fisticuffs. Brewster gets to meet his son (turns out to be quite a fighter himself with a sling-shot) and the 'lurv' interest is provided by the striking Nicoletta Machiavelli as Seagall's sister Mary-Ann.


Whilst it's all a bit unlikely (Brewster takes on a gang of 20 men and wins) it's all thoroughly entertaining, if a little violent at times. (Let's not think about how Brewster's tattoo is delivered to Seagall - ouch!).