Boot Hill (1969) User Reviews

Again Hill and Spencer along with circus performers team up against baddies

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 14 November 2007]

This Spaghetti Western oater starts when Cat Stevens (Terence Hill or Mario Girotti) trying to save himself from a pursuit by nasties . He's picked up and healed by a circus troupe (Lionel Stander , Woody Strode, among others). Later on , Stevens reunites with Hutch (Bud Spencer o Carlo Perdesoli) , joining forces and confronting baddies . The villain is Honey Fisher (Victor Buono) , a powerful magnate in a small town and supported by heinous henchmen . A government commissioner (Eduardo Ciannelli) comes to little town and the ruthless Fisher is worried but he's usually swindling gold prospectors and gaining exorbitant price leases .

The movie contains gunplay , Western action , circus spectacle and fist-fights . Terence Hill as a tough gunslinger and Spencer as a bouncing hunk are good but still not personified the Trinity heroes characters . In the picture appears usual Spaghetti Western secondaries as Lionel Stander , Woody Strode, furthermore, George Eastman (Luigi Montefiori) , Alberto DellÁcqua and Romano Puppo . The film belongs to the Giuseppe Colizzi trilogy starred by Hill and Spencer as Cat Stevens and Hutch Bessy . This one is the third and inferior installment , the first and the best is ¨God forgives¨ or ¨Blood river¨ with Frank Wolff and the second is ¨Four gunmen of Ave Maria¨ with the great Elli Wallach . The film was produced by Manolo Bolognini , a nice producer of classic Spaghetti (Djanjo , Goodbye Texas , Keoma) and accompanied by an atmospheric musical score by Carlo Rustichelli with an enjoyable leitmotif . The film will appeal to Hill and Spencer hardcore fans .

Nicely Shot and Entertaining Gimmicky Spaghetti Western

[mstomaso · 6/10 · 6 February 2008]

I approached this film with little to no expectations, after reading a few fairly negative reviews here on IMDb. I was pleasantly surprised.

The film opens up with Stephens (Terence Hill) trying to evade a posse of killers chasing him through a small town, where a circus is performing. After taking a bullet, Stephens eludes his would-be killers and stows away in a circus cart. We soon learn that one of Stephens fellow gunslingers is working as a trapeze artist with the circus. Ultimately it is revealed that a local exploitative mine owner is in control of the posse and one of his henchmen eventually crosses the circus performers. So the gunslinger, trapeze artists and a local itinerant official join forces to fight against the corrupt mob lead by Honey Fisher (Victor Buono).

The film is well-paced, though not as hurried as many spaghetti westerns sometimes are. The camera work is just a touch above the standard spaghetti western, and a little different from the standard approach. There are a lot of close-ups and the camera is used effectively to create an unsettling and downright weird atmosphere throughout a good portion of the film - this puts an unexpectedly sinister spin on the seeming novelty gimmick of circus performers in battle.

Director Collizzi did a masterful job with a script and story which were - by genre standards - merely OK. Some of the characters remain somewhat weakly developed, but this doesn't really detract from the film's entertainment value. The actors perform generally well (though the charismatic Lionel Stander gets just a little irritating at times).

Recommended for fans of the western genre.

Muddled and badly shot Western.

[gridoon · 4/10 · 7 November 2003]

Misleadingly promoted as a "Trinity" film, "Boot Hill" can barely even be classified as a "Bud Spencer-Terence Hill" film, since it gives the two stars very few chances to exercise their teamwork (Spencer appears after the first half-hour). The story is confusing, and the direction is annoying: for one thing, many action scenes take place in the dark, and for another, the camera focuses a little too closely on the actors; too often half the action appears to have been chopped off the sides of the screen, even though the version I watched was letterboxed. Not recommended. (*1/2)

Underrated Western with a circus theme

[FilmFlaneur · 13 February 2004]

Boot Hill is such a different film to the popular ‘Trinity' films amongst which it was lumped, presumably by the American distributors keen to attract the same appreciative audience, that it often disappoints those who are expecting more of the same. In fact it stands well as a serious Western in own right, perhaps not at the very front rank of the genre, but an above average Spaghetti outing, both in direction and casting.

