Flaming Star

Rating:
Summary: Flaming Star Shines
Review: I have always had a fondness for "Flaming Star" since I was a kid. It is a film that gave Elvis some meat to chew into and I feel he shows his acting ability very well. Elvis actually had some indian blood in his veins,Blackfoot on his mother's side. I no doubt feel that Elvis looked deep within himslef and his role with dignity and passion to give us a very memorable performance. Elvis' favorite film as well as the critics is 1958's "King Creole" - however Elvis does a fine job in this adventure that has some great actors/actresses that are on this production. Dolores Del Rio and John McIntire are believable are Pacer's (Elvis) parents and Barbara Eden in a early role is The King's love interest. If I were to own only 5 film performances of Elvis' "Flaming Star" would be one. I am so glad that the film has made it to DVD and I know you will enjoy Elvis in the fine Western.

Rating:
Summary: this is Elvis Presley at his best and with the best
Review: i've seen all Elvis's movies, but Flaming Star is the one film whereby his talent as an actor in a dramatic role comes forth highly convincing on the screen. John McIntyre and Delores Del Rio; superbly cast as parents of two brothers who through racial conflict pull apart, then rejoin to save the life of the other. A classic western with Steve Forrest at his best and Barbara Eden in a role you can't easily forget. Too many great actors to mention here. This movie, which I do hope will be on DVD, is not shown enough on t.v. movie networks and i believe has never received the recognition it so deserves. Elvis should have won an academy award for his portrayal as Pacer. to me, there is no other Elvis movie but Flaming Star. Get your hankies out girls; toward the end of the film, when Pacer (Elvis) rides into the hills in search of the "Flaming Star".

Rating:
Summary: Best Elvis movie!
Review: It was really a very good film. The best Elvis movie he had ever made! The other Elvis movies often are sensless and silly, but this one is really great!

Rating:
Summary: How much violence does it take to screw up a movie?
Review: Parents: this film was rated from the parental rating: Objectionable for children.

Elvis Presley stars in this almost gory film. Which takes Elvis into Western movies.

Elvis Preseley plays an indian in Flaming Star. His character name is Pacer Burton.

His mother (Dolores Del Rio) is killed by a white man (Douglas Dick).

And leaves home. This is not one of Elvis best movies. I am a big Elvis Presley fan.

I have seen a lot of better movies that Elvis Presley was in. Like Jailhouse Rock. He tries to prove that he can do a lot more than singing.

And in a lot of movies, he sings. But I don't see how any Elvis Presley fan whould enjoy this movie.

I'm giving this movie 2 stars for one reason. A. He doesn't sing very much in this movie. There are two songs in this movie (and none are sung after the first 10 minutes).

He ties his brother (Steve Forrest) to a horse and joins other indians.

This movie was oringally written for Marlon Brando. And dropped out of the movie and Elvis takes his place.

I might have given this movie more than two stars if more songs was added. If Elvis wasn't suppose to sing in this movie the songs should have been cut.

Rating:
Summary: Lost Talent
Review: Presley's talent went far beyond his great vocal ability. His films were mostly fluff, but this one is evidence that his ability as an actor was so much more. Unfortunately, the public didn't see that, as a actor, he could have been as good as a Brando or Dean. He obviously had the depth to reach inside himself and bring much more to a role.

Rating:
Summary: Elvis's best film, and a great Western all-around
Review: This is definitely the best film Elvis Presley ever starred in; he shed his celebrity persona and delivered a great, dramatic performance in a superb action story with teriffic characterizations. No doubt about it, in "Flaming Star," Preseley is an ACTOR. And a damned good one too. (He only sings two songs, and they are presented right at the beginning so the film can then get down to the heavy business.)

Originally, the material was written to star Marlon Brando, but was re-written to accomodate Elvis. He plays a half Kiowa man named Pacer who finds himself jammed in the middle of growing war between the settlers and the Kiowa. In trying not to take sides, he finds his world swirls down into violence and chaos. It is refreshingly devoid of "can't we all get along" cliches and really digs deep into the near-impossibility of life when you are split in two, like Pacer. Elvis really nails the character down.

Director Siegel is at his usual great level of achievement: tight-lipped, boiling drama between the characters, and blasts of sometimes surprising violence. He doesn't let anybody off easily. This isn't a lightweight oater: Siegel took his craft seriously. Helping out are great performances from the superb cast, especially Delores Del Rio as Pacer's Kiowa mother.

If you're looking for an Elvis musical, with the rock star persona in full blast, go for "Jailhouse Rock," his second best film. If you want a fun and silly Elvis movie, go for the endearingly wacky "Via Las Vegas." If you want to see a plain great film with Elvis Preseley showing his potential as a serious actor -- go for FLAMING STAR. You won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: The best movie
Review: This is Elvis best film. The story is action packed but very bittersweet. It is a story about hate, racism, family and ignorance. Expect to cry more than ones before this movie is over. It is not just a movie that you forgets, it is a movie which stays with you forever. A must have.

