The Clint Eastwood Netflix Documentary Every Fan Needs To See
The documentary Sad Hill Unearthed is streaming on Netflix.
Clint Eastwood’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly isn’t streaming on Netflix, but the next best thing is. If there’s one thing that Netflix is really good for, it’s their wide offering of documentary films, and Sad Hill Unearthed should be at the top of your queue.
In this 2017 Guillermo de Oliveira documentary, we hear interviews from Metallica’s James Hetfield, Sergio Leone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly director), and Clint Eastwood himself, as they talk about the iconic film, and the long forgotten graveyard set that inspired the documentary.
Sad Hill Unearthed is centered on a group of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly fans and their attempt to restore the iconic set from the final showdown that took place at the Sad Hill Cemetery where Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach had their showdown. A well-known fact about Sad Hill Cemetery is that it was never actually a real grave site but rather a set that was built specifically for the movie.
After the legendary 1966 Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western was shot, however, the location was abandoned and left to be eroded over the next 50 years, and the enthusiasm that fans express in their efforts to recreate the scenery can be found in one of the more praiseworthy documentaries presently streaming on Netflix.
We see a true labor of love unfold throughout Sad Hill Unearthed as volunteers spend months searching for, locating, excavating, and restoring the famous circular plaza, which required quite a bit of digging to unearth from the elements. The most impressive part about this film is how inaccessible this location is to the general public, and how that didn’t stop crews from working tirelessly to access the area, and get to work rebuilding the set.
While we’re typically used to seeing documentaries about serial killers and organized crime, it’s really refreshing to see people come together to celebrate Clint Eastwood and the epic scenery that was presented in this Netflix Documentary.
If you’re one to travel, then you’ll be pleased to know that you can actually visit the Sad Hill Cemetery as a tourist attraction, which is located in Santo Domingo de Silos in Burgos, Spain. Not only has the set been fully restored, but there are also silhouette figures of Clint Eastwood standing prominently over the grave sight.
So it’s possible to channel your inner Clint Eastwood if you’re willing to make sure your passport is up to date, but it’s worth noting that there is no visitor center, shop, or bathroom available in this remote location.
In fact, this location is so far off the beaten path you probably won’t have WiFi to log onto Netflix either.
There’s no denying the cultural impact that The Good, The Bad and the Ugly had upon its release and continues to have to this day. It’s one thing to pay lip service to a movie that shaped your life and maybe even inspired your own art, but Sad Hill Unearthed takes this sentiment to a whole other level in its presentation.
Even if you’re not a huge Clint Eastwood fan, the scenery, and Zeltia Montes film score still make you want to fire up Netflix and check it out.
But if you are in fact a fan of Clint Eastwood’s extensive filmography, then we strongly recommend watching Sad Hill Unearthed before watching 2018’sThe Mule, which is currently sitting at number 3 on Netflix’s top 10 movie list.
Not only will you get a primer on how The Good, The Bad and the Ugly was created and celebrated, you’ll be able to see the legend himself continue to deliver the goods, even at 88 years old when The Mule was released.
In The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Clint Eastwood’s “Blondie” said, “in this world there’s two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns and those who dig.” If you’re into digging for Clint Eastwood content on Netflix, then it’s safe to say that Sad Hill Unearthed will satisfy your need for some amazing behind-the-scenes insight into the world that Sergio Leone created for all of us to see almost 60 years ago.
