Un río de dólares

Imagine you have all these ingredients to make a dish. You can do it one way or another but at the end you have to end up with a good meal.

Viewing this movie, for me, was like following a recipe where the instructions we're all mix-up in some weird order.

You have all this elements for a Western. A clear protagonist with motivation and a villian who took advantage of him, the little town in trouble, the cheeky partner, the goon with radical methods and, of course, action (Fist fights, gun fights, showdowns,you name it.). But all this are executed in a weird, poorly and mishandle way. Not all is bad, some plot points and action scenes we're well executed with some shots that can be appreciated.

Thomas Hunter did a decent job as the protagonist but he had two moods, angry or calm. He could've make a better job, like Dan Duryea who's role i believe was misuse. Henry Silva, in another hand, steals the movie. Charismatic, hammy and funny, i ending up rooting for him for all the movie.

Personally, it was a decent view. Nothing great but entertaining nonetheless. Do you like westerns and want to see this? Go for it, I hope you end up appreciating this movie more than me. First western? Look for another title, the're better westerns out there.

Directed by one time film critic Carlo Lizzani, "The Hills Run Red" is a welcome addition to anyone's spaghetti western collection.

The film begins with ex-confederates 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 the partners bails out with the cash. To decide who should get away the two draw cards, with Brewster the unlucky loser. Seagall promises to look after Brewster's family before leaping from the stagecoach. He successfully hides with the money, whilst Brewster is captured and imprisoned for five years.

On his release, Brewster returns to his now derelict family home. He finds a diary from his wife, and learns that she has been living in poverty during his absence, struggling to bring up their son alone. Seagall had shunned them, keeping the money himself and starting a new life under the name Ken Milton.

Brewster screams out his intention for revenge, and is soon faced by gun-hands sent by Seagall. Luckily for him, an ageing gunman Winny Getz (Dan Duryea) is on hand to help out - a mysterious character that is never fully explained (although some assumptions can be made that I won't spoil here!) but acts as Brewster's "guardian angel" throughout the film.

Learning that his wife has died and his son is missing, Brewster decides to settle his score with Seagall. On beginning his 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 the demented Garcia Mendez (Henry Silva) and his gang. To confront Seagall and get his revenge, Brewster is forced to infiltrate the gang.

"The Hills Run Red" certainly has some interesting characters. Silva plays Mendez as a black clad demented psychopath. Hunter's lead role is not too far behind in the madness stakes (presumably bought on by that five years stretch, which appeared quite a gruelling and cruel imprisonment). Lets just say that both have some serious issues!! Of the two, Silva is particularly convincing, and his is the stand-out performance of the film. Hunter meanwhile could be accused of over acting at times here, although it is still an enjoyable display. Duryea's portrayal of the mysterious Getz also merits much applause.

The love interest is provided by Nicoletta Machiavelli as Seagall's sister Mary-Ann. Constantly having to dismiss advances from Mendez, her attraction to Brewster is immediate.

Music is courtesy of one Leo Nichols (better known as Ennio Morricone to you and I). In truth it is not one of his better scores, but still adds great atmosphere to the film, as one would expect from the master. It just does not have anything to make it unique, and is not as memorable as his more heralded efforts.

All in all "The Hills Run Red" makes for a great viewing. At times it can be quite brutal (such as the saloon massacre). And how I winced as Brewster's tattoo is cut from his arm whilst he is awake! But it is a gripping story, well directed and well worth watching.

Fans of Carlo Lizzani will recognize many subtexts in this film. An interesting take on the sub-sub-genre of Spaghetti Western with a Civil War revenge theme, attempting to reincorporate traditional Hollywood elements, it doesn't lose sight of its Italian inspired roots.

The sets are a little slap dash, but the score and direction make up for it. The current rating on here of 5.6 is way too low. It deserves at least a 7-8 on the all time Spaghetti Western scale.

The sets are a little slap dash, but the score and direction make up for it. The current rating on here of 5.6 is way too low. It deserves at least a 7-8 on the all time Spaghetti Western scale.

