TankGuy 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

adrianswingler 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.

Billy Wiggins 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.

batvette 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.