Boot Hill / La collina degli stivali (Giuseppe Colizzi, 1969)

Spaghetti Westerns 🎬
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My Italian DVD (Stormovie) of this use the BOOTS HILL title on the English version.

I like this one quite a bit, though not quite as much as Stanton and defocus.
I think this works better as a stand-alone movie rather than the third part of a trilogy, since it’s ties to the Colizzi’s first two movies are only a very small part of the movie. All three of Colizzi’s SW’s look to be very well shot to my eye, but some of the circus scenes in this one seem a bit too busy. As if he was trying to cram a bit too much into the scenes. Still, i found it to be very enjoyable.

Fun Factor - 6.5/10

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For argument’s sake I just translated my Dutch language review:
http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Collina_degli_stivali,_La/Bad_Lieutenant_Review

I am eagerly awating Stanton’s :smiley:

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[quote=“scherpschutter, post:100, topic:47”]I think Colizzi chose ‘stivali’ instead of ‘stivale’ to avoid confusion: Lo Stivale, the boot, is a knickname for Italy. If you look at a map, you’ll notice the country has the shape of a very high boot. So La collina dello Stivale could be read as The Italian Hill

La Collina degli Stivali : literally ‘The hill of the boots’, degli = di (=of/from) + gli (the)
But I would translate this simply as Boot(s) Hill. In general, combinations like ‘Boot Hill’ or ‘football game’ (so of two nouns without any article of preposition) are impossible in Italian (It is possible with words like Casa or Stadio; usually those combinations are taken from Latin). Boot(s) Hill: La Collina degli Stivali, Football game : La partita di Calcio, but: Olympic Stadium : Stadio Olimpico[/quote]

Yeah, I think this is just down to bad translation. Much the same as Kill the Wickeds![sic]

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Or “The” Patriotism by Bakunin, as read by James Coburn in A Fistul of Dynamite(s)

Or any number of variations on Wells Fargo.

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Thanks for all the responses, amigos!
And especially to scherp for all the great information!

Looks like it was, indeed, just a bad translation.

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[quote=“scherpschutter, post:100, topic:47”]I think Colizzi chose ‘stivali’ instead of ‘stivale’ to avoid confusion: Lo Stivale, the boot, is a knickname for Italy. If you look at a map, you’ll notice the country has the shape of a very high boot. So La collina dello Stivale could be read as The Italian Hill

La Collina degli Stivali : literally ‘The hill of the boots’, degli = di (=of/from) + gli (the)
But I would translate this simply as Boot(s) Hill. In general, combinations like ‘Boot Hill’ or ‘football game’ (so of two nouns without any article of preposition) are impossible in Italian (It is possible with words like Casa or Stadio; usually those combinations are taken from Latin). Boot(s) Hill: La Collina degli Stivali, Football game : La partita di Calcio, but: Olympic Stadium : Stadio Olimpico[/quote]

Yeh, thanks Scherp. Very informative!

So how about “Gli Specialisti” then? Why is this one in the plural also?

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[quote=“Chris_Casey, post:105, topic:47”]Looks like it was, indeed, just a bad translation.[/quote]but still “Italy’s Hill” sounds so intriguing, it’s like if they already knew that Terence Hill would become a big star soon.

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I like this one. My ranking of Colizzi’s trilogy is the following (although I should really watch them all again):

  1. Ace High
  2. Boot Hill
  3. God Forgives, I don’t
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Of Colizzi’s films, I really only like GOD FORGIVES–I DON’T!.

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Not seen that one yet Chris.

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Yeah, a true classic.

A shame the sequels aren’t up to par.

ACE HIGH is too ambitious.
Seems like Colizzi wanted to cram way too many ideas into a very simple story.
BOOT HILL is just allover the place. Very messy.

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[quote=“YourPallbearer, post:111, topic:47”]ACE HIGH is too ambitious.
Seems like Colizzi wanted to cram way too many ideas into a very simple story.
BOOT HILL is just allover the place. Very messy.[/quote]

Precisely how I see them!
I have to admit I enjoy watching Eli Wallach in ACE HIGH and it has some great visual moments; but, as you say, overall it just seems like an overloaded film.

1 Like
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[quote=“YourPallbearer, post:111, topic:47”]ACE HIGH is too ambitious.
Seems like Colizzi wanted to cram way too many ideas into a very simple story.
BOOT HILL is just allover the place. Very messy.[/quote]

[quote=“Chris_Casey, post:112, topic:47”]Precisely how I see them!
I have to admit I enjoy watching Eli Wallach in ACE HIGH and it has some great visual moments; but, as you say, overall it just seems like an overloaded film.[/quote]

Actually, I can’t argue with that! I guess I prefer Ace High and Boot Hill to God Forgives simply because they are technically much better films in visual terms.

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I don’t like the opening scene with all the men dancing … ::slight_smile: There is just too less story for too many characters in Boot Hill. The roles of Bud Spencer and George Eastman are not really important for the plot.
The hunting scene with Terence is climatic and I appreaciate it.
Somehow Boot Hill is over stylized.

My favourite Colizzi is still God forgives … I don’t ! :slight_smile:

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I think Ace High is too long, its my least favourite of the 3. God Forgives I Don’t is ahead by miles for me.

Boot Hill might have a better reception if they never released the awful pan scan DVD.

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God will forgive you (maybe), I …

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I didn’t like God Forgives I Don’t that much, needs a rewatch.

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Personally, I’d have a very hard time calling this film one of the best directed Spaghettis. It is anything but that. However, it doesn’t completely fail due to the interesting ideas.

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I took the time and have rewatched it.

And yes it is one of the best directed. Without any doubt for me. This film is visually absolutely extravagant and far more extreme than Colizzi’s first western in its visual stylization.
A highly concentrated film. Very intensive. And I think very unusual for the time it was made.

Gets better with every viewing.

I will write something more about my thoughts tomorrow regarding Bad L.'s review.

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Not really but I agree with you about the extravagant visual style of the movie. :slight_smile:
Colizzi had a unique style and it’s a pity that he started another career (but probably he earned a lot of money !!!).