I started watching this and thought oh, lord, another howler with every hokey cliché inherent to bad spaghetti westerns. Midway when we see the stunt men grabbing their bellies from feigned gut shots and doing the railing flip to land on their backs on balsa wood saloon tables, one has to wonder if there could be any other way to do it. However the story does develop to reveal some depth to both characters and plot. The clichés endure so don't expect any surprises by the time it's over, but enjoy this period piece as the simple story it was meant to be with a few standouts in the supporting cast roles, if not the lead. There are some memorable items in the soundtrack and the location work cinematography could be called exemplary. The credits state it's a Dino De Laurentis production with much of the shooting done in Rome, which does contradict some of the IMDb data, FWIW. All in all it's the kind of tale that Hollywood had so tired of by the mid sixties they'd have sent it up as a comedy romp with an all star cast cracking one liners- but with admirable humility the spaghetti western production crew delivered this with straight faced sincerity, as if they still believed in what they were doing. Considering that I give it 7 not 6 stars.

An Italian production full of action , exaggerated characters, shootouts and lots of violence . For money, for pleasure, for revenge, he doesn't care why he kills or how ¡ ... A soldier named Brewster (Thomas Hunter) is taken prisoner in Fort Wilson . 5 years later he's freed and sees the atrocity over his family and executes a single-handedly revenge, as he slashes, ravages and murders each person involved in the killing . He is relentless in his vendetta , deadly in his violence. The conflict is a simple one between avenger Brewster , now named Houston, and oppressors, nasties bandits commanded by cruel foreman (Henry Silva) and his chief Milton (Gazzolo), owner of the ranch Mayflower where lives his sister Mary Ann(Nicoletta Machiavelli). Houston/Brewster is only helped by a mysterious vet gunslinger named Getz (Dan Duryea) and May Ann . Meanwhile Houston aids an unappreciated although terrorized town called Austin (Texas) in the process and suddenly finds his little son Tim (Loris Loddi). The town is inhabited by important people as Horner. Then Brewster is submitted a tempestuous trap by a saloon-girl and is caught and he faces the vicious bandits.

It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonist Thomas Hunter against the heartless Henry Silva and his hoodlums. Thomas Hunter is fine, he cries, ravages the screen, shoots, hit and run and kills but also receives violent knocks, punches, kicks and wounds . In the film premiere attained bit success , nowadays is best valued and I think it turns out to be a good Spaghetti Western. Henry Silva as a cruelly baddie role is terrific, he bears a hysterical and mocking smile, subsequently the would play similar characters . The film packs violence,gun-play, explosion, high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining. There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shootouts or stunts every few minutes. There are many fine technicians and nice assistants as Goffredo Unger, also secondary , habitual master of arms in numerous Spaghetti Western. Good production design creating an excellent scenario with luminous outdoors, dirty and rocky landscapes under a glimmer sun and a fine set on the Austin town . The musician Ennio Morricone, Lee Nichols, composes a nice soundtrack and well conducted by usual Bruno Nicolai; it's full of guttural sounds, sensible songs and a haunting musical leitmotif. Striking cinematography by Toni Secchi in Technicolor, Techniscope with negative well processed and perfect remastering . Interior filmed at Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica, Studios Rome and outdoor sequences filmed at Spanish outdoors located on Colmenar Viejo, and La Pedriza, Manzanares , Madrid.

Carlo Lizzani's direction -under a pseudonym named Beaver- is well crafted, here he's less thought-provoking and broody and more inclined toward violence and too much action, because he's a expert on serious cinema. Lizzani directed good films as ¨Last days of Mussolini¨, ¨Bandits in Milan¨, co-directed ¨Dirty game¨, ¨The Verona trial¨, ¨chronicle of poor lovers¨ and filmed another S.W. titled ¨Requiescant¨ with Lou Castel, Mark Damon and Pier Paolo Pasolini and today he goes on directing movies. Rating : 6,5, acceptable and passable. The picture will appeal to Spaghetti Western fans.