Okay, rewind your minds with me. Picture this: Friday night, the glow of the TV illuminating a stack of freshly rented VHS tapes from Blockbuster or maybe that little independent store down the street. You pop one in, the VCR whirs, the tracking adjusts (mostly), and suddenly you're transported… this time, not to the Old West or Miami, but smack-dab into the middle of Africa. That’s the vibe hitting me as I think back on Italo Zingarelli’s 1979 globetrotting romp, I'm for the Hippopotamus (original title: Io sto con gli ippopotami), a film that feels like pure, unadulterated Terence Hill and Bud Spencer comfort food, served up with a side of slightly questionable safari suits.
Safari Shenanigans with Europe's Favorite Duo
Right off the bat, you know what you’re getting into, and that’s the beauty of it. We find the hulking, perpetually grumpy Tom (Bud Spencer) running a safari business (of sorts) in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe, filmed mostly in South Africa), trying to keep tourists happy while fending off the local wildlife. His peaceful(-ish) existence is promptly shattered by the arrival of his ne’er-do-well cousin, Slim (Terence Hill), all mischievous blue eyes and nimble charm. Slim, naturally, has ideas – mostly involving making a quick buck, which puts him directly at odds with Tom's slightly more ethical (if gruff) approach, especially concerning animal welfare. Their bickering chemistry is, as always, the engine driving the whole affair. It’s like watching your two favorite uncles argue – you know it’ll end in chaos, but it’s impossible not to grin. Italo Zingarelli, who also produced some of their smash-hit Trinity films, clearly knew the formula: put these two together, give them a reason to disagree, and let the sparks (and fists) fly.
The Sweet Science of Slapstick
Now, let's talk action, because even in their lighter fare, Hill and Spencer delivered a unique brand. Forget gritty realism; this is the glorious era of cartoon physics and sound effects that sounded like someone hitting a side of beef with a mallet. When Bud Spencer winds up that massive fist, you know the poor sap on the receiving end isn't just getting knocked out, he's getting sent into low orbit, possibly accompanied by cartoon birds circling his head. Remember how satisfying those hits looked back then, even on a fuzzy CRT? There was a weight to it, a sense of impact achieved through clever choreography and the sheer physical presence of Spencer. Hill, meanwhile, dances around the mayhem, using speed and agility (and the occasional frying pan) to dispatch goons with balletic absurdity.
The villain here is Jack "Hammer" Ormond, a sneering animal poacher played by none other than actual heavyweight boxing contender Joe Bugner. It’s a fun bit of casting – Bugner, who famously went the distance with Muhammad Ali twice, brings a genuine physical threat, even if the fights lean heavily into comedy. You have to wonder if Bugner, used to actual boxing rings, found the meticulously choreographed screen brawls a strange adjustment. The film cleverly uses his imposing figure to make the eventual slapstick takedowns even funnier. These weren't hyper-edited, CGI-assisted blurs; they were sequences built on timing, physical comedy, and the undeniable joy of watching bullies get their comeuppance via improbable means. The practical nature of it all – real guys, real (if exaggerated) impacts – gave it a charm modern action often lacks.
African Sun and Retro Fun Facts
Shooting on location in South Africa gives the film a visual scope beyond some of their studio-bound efforts. The landscapes look great, adding a touch of adventure travelogue to the proceedings. Of course, it’s all filtered through that late-70s lens – the fashion, the vehicles, the slightly naive portrayal of Africa. It’s a time capsule, for better or worse. Digging into the production, it’s clear this was part of the Hill/Spencer juggernaut that dominated European cinema screens. While maybe not as iconic stateside as They Call Me Trinity, these films were massive hits across the continent, cementing the duo as beloved screen heroes. And who could forget the music? The theme song, "Grau Grau Grau" by Oliver Onions (the powerhouse duo Guido & Maurizio De Angelis), is pure, catchy earworm territory – instantly recognizable to anyone who spent time with these films on VHS. It perfectly captures the goofy, upbeat energy.
More Than Just Punches
While the plot is wafer-thin (stop the bad guy, save the animals, eat some beans), I'm for the Hippopotamus does lean slightly more into its conservationist theme than some of their other bash-em-ups. It’s handled with the subtlety of a Bud Spencer haymaker, naturally, but the core message of protecting wildlife from exploitation is there, nestled amongst the punch-ups and food gags. The supporting cast mostly serves to react to the central duo or get knocked down by them, but the focus remains squarely on Hill's charm and Spencer's brute force playing off each other. I distinctively remember renting this one purely based on their names on the cover, knowing exactly the kind of good-natured chaos I was in for, and it never disappointed on that front.
The Verdict
I'm for the Hippopotamus isn't aiming for cinematic greatness, and that's perfectly fine. It delivers precisely what it promises: ninety minutes of Hill and Spencer doing their thing – bickering, pulling scams, eating with gusto, and engaging in some of the most satisfyingly cartoonish brawls ever committed to film, all set against a picturesque African backdrop. The plot is simple, the villain one-dimensional, and some elements feel undeniably dated. But the chemistry between the leads is legendary, the slapstick violence is expertly timed and genuinely funny (in that specific, nostalgic way), and the overall vibe is pure, unadulterated fun. It understands its audience and gives them exactly what they came for.
Rating: 7/10 - Justification: Purely on nostalgic charm, iconic duo chemistry, and perfectly executed comedic action, it's a winner for fans. Deducting points for the simplistic plot and dated elements, but it hits its target dead centre.
Final Thought: In a world of hyper-realistic, often grim action, there's something incredibly comforting about revisiting the era when saving the hippos involved a well-aimed punch that sounded suspiciously like a coconut being dropped on concrete. Pure VHS Heaven indeed.