Director Colizzi conceived the film as the third in the loose trilogy which features Hill as Cat Stevens (the other two films being Dio perdona... Io no!/ God Forgives – I Don't! (1968) and I Quattro dell'Ave Maria, / Revenge at El Paso (1968). In this movie Hill, Spencer, and Stander are all excellent with none of the jokey humour which made the official Trinity films so distinctive and, for this viewer anyway, a little forced. Strode is outstanding and makes one wish that Hollywood had made more of his talents as muscular leading man. Too often one associates him with his mute, opening appearance in Once Upon a Time in the West, or in Ford's stagey Sargeant Rutledge, and forgets how easily he can carry the action for more than one scene. His later encounter with Stevens, while Hill hides out (‘I don't like to thank a man too many times') is one of the best scenes in the film. Although race is not an issue in the film, the American trailer makes play in that ‘two colours' are fighting against one threat, and the austere pairing of Hill and Strode – noticeably seen in single shot at the climax of the film – is electrifying.

The biggest weakness of writer-director Colizzi's film lays in the middle section, when the chronology is rather truncated, although even here the growing rapport between Stevens and Thomas is effectively conveyed by way of compensation. One would have appreciated seeing more of the dissolution of the circus, the debilitating effects of the murder of the acrobat on the troupe.. Meanwhile,the late introduction of Hutch (the essential other half to the expected Trinity pairing) gives plenty of time for an on-screen bond to form and, once the new group re-encounter the show, a real sense of mission has been formed. Such difficulties are partly the problem of a script which attempts too readily to combine showbusiness and showdowns in equal measure. The fault lines in Boot Hill are perhaps best described by the music, which ranges from Bullitt-like suspense riffs, through to a sentimental ‘circus' tune to a third, decidedly ‘epic' theme for the friendship of Stevens and his black comrade.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Boot Hill is Colizzi's inventive use of cross cutting between circus and gunfight, editing between ring and revolver as it were. The most notable example of this occurs at the beginning, when Stevens is stalked outside of the performance tent. By interweaving the dangers of the high wire with more immediate dangers faced outside, Collizi achieves a timing and balance which, in a sense, is as impressive as those inside the big top. Life - at least as shown in Boot Hill – thereby becomes kind of dangerous act of its own, and Colizzi heightens this sense through his shaping of his visual materials. Some critics have compared the acts in Boot Hill to the kind of medieval pageant served up for warlords centuries ago – especially when the troupe perform in front of head villain Honey (a surprisingly underwritten part for Victor Buono); I prefer to see it as a heightening of the tension inheirent in Western action, a different play on the skilful rituals involved.

Interesting comparisons might be made between this film and others where circus play intrudes into otherwise conservative genres (Vampire Circus springs to mind as a similar example) creating an interesting hybrid. Cukor's Heller in Pink Tights – highly rated by French Critics, less well liked at home - would make an interesting double bill with Colizzi's production, which is in need of some reassessment.

"I don't like to have to thank somebody too many times."

[classicsoncall · 4/10 · 14 June 2007]

This is a fairly obtuse Western, filmed altogether too dark and muddy that comes complemented by circus trapeze artists, midget clowns and dancing girls. There's also the hint of a homosexual flavor peppered throughout, with two shaggy males dancing cheek to cheek in an opening scene, and glistening male torsos swinging from bar to bar above the big top. It's an odd environment in which Cat Stevens (Terence Hill) recovers from a bullet wound while planning his revenge on an outlaw named Finch and land swindler Honey Fisher, portrayed by Victor Buono.

That's about as much as I could glean from my viewing of the film, with the first third of the story a large question mark as to where things were going. It didn't help that a lot of the story seemed to be taking place in the dark, whether by accident or on purpose, with the result about the same, making it difficult to follow. As a result, the final showdown between Stevens and Finch seemed anti-climactic, as did the downfall of Fisher.

Maybe a repeat viewing would help, but that's not going to happen.

Change of mind with this one..

[AriSquad · 7/10 · 30 September 2003]

Terence Hill & Bud Spencer early pairing. Low budget western with a lot of stars in it. Not the usual by any means.. western-wise or hill/spencer-wise.. 3 years before Trinity, Hill portrays a character named Cat Stevens ( A name that was also his characters in both Dio perdona... Io no! & I Quattro dell'Ave Maria). It can be dull at times but it's a good movie given the chance. I originally wrote a more negative review of this film and after watching it a few more times since I have edited it to lean on the more positive side. Worth checking out & it is made on DVD now. Although the transfer is cassette quality. It does give the film that nostalgic quality & makes the dirt floors & dirty faces look even more filthy.

