Product Description

West Texas in the years after the Civil War is an uneasy meeting ground of two cultures, one white. The other native American. Elvis portrays Pacer Burton. The son of a white rancher (John McIntire) and his beatiful Kiowa Indian wife (Dolores DelRio). When fighting breaks out between the settlers and natives, Pacer tries to act as a peace maker, but the "flaming star of death" pulls him irrevocably into the deadly violence.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11193 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-08-13
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 101 minutes

Amazon.com
Definitely a contender for the underwhelming title of Best Elvis Movie, this handsomely shot Western actually makes Elvis act, rather than coast on his personality. (As though to underscore the point, the two obligatory songs are dispensed with under the opening credits and in the first scene.) Don Siegel was probably the best director the King ever worked with, and he draws a quietly smoldering performance from Elvis, who was still undeniably raw. Even better, Siegel captures an existential starkness to homestead and town, and calmly makes a pro-Native American case without preaching (Elvis plays a half-breed caught between sides in an Indian vs. settlers dustup). Yes, this was 30 years before Dances with Wolves--there were actually quite a few such movies during this era. All in all, a decent picture, and an indication of where Elvis's career might have gone if he hadn't given himself over to fluff. --Robert Horton

DVD features
Other than a pair of coming-attractions trailers (one in Portuguese), there's little in the way of goodies. The widescreen transfer looks all right, although the soundtrack sounds tinny at times. --Robert Horton

From the Back Cover
In the years after the Civil War, western Texas is an uneasy meeting ground of two cultures: one white, the other Native American. Elvis stars as Pacer Burton, the son of a white rancher (John McIntire) and his beautiful Kiowa wife (Dolores Del Rio). When fighting breaks out between the settlers and natives, Pacer is pulled into the deadly violence despite his peace-making efforts. Featured songs: Flaming Star, A Cane and a High Starched Collar.

Customer Reviews

Elvis's best film, and a great Western all-around
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.

this is Elvis Presley at his best and with the best
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".

Presley's Best Dramatic Film
"Flaming Star" (1960) proves that Elvis Presley could handle a straight dramatic role. This is a downbeat, yet provocative Western - sensitively directed by Don Siegel with an excellent cast. Elvis sings only a brief song during the first 10 minutes, which probably accounts for the film's weak showing at the box office. Nevertheless, Presley delivers a strong, affecting performance as a half-breed Indian forced to take sides in a deadly conflict. The final scene is particularly memorable. Beautifully filmed in Cinemascope, this "widescreen" DVD release has been a long time coming.