Flaming Star [1960] [Region Free] Blu Ray

Elvis Presley showing he can act I first saw this movie 60 years ago It was ifantastic then It still is One of Elvis's best

Flaming Star is directed by Don Siegel and adapted by Nunally Johnson and Clair Huffaker from Huffaker's own novel Flaming Lance. It stars Elvis Presley, Barbara Eden, Steve Forrest, John McIntire, Dolores del Rio and Rodolfo Acosta. Music is scored by Cyril J. Mockridge and cinematography by Charles G. Clarke.Plot has Presley as Pacer Burton, the son of a Kiowa mother and a white father. The Burton's family contentment out on the Texas frontier is torn apart when a nearby Kiowa tribe begin raiding local homesteads. Pacer soon finds himself caught between two worlds as the neighbourhood white folk he has grown up with turn against him, while the new leader of the Kiowa's, Buffalo Horn (Acosta), courts Pacer for fighting the Kiowa cause.A glorious CinemaScope production in De Luxe color, filmed on location in the San Fernando Valley, Presley's sixth film is one of his best. With the canny Siegel in the directing chair, a very good racism tinged screenplay on the page and Presley playing it straight, Flaming Star has good quality about it. Originally intended as a vehicle for Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra to play the Burton brothers, Huffaker's story would eventually change titles and put the character focus on the one mixed race brother. Enter Presley, who eager to tackle more serious acting roles than the comedic musicals favoured by his manager Tom Parker, grabbed the opportunity with both hands.With Siegel stripping two songs from the piece, Flaming Star only has one actual musical number in the story (he also sings the title song over the opening credits), and that song, A Cane and A High Starched Collar, comes very early on and well before the narrative turns darker in tone. This opens the film up to the film lover not exactly enamoured with Presley's usual filmic fun and frothery. File it alongside King Creole and Jailhouse Rock as Presley movies with much more to offer from the star for the audience.If you are not with us, you are against us!What unfolds is a tightly constructed Oater that tackles racial themes that were a welcome part of the Westerns scene in the 1950s. It's hardly ground breaking stuff, and the topic had certainly been produced better previously, yet Presley makes the picture bristle with a moving performance that is tinged with a raw, volatile and sexy magnetism. Siegel and the writers insert some complex morality into the story, even an ideological struggle, and Presley rises to the challenge and carries the film with skill. Around him are a few very good performances, notably McIntire (Sam "Pa" Burton), del Rio (Neddy Burton) and Acosta, while Forrest (Clint Burton) improves later in the picture.Inevitably budget restraints affect the production at times, some scenes aren't convincing (a great leap of faith is needed to accept one character's week long crawl through the desert) and the day for night filming is annoying. Arguably more irritating is the fact that some of the characters look like 1960s characters! But the exteriors are gorgeous and Siegel is a dab hand at action scenes, giving us here fist fights, chases, flaming arrow assaults and a good old battle. And with a bitter mood pervading the plot, coupled with an ending that's thankfully bold, there's just too many good things in the picture to let the flaws prevent this being a two thumbs up recommendation. 8/10

Despite what many people actually think - Elvis did make some good films. His first four films were good and GI Blues and Blue Hawaii but after that they generally did "repeat" themselves over and over again, but that was not his fault - but we won't go into all that! There were three or four good films thrown in the mix from the leaving the army years up to when he managed to finish the film contract so it wasn't all bad and I must admit, he is just so gorgeous to look at - and if he hadn't made these films, well, we wouldn't have that, would we?!So in my humble opinion Flaming Star is one of what I would describe as one of the "better" films. There is a good cast in this film too, which helps and the storyline is good. Would recommend.

Not the usual vehicle for 'Elvis' to perform his songs, that's not to say e doesn't....but, it's only the film intro-songalong with a song for the family ho-down.'Pacer' (Elvis) lives with his Father 'Sam' (John McIntire) his 'Kiowa' Mother 'Neddy' (Dolores Del Rio) and Brotherby 'Sam's' first marriage 'Clint' (Steve Forrest)When the 'Kiowa' attack and kill a local family hate reigns down on 'Pacer' and his mother with the local town folkaside from 'Clint's' intended 'Roslyn' (Barbara Eden) ...the local community holding them in-part responsible forthe killing of the 'Howard' family.The locals will want to know who's side 'Pacer's' family will fight on in the event of a showdown that seems inevitable,trouble being the new 'Kiowa' Chief 'Buffalo Horn' (Rodolfo Acosta) who is set on a war with the 'whites' wants 'Pacer'to ride with them.When 'Neddy' is shot by the one survivor from the 'Howard' ranch, she needs a doctor, the town-folk try to dissuadethe Doc from helping the 'Kiowa' squaw.Decision time will come sooner rather than later for 'Pacer' as the time for conflict draws closer...he'[[ feel the decisionhas been made for him by events.A decent Western with some good action sequences along the way that gave the young 'Elvis' the chance to perform asan actor rather than a 'Rock-Star' in this 1960 movie.Of course 'Elvis' signed up to do many films, some of the early one were pretty enjoyable, however for me it seemed'Elvis' was on a treadmill he had little control over...?This is an enjoyable (Elvis) western that if a fan is well worth a viewing.(Blu-ray upgrade is very good)

This review is for the Fox DVD issued Aug 2012 with with "ELVIS" in red. An excellent presentation in scope 2.35 ratio (black bars top and bottom). Good clear picture and sound plus English Subtitles. I often think Presley's film career is a bit under appreciated. "King Creole""Jailhouse Rock" are both good films and I loved "Love Me Tender". Here he has the benefit of a first class director, Don Siegel, and a strong support cast in John McIntyre (who really lets rip in a scene with Dolores del Rio also good), Steve Forrest, Rudoph (sic) Acosta who plays Buffalo Horn in what could have been a cliche "bad Indian" performence, but he makes the character believable. Fans of Richard Jaeckel and L.Q Jones may be a bit disapointed but the whole cast works well. Almost all - Barbara Eden (who I like), in very tight pants - come on Siegel is a bit out of place, but does her best. Put all that with superb photography and you have a pretty darn good western, and at a terrific low price. Recomended (to those who don't know the film already)