Gunfighter Joins The Circus

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 23 October 2010]

Boot Hill, the English title for this spaghetti western finds Terrence Hill confronting a the hired thugs of town boss Victor Buono and getting shot up for his efforts. A traveling circus takes him in and gives him shelter over the objections of owner Lionel Stander who reluctantly gives in. After that Hill teams up with Bud Spencer, a fellow gunfighter whom he brings out of retirement and Woody Strode who is with the circus, but has his own agenda with that town and its boss.

The film sadly enough tries to be a comedy, but the laughs don't quite come in the right places. For the life of me I could not understand the dubbing of Victor Buono who is playing a variation on the part he had in Four For Texas. Buono had one of the most cultured voices in the English language during his lifetime so that just seemed incredibly stupid to me.

Boot Hill marks the farewell performance of Eduardo Ciannelli who was all of 80 years old and looked it. He was dubbed, but his Italian accent would have been really out of place in this western. My guess is that Ciannelli was not in the best of health making this film. Not one I'd want to go out on.

For those who like the pasta westerns from Europe you might enjoy Boot Hill. But it just isn't my taste.

Terence Hill, Woody Strode and a circus troupe out West

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 16 July 2016]

Released in 1969 and directed/written by Giuseppe Colizzi, "Boot Hill" stars Terence Hill as Cat Stevens, a hunted and wounded man who hooks up with a circus troupe and the oppressed citizens of a small town in the Southwest to take on Honey Fisher (Victor Buono) and his murderous gang who corruptly gain leases on valuable gold-yielding land in the area. Woody Strode plays one of the trapeze artists.

"Boot Hill" is the last film in a trilogy that started with "God Forgives... I Don't!" (1967) and "Ace High" (1968), all starring Terrence Hill as Cat Stevens. It was then rereleased as "Trinity Rides Again" to cash in on the later success of "They Call Me Trinity" (1970) and "Trinity Is Still My Name" (1971) even though "Boot Hill" has nothing to do with those movies, except that Terrence and Bud Spencer star in them.

The main reason people complain about this movie is not due to the quality of the film itself, but rather the lousy fullscreen pan & scan 1:33:1 reduction print, transferred to VHS from 16mm and then transferred from VHS to DVD and typically sold for a buck or less. This crappy version often cuts out the speaker during a scene (!). The movie itself, however, was filmed on anamorphic 35mm in 2:35:1 Techniscope, and was meant to be seen in the widescreen format.

In regards to the film itself, it's a spaghetti Western in the tradition of Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy. I like it better than the first two "Dollars" movies, but it's not technically as good as 1966's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

There are several things I appreciate about "Boot Hill." For one, Terrence Hill is as good or better than Clint Eastwood and it's surprising that he didn't become more popular. Secondly, the traveling circus sets this movie apart from other Westerns. Thirdly, it's nice to see a black character in a Western as one of the protagonists. I can only think of two other Westerns off the top of my head that have done this (not including Mario Van Peebles' "Posse" from 1993): "Duel at Diablo" (1966), with Sidney Poitier, and "The Gatling Gun" (1971), also with Strode. Fourthly, there's a cool Ennio Morricone-like score by Carlo Rustichelli.

On the negative side, the story's kinda muddled and the circus girls aren't as prominent as they should be. In fact, the latter is made out to be a joke when the high wire act starts to perform and the audience boos because they're all male, lol. I also don't like the title "Boot Hill" because I can't figure out why it's the name of the movie; I'm assuming it's the name of the main town in the story, which they should've made clearer at some point.

The movie runs 97 minutes and was shot in Almería, Andalucía, Spain.

GRADE: B-

BAD ! ONE OF TERENCE AND BUD'S WORST !

[Mark-371 · 3/10 · 24 December 1999]

I have seen alot of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer movies and this is one of the first I ever saw and i have to say, it sucks! It's just awful. The plot is about a guy named Cat Stevens ( Terence Hill ) who was shot buy some bandits and a circus trupe helps him recover. Cat Stevens needs to get revenge and avenge the death of a circus performer who helped him recover. he asks his old buddy Hutch Bessy (Bud Spencer) to help him. This movie may sound good, but believe me, its not!!!!!! I suggest you see either They Call me Trinity , Trinity is STILL my name , My name is Nobody , Crime Busters or Watch Out...Were mad!