Rating:
Summary: Flaming Star
Review: This movie is a "must see" for any who have an interest in the core essence of Elvis Presley. Made in 1960, the background noise has a funny "tin" sound, and this movie is kind of boring by today's standards, but it does have Elvis's heart. His other movies are just egotistical spoofs. When I was a child "Flaming Star" was my favorite song. I still love it. I hope you get a chance to hear it, and see this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Western
Review: This movie offers a chance and shows Elvis is able to deliver a serious role. Heavy drama and making a statment. A good western and good for the family.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Beginning...That Sadly Went Nowhere
Review: This was Elvis' first attempt at a dramatic non-singing role. (He had done dramas before he went into the army. Both "Jailhouse Rock" & "King Creole", though having music in them, were dramatic roles, albeit tailor-made to fit his persona.)

This movie is a decent western with an important & relevant message on race relations (especially when you consider that it was made during the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement.) Basically, the story takes place in Texas after the Civil War. Elvis' character, Pacer Burton, is the son of a Texas Rancher & a woman of the Kiowa-Indian Tribe. When the whites & Native Americans go to war (is this supposed to be the Red River War of the 1870's?), he & his family are caught in the middle. It's a powerful movie with a simple (and that's the beauty of it) plot that unfortunately, was all too plausible during the settling of the Old West. (Both Quannah Parker & the Bent Brothers were half-caste children of white/Indian parents & they eventually had to choose sides when the U.S. settlers/militia & Southern Plains Tribes went to war.)

That's not to say that this film doesn't have flaws. Some of the dialogue is laughable at times. (Example: "I shall return again when the sun has killed the stars!" Also, "If Earth round, why men on bottom not fall off?") And the scene at the opening birthday party has Elvis singing "A Cane & A High-Starched Collar" to awkward square-dancing! (It's the only on-screen song that Elvis sings in the movie. The title tune is over the credits. Well, at least it's not as bad as Frankie Avalon singing "Gee Whizz, Golly Gee" in "The Tall Men" or Fabian singing "This Wonderful World" in "North To Alaska!") Also, from a historian's standpoint, it would have been nice if the film-makers had tied in the real-events of that time & place to this (fictional) story. (I mention the Red River War, which actually took place in 1874 in Texas between white buffalo hunters/the U.S. Army & an alliance of Kiowas, Commanches, Southern Cheyennes, Southern Arapahos, & Plains Apaches. If they had tied that real event to this story, it would have made the movie much more interesting.)

Keep in mind, however, that any flaws in the script & direction do not take away from the power of the message in this film. Most of the dialogue, as well as the incidental film-music is very good.

Another customer reviewer (who, out of respect, I won't name!) criticized this movie because it wasn't a musical. That's the real-life tragedy of this movie & Elvis' film-career. Elvis was a great singer, a true pioneer of rock n' roll. To be sure, there were MANY others (Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis, LaVern Baker, Jackie Wilson, The Everly Brothers, Wanda Jackson, Red Prysock, Carl Perkins, Bo Diddley, JoAnn Campbell, Sam "The Man" Taylor, Brenda Lee, Larry & Lorrie Collins, Bill Haley, etc. Did I name enough?!) But in the popular mind, he (rightfully) is ranked above them all, at the top, "The King", if you will. He also wanted to be (and I believe was capable of being) a great dramatic actor in the same vein as Marlon Brando (who was originally offered the part of "Pacer" in this film) & James Dean. Unfortunatelly, SOME of his fans (like the afformentioned "critic") couldn't accept him in anything other than a musical! (And BAD musicals at that! Movies like "Easy Come, Easy Go" & "Kissing Cousins" are examples of this & Elvis himself eventually became frustrated & depressed over having to act in junk like that!) The Colonel has been blamed for forcing bad scripts on Elvis, but the sad fact is that he was a business man & "Flaming Star", along with "Wild In The Country" failed to make significant profits at the box-office. "Blue Hawaii", however, did make a huge profit. It was THE FANS who dictated the Colonel's policy (and in no way am I implying that Parker was an honest businessman, but that's another story), & in the end, it's the fans who have to share in the blame for contributing to Elvis' decline as a successful (& serious) film-actor (and in a way contributing to his death, since it was this frustration, along with many other factors, which fueled his drug-dependency.)

Frank Sinatra became a successful actor. Likewise, Kris Kristofferson, Kenny Rogers, Barbara Streisand, Beth Midler, & Diana Ross have found success as actors. The fans accepted these talented singers IN NON-MUSICAL ROLES. It's a shame that WE (yes, I'm a big Elvis fan) couldn't do the same for Elvis.

It's tempting to speculate what would have happened if this movie, instead of "Love Me Tender" (which also takes place after the Civil War) had been Elvis' first film. Perhaps the fans would have been more inclined to accept him as an actor. Oh well, we'll never know for sure. One thing is certain, however. "Flaming Star" is a good example of what (sadly) might & should have been.

P.S. A word on the "violence" in the movie. The afformentioned "critic" also took exception to the level of "violence" in the film. (Apparently, he showed it to his kids, assuming that just because it's an "Elvis-film", it's appropriate for family viewing. He was shocked by the serious tone & offended by the action sequences.) With respect to this person (and he is entitled to his opinion), "Flaming Star" is a WESTERN, one with social-commentary. The action sequences are there to illustrate the tragedy of the story & are no means excessive. Elvis & the people behind him DID NOT intended this movie to be marketed towards children & as such, it's a good idea to limit viewing of this movie towards viewers over the age of 12! (Hey, it was made in 1960, for God's sakes! They didn't have ratings back then!)