Not even easy to like for western enthusiasts

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 4 December 2020]

"La collina degli stivali" or simply "Boot Hill" (and there's half a dozen other international titles I could mention) is an Italian Italian-language movie from 1969, so this one had its 50th anniversary last year in fact already, which means it is over half a century old, most likely still a little older once you read this because 2020 is almost over and what a year it was. But let's stay with this film for now. The running time is a bit confusing because there are several stated here: One would be 86 minutes, another 100 minutes and I kinda feel that the version I watched on German television tonight was somewhere in-between with nine as the first cipher. Not entirely sure though as there were massive commercial breaks. Not too important either. What matters more is that the writer and director (even two writing credits he got) is Giuseppe Colizzi. He did not really get too old unfortunately, but eveon for dying before his 55th birthday his body of work as both writer and director is pretty small honestly. He made up for a it a bit by working in all kinds of other fields of film production. And it is definitely no coincidence that he was the man in charge behind the camera here because he worked really a lot with Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. This also includes the two films who belong to this trilogy and are not the one I am talking about today. Colizzi also worked on those if I am not mistaken. Those include Spencer as Arch Hutch Bessy and Hill as Cat Stevens. Not the musician obviously. Had he even changed his name by the already? Anyway, this is western. This is what Spencer (and Hill) did before their lighter and more fun movies. This is a tad more serious for sure, even if it is a bit difficult if Spencer is part of a film to take it really seriously because he always has that playful, slightly comedic big cuddly bear tendency, even if it's a western movie in which people die. But it is fitting Hill is more of a lead here, far more at the center of the story because when he was in the lead, these films were really more about grit and drama and not really innocent fun the way it turned out so many times in the 1970s. Or at least not when Spencer was not at least Hill's co-lead. But even if the duo rides into the sunset in the end, Spencer is nothing but supporting here, probably not even the biggest supporting player. There are long sequences without him and he does not enter the film before the 30-minute mark. Strangely enough, Hill is also not doing too much there because he is wounded and bleeding and helped by a few other people, so the invincibility element they (him and Spencer) have in future films is not here at all. Not one bit. They also rely on help from others. So other actors and characters are definitely more in the center of the movie here than you are used to it if you have seen Pedersoli's and Girotti's most famous (if we forget about the Fonda film for once). The evidence is there. We have many scenes when neither (especially not Spencer) is featured and the movie also starts with a lengthy sequence that does not have one of the two. With Hill being first credit I can agree, but Spencer in second is not just accurate at all given his screen time. They clearly used his name to promote the movie. Enough about the duo for now and instead a few words on some of the other cast members. Women are almost not existent in here, but it's a western, so it happened before. Woody Strode deserves a mention though. He deserves the praise because of how prolific an actor he was back then in times that, unlike today, were really a huge challenge for Black actors. But he won them over with his talent, attitude and craft. Good for him. He also shows up really briefly in one of the most known western films of all time, which may have helped him in getting the part here, which is a much bigger part. The second one I would like to mention is Victor Buono, already an Oscar nominee by then, even if I remember him probably more from the Batman series. i think they could have done more with him and his talent. That's really all I can comment about, even if there are many more pretty experienced actors in the cast list here, also not just Italians as you can see from the ones I mentioned.

As for the film itself, I am not impressed unfortunately. I can see why this was seen by considerably fewer audiences than the two films it follows up on. It is just a bit of everything, but nothing truly convincing in any area. This includes the overall story most of all, but also I thought this could be better visually. Like I love western and the aura that comes with them, but in terms of nice prairie shots, there is the one in the end as they are ridin into the sunset, but before that there is almost nothing. Kinda fitting that one shot I remember more than almost everything else is when Strode's character is reunited with a young friend and lifts him up. Also these films for me frequently stand and fall with the villain(s). I do think there was the potential there and they could have turned the antagonists into more memorable characters than they actually turned out. Lots of gunfire here, not unusual for western films obviously, but nothing that really got me on the edge of my seat. At least, Spencer got his funny little punching sequence in the end. But this could save the film either. I mean, don't get me wrong, this is never failure territory or anything, but after a decent start, I was kinda convinced around the 50-minute mark that I probably cannot give a positive recommendation here and it stayed as uninspired until the end, so I have to go with two stars out of five. The circus inclusions, numbers and music throughout the film, especially early on where they were at their most frequent, got old pretty sickly. I guess they ere featured this heavily early on because Spencer was still out of the picture and Hill doing nothing but bleeding and suffering. As for the circus moments, it was not the film's biggest strength from any perspective, be it how they get together so quickly again to create a bit of an army or how this army actually manages to stand up physically to the bad guys. The best part of the film was probably the first scene with Spencer, namely when Hill shows up to recruit him and this is the usual reaction by Spencer's character that he absolutely wants none of it, but is still convinced in the end. The idea of this deaf-mute fella is also one that was nice in a comedic sense that he is the only one Spencer's character can deal with because he won't get on the big bearded guy's nerves. Still how did he understand what Spencer was saying if he was deaf? I mean this plays centuries back, so there as no miracle worker profession. Anyway, we all find out playfully that it was all pretense anyway. Okay, this is really all I have to say about this film. I am somebody who likes westerns. I am somebody who loves Spencer. I am somebody who likes Hill and maybe also one or two of the other cast members here. But even these solid foundations made it not possible for me to appreciate this movie. It's a thumbs-down and it as probably the right decision to not turn this into a quadrology afterwards. What followed away from western (especially in Spencer's career) was clearly superior. Watch that. Or something different altogether. But not this one here. I hope the two previous films are superior, but hey I'm an optimistic. Bye now.

Okay, but nothing special

[bensonmum2 · 5/10 · 1 June 2006]

I've wanted to see Boot Hill for a while now, but it's been difficult to find a watchable transfer. I realize now that I haven't been missing much. For the most part, the film is standard Spaghetti Western stuff. A group of claim jumpers, lead by Honey Fisher (Victor Buono), have everyone in a small mining town under their control. Eventually, though, one of the townsfolk gets tired of being robbed and asks for the help of his friend, Cat Stevens (Terence Hill). Using a traveling circus as cover, Stevens is able to get into town unnoticed for a final showdown with Fisher and his gang of thugs.

Other than the use of the circus, the plot and action in Boot Hill aren't as original or as good as you'll find in some other films of this type. The final showdown is predictable and lacks any real tension. When Stevens finally meets up with Finch, the head bad guy, nothing much happens. Although most of the film is played straight, there are a few attempts at humor that feel out of place. For the most part, the acting is decent, but it's nothing to write home about. Hill, Bud Spencer, and Woody Strode are okay, but it's nothing special. The exception is Buono who is by far the standout in the film. Unfortunately, his screen time is limited and he doesn't even appear until the movie is half over.

Where Boot Hill excels and what makes it unique are the directorial and editing decisions made with the film. There are a number of instances where scenes of violence are quickly spliced with scenes of the circus. Gunfight – a clown playing a trumpet – a man gets shot – a trapeze act – hiding in a barn – dancing girls. It's a nice touch.

Finally, whether intentional or not, Boot Hill features several scenes that can best be described as homosexual in nature. From the miners dancing check-to-check in the opening to Bud Spencer calling the tall, blond, good looking cowboy he lives with "Baby Doll" to the unexplained relationship between Woody Strode and the young, good looking trapeze artist, there's an undeniable homoerotic feel underlying a lot of the movie.

An entertaining conclusion in the Colizzi-Hill-Spencer trilogy of westerns!

[simonize-1 · 8/10 · 21 September 2004]

This is an entertaining conclusion to the trilogy of westerns made by directer GIUSEPPE COLIZZI and stars TERENCE HILL and BUD SPENCER.

The first collaboration GOD FORGIVES... I DON'T benefited from the presence of FRANK WOLFF, the ruthless master criminal BILL SAN'ANTONIO; ACE HIGH allowed ELI WALLACH to steal the show whenever he was on-screen, giving us a variation on his TUCO role (THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY), so that we could overlook the meandering approach to the memorable finale, set deliriously to a waltz, and the third film BOOT HILL provides a white collar villain in VICTOR BUONO.

His angle on life and death in the west is complementary to what SERGIO LEONE proposed in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. Big business and its money was the only means of beating the gun. And so the heroes' approach to defeating the wonderfully obese BUONO is different from the slugfests and shootouts from earlier westerns.

This is why I would disagree with Tom Weisser in his otherwise excellent tome on spaghetti westerns - "the genre's most (unintentionally) nonthreatening villain, Victor Buono". The most successful villains get others to do their dirty work, yet believe their own hands are therefore clean!

On the Spaghetti Western Scales of Justice, another 7.5/10: good cast, music, plot and characterization with some novel elements such as the traveling circus troupe, and the stubborn old judge.

An Anemic Spaghetti Western with a Great Cast

[zardoz-13 · 6/10 · 10 November 2022]

The final entry in writer & director Giuseppe Colizzi trilogy about Cat Stevens and Arch Hutch Bessy qualifies as a genuine letdown for anybody who enjoyed "God Forgives, But I Don't" and "Ace High." Colizzi's enigmatic narrative furnishes more than enough gunplay, but the plot is neither as audacious as "Ace High" or as complicated as the mystery behind the train robbery in "God Forgives, But I Don't." Indeed, the entire film looks haphazard. Terence Hill and Bud Spencer play the same characters but devoid of personality. The usual grim humor isn't as pervasive, though the violence is. "Boot Hill" lacks a grand scheme, like the casino heist in "Ace High." The action unfolds with an exciting night-time shootout in a frontier town that leaves our hero wounded. Cat (Terence Hill) takes refuge in a traveling circus and eludes discovery until the following day when the circus is on the move. Cat's presence with the circus generates trouble for them because he is a hunted man. At one point, during a high wire trapeze performance, a villain shoots the rope that is an African American's lifeline. Naturally, the unfortunate fellow plunges to his death. Moments before the gunman fired the fatal bullet that slashed the rope, he referred to the black trapeze artist as a "monkey." This is about as racist as "Boot Hill" gets. The cast is pretty spectacular. Woody Strode of 'Sergeant Rutledge" co-stars as a gunman hiding out with veteran Lionel Stander who has a traveling circus, and Victor Buono as an in-name villain. Wayde Preston is virtually unrecognizable as McGavin, a rebellious rancher who clashes with Buono's Honey Fisher. Carlo Rustichelli's orchestral score is lush, while "A Stranger in Town" lenser Marcello Masciocchi's widescreen cinematography is gorgeous. Problem is "Boothill" is only half as much fun as either "God Forgives, But I Don't" or "Ace High." Indeed, "Boot Hill" is not only uninspired but also routine with little to distinguish in its plot.

Do not call this movie "Trinity"

[Bryan W · 1/10 · 23 December 1999]

I bought this movie because it was sold as a set with "Trinity is Still My Name" and was advertised as a sequel to the two Trinity movies. It was actually produced 2 years before "They Call Me Trinity" and the only thing that "Boot Hill" (AKA "Trinity Rides Again") has in common with the other Trinity movies is Terence Hill. "Boot Hill" is long, boring and doesn't hold together. I tried to watch it, but found myself fast-forwarding through it, waiting for something interesting to happen. I wound up throwing "Boot Hill" away.

Trinity Three-Ring Circus

[El-Stumpo · 19 February 2004]

Third and rarest pairing of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer after God Forgives... I Don't (1966) and Ace High (1967), both by director Colizzi, before the Trinity films turned them into Italy's most dubious exports of the Seventies. Hill was given these cold-eyed roles before the more familiar slaparound antics; here he plays a grimy cheroot-huffin' hombre called `Trouble', who enlists a traveling circus (led by Woody Strode and Lionel Stander) to defeat a money-grubbing land baron (Batman's King Tut, Victor Buono). Like all good Spaghetti Westerns, Boot Hill combines claustrophobic visuals and a lumpen left wing philosophy, with the added novelty of the circus backdrop. Bud's almost a supporting player, but thankfully the dumb ox still gets to throw his weight around. Recommended, muchachos.

Sloppy western comedy with a general poorly made feel

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 3 May 2015]

A disappointing follow-up to the superior ACE HIGH, BOOT HILL sees the comedy tag-team of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer teaming up again just before they hit the big time in the early 1970s. It's fair to say that this is a lacklustre comedy western, one which seems to have been sloppily made with the minimum of effort in all departments.

The storyline is basic in the extreme: Hill is wounded and rescued by a troupe of circus performers, with whom he develops a strong bond. Soon, the gang are in a small town, where a ruthless businessman (played with slimy relish by Victor Buono) bumps off anybody who dares oppose him. Before long they put a plan into action to defeat the businessman and his criminal gang, giving them a taste of real justice.

BOOT HILL is a slow, unfocused type of film punctuated by some very indifferent action scenes. As seems to be the normal for these productions, there's an obsession with acrobats cavorting across the screen, although their action is limited to the big top this time around. Hill and his regular comedy partner Bud Spencer feel subdued here, with little of the genuine laughs that usually accompany their adventures. A notable supporting cast features a youthful George Eastman playing alongside veterans Woody Strode and Lionel Stander.

A good 'Trinity' Spaghetti Western.

[ccunning-73587 · 6/10 · 4 February 2020]

Boot Hill ~ A good 'Trinity' Spaghetti Western. It follows the receipt for the Trinity Spaghetti Westerns... Trinity has the icy blue eyed stare for which he is famous and is very similar to the Clint Eastwood 'stare'. Spencer plays Trinity's friend & antagonist in this light comedy, mild drama story about Trinity & Spencer teaming up with some carnies to help some underdog miners fight against a gang riding roughshod over the miners, killing, and stealing their claims... A good family movie: No gore, no profanity, no nudity! Yes, the photography isn't great, nor even good, but enjoy some entertaining and laughs along the way.

Too much cheese, not enough spaghetti

[yonhope · 4/10 · 28 February 2005]

Hi, Everyone, The DVD copy I have is not great quality. If it were beautifully restored it might be better. My copy gives me the impression the camera operator held the camera in one hand and a candle in the other.

The movie might be the best ever Western/Circus/Musical/Comedy/Action film ever to combine Little People, Cowboys, Land Grabbers and Trapeze Artists. It is never as much fun as the Trinity movies I loved.

Terence Hill looks OK when it is possible to see him. Usually he is in the dark. The gunfights are passable, but often I had no idea who was the good guy getting shot or the bad guy getting punched.

Victor Buono does a fine job being bad.

The basic story line is excellent. The cast is fine. The telling of the story is where it falls apart.

If you get a chance to buy this one, called Boot Hill in the U.S., I would recommend not buying it. This is that rare old movie that could be remade better today. This could be a good vehicle for John Travolta and Will Smith and Steven Segal (spelling?).

Tom Willett, Yonhope

Full of interesting chacters.

[plan99 · 6/10 · 9 August 2023]

I doubt if any other film has had so many strange characters in it as this one has. The makeup was very odd as if the cast had just finished a long shift down a coal mine and not had a shower yet.

An interesting combination of cowboys with with a travelling circus which travelled very slowly so I wonder if they visited any more than a few towns a year.

It's not going to have won any Oscars but it is good fun to watch and there's a lot worse films out there.

Worth watching as Mr Hill's films have a unique quality to them even if some may think it good news that there are no other films made with the same qualities as his have.

Spaghetti Western Gone Wrong

[Rmcgrat3 · 1/10 · 25 January 2006]

I like these type of movies but this one which I bought as part of a 4 movie Spaghetti western Special really is terrible. This actually may be the grandfather of "Brokeback Mountain". Woody Strode along with other guys on a trapeze are the stars of the circus. The girls don't get the applause like they do. Bud Spencer's roommate named "Baby Doll" And the bad guy Victor Buono named "Honey". On top of that it looked like the movie that started director David Lynch on his little people craze. Maybe the trapeze stuff too! It's just weird. Not transfered well to DVD since a lot of action / dialogue is off screen on regular TV (don't have a widescreen to see if it's any better). I did get through it though in about 5 tries. That's just the OCD in me. Another post recommended some others and I would heartily agree.

Not the worst movie of all time, but it's up there.

[cowboy12156 · 1/10 · 19 January 2008]

I consider myself a movie buff, but I have not seen any of the Trinity movies. I won't let this movie stop me from seeing them when I get a chance though. This movie was terrible. I'm not sure where this movie stacks with the rest of my rated one movies, but I'm sure it's down there aways. Since I rate my movies, I'm forced to sit through some pretty awful movies. I got this movie in a 20 movie pack for $5 in a Wal-Mart $5 bin. So the price was worth it to be able to rate 20 movies that I haven't seen and be done with any of the bad movies that I don't have to watch again and this movie is one of them. I won't say don't watch it because everyone has their likes and dislikes but if you do like this movie, than let me recommend "Jessie James Meets Frankenstein". Or " Napoleon Dynamite rides with the Dalton Gang".

A Near-Bull's-Eye For This First-Rate Spaghetti-Western

[strong-122-478885 · 8/10 · 22 September 2011]

Yep. That's right... I did, indeed, give Boot Hill 8 stars. Yeah. I sure did. And, like - Hey! So what? Eh?

And, yes, of course, I gave it 8 stars because, regardless of its unavoidable flaws and inconsistencies, I thought that it was pretty darn good. (Remember - I said "pretty darn good", not "excellent")

When it comes to Spaghetti-Westerns of the 1960s, I'd confidently say that Boot Hill was, without question, one of the better produced ones from that particular era.

In fact, being the enthusiastic Western fan that I am, I'd even go so far as to say that Boot Hill was easily comparable to any old "Clint Eastwood" Spaghetti-Western that I've ever seen. And, on top of that, I'd also say that actor Terence Hill's overall appeal (and competence) as a movie-cowboy ranked right up there with that of Eastwood's grossly over-rated screen charisma. Yep. It sure did.

Besides being fast-paced, well-crafted, and action-packed, Boot Hill was also skillfully directed by Guiseppe Colizzi. And, as an added bonus, this film's editing and cinematography were both nothing short of exceptional.

The way I see it, Boot Hill was far from being just another "copy-cat" Western. It sure was. This film (as any worthwhile movie-entertainment goes) contained a solid storyline that (40 years later) still stands tall, on its own merits.

Boot Hill's somewhat comical story, which centers around a loner and a traveling circus group who come to the aid of an isolated western town beset upon by a ruthless criminal and his gang of assassins, features male characters with names such as Honey, Baby Doll, Cat, and Mamy.

BOOT HILL (Giuseppe Colizzi, 1969) *1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 3/10 · 11 February 2008]

This Spaghetti Western was the third teaming of popular duo Terence Hill and Bud Spencer; the previous two were also in the same genre and directed by Colizzi. Unfortunately, its muddled plot line of gold-prospecting and claim-jumping (shades of the Rex Beach venerable "The Spoilers") is rendered even less intelligible in the budget DVD edition I watched by the rampant panning-and-scanning throughout – which cramps the on screen action so much that what remains is virtually a succession of disconnected close-ups! The only original touch here is the fact that the heroes are aided in their struggle against the villainous exploiters by a troupe of traveling circus performers; one other point in its favor is a solid supporting cast, which includes not only familiar genre presences such as George Eastman but a clutch of Hollywood veterans – namely Lionel Stander, Woody Strode, Eduardo Ciannelli and Victor Buono (as the outwardly respectable chief baddie).

Might be very good but I can't tell

[ChungMo · 15 February 2004]

The U.S. TV print of this film is awful. There is no pan and scan so there are long sequences where nothing is in the center of the screen! I found myself almost hallucinatory after an hour of this film. None of the American actors dubbed their own voices with the possible exception of Lionel Stander. Terrence Hill plays it straight here.

I would be very interested to see this film in Italian, subtitled and letterboxed. If you get the Trinity box set here in the U.S., I recommend you throw Boot Hill out immediately, unwatched.

Circus of horrors!

[hitchcockthelegend · 1/10 · 3 July 2017]

Boot Hill (La collina degli stivali), directed and written by Giuseppe Colizzi, starring Terence Hill, Woody Strode, Victor Buono, Bud Spencer, Lionel Stander and Eduardo Ciannelli. Music by Carlo Rustichelli and cinematography by Marcello Masciocchi.

A Technicolor/Techniscope production! Boot Hill is very much an acquired taste. One man's art canvas is another man's paper mache head, such is the case here with this messy, muddled Spaghetti Western, a pic that has strong fans and haters in equal measure.

Personally I hated it, it was 90 minutes of motion sickness and staccato editing, with a musical score veering from plains driving grandeur to acid induced circus shrills. Cast are fine enough, though there's dubbing for dubbing's sake, while an extended over acted barroom brawl at finale is a fun time at least, but really it has to be your thing to enjoy as a whole.

A bowl of spaghetti sieved through a kaleidoscopic colander. 1/10