Blu-ray Company Release: Twilight Time
Starring: John McIntire, Elvis Presley, Dolores Del Rio,
Barbara Eden, Steve Forest
Plot: half-white/half-Kiowa youth in post-Civil War Texas,
caught up in a tragic war between whites and Indians, his loyalties and
allegiances tested at every turn.
My Review and Thoughts:
Film: (4/5)
Well this stars the one and only master voice talent singer,
icon and ultimate legend in the music world Elvis Presley. Now I am not a huge fan of Elvis as an actor. Never really cared for his movies but there are two
or three that I consider greats and this being one of them. Many people believe
this is his best performance and I cannot disagree with that. He had a talent
that transcended the music world but never really got the chance to show his
shinning colors because he was always type cast, as the singer or the cute boy
after the girls.
Flaming Star is a wonderful film that comes together and
expresses itself as something memorable and most of all entertaining. Elvis
along with all the other performers are able to give the viewer solid performances as if, what's happening on screen is real.
I think that is the ultimate plus to Flaming Star is that the viewer can understand
and accept the reality taking place on screen. The viewer can relate to the
characters as you become a part of them and their ordeals taking place.
Elvis stands out as the character of Pacer Burton. He adds
all the dramatic tones of a character that stands out to the viewer. Elvis
really acted in this part and that is why it stands out from all his other
countless films. He gives a dramatic gift to Pacer who plays a mixed White and Native American persona. His mother is Kiowa Native American and his father is a white
Texas Rancher in the story. Now the character of Pacer at first lives out his life in a peaceful
manner but soon the ordeal hardens as local Native Americans which just happen
to be his blood tribe, start to cause havoc. Soon Pacer is stuck between two
worlds. His Texas white rancher side and his Native American Tribe side.
This is directed by a film legend Don Siegel. The story and
film is adapted from the book Flaming Star by Clair Huffaker. Now I feel Siegel
needs no introduction when it comes to film. If one calls themselves a movie
buff then you should know this director who created some of the most memorable
films in cinema such as the classic Dirty Harry (1971) which might I add is one
of the greatest films. We need to look farther back to the 50’s and speak of
the ultimate black and white sci-fi classic and all around amazing and freaky
film, the original The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. His direction and vision
of Body Snatchers still lingers today as being something so amazing for its
time and even impresses today. A little trivia in the 1978 remake of Invasion
of the Body Snatchers, Siegel makes a cameo as the taxi driver pod person. Invasion
of the Body Snatchers should showcase his talent to you, if for some reason you
don’t know who he is. He would also become the man that directed the legend of
film Clint Eastwood in many films from Dirty Harry to Coogan’s Bluff, Two Mules
for Sister Sara, The Beguiled, and Escape from Alcatraz. Now this friendship
would last and on a little trivia note, Siegel can be seen in a cameo appearance
in Clint Eastwood’s Play Misty for Me as the bar tender. I think what made
Siegel such a gifted and different type of director is he directed just about
anything and everything from documentaries, TV shows, TV movies, films and so
on. He was a master, versatile director that owned the lens and all those
creating the film with his ultimate perfection and Flaming Star is no
different. Flaming Star is one of his achievements in film.
Twilight Time released
and honored this film with this amazing Blu-ray that stands out as being
something movie lovers should own. It’s truly a spectacular, fun, drama induced
story of classic film. Siegel gave his all to the film and Elvis mastered a
wonderful character on screen. Twilight Time does a masterful job at honoring
this film and creating a perfect and beautiful Blu-ray of amazing quality and sound
that just expresses the passion of film.
I think on an interesting note is Elvis was not the main
choice to play the part. Originally it was to be Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando
in the film which I feel after watching Flaming Star many times I don’t think
anyone else could have captured the beauty of Elvis’s performance. Elvis gave a
great persona to the character and he created someone to remember when the film
ends. I think he was the right choice. Now Elvis wanted to be a dramatic star
and one who would be taken serious in his acting but was always cast in
musicals or movies filled with him singing. Flaming Star was that chance to
express his acting ability. There are only two songs being sung in Flaming Star
and that was a cut down from the original script which called for more, but
Elvis was able to get it reduced. Sadly it’s the lack of Elvis singing that turned
audiences away. The public where geared to see Elvis sing, not act and so
Flaming Star was not a success at the box office. Speaking today as time has passed
Elvis was more than just a singer and it was films like Flaming Star that
expressed his ultimate inner talent of wanting to be a part of Hollywood and
just act, but Hollywood and the public would never really give him the chance.
This also stars the beautiful and amazing actress and singer
Barbara Eden. She like Siegel should need no introduction, because she is a
golden ticket of perfection. Many will know her as the Jeannie from the cult TV
series I Dream of Jeannie. She is such a beauty at acting in so many wonderful
productions. Flaming Star is another one of those roles that shine for the
viewer in her total talent of performing. Also starring the one and only
character actor, master legend and one of the memorable faces of cinema as the
side character or the original, “oh yeah it has that guy in it”, John McIntire.
He mastered the character roles of Sheriffs, judges, law enforcement and just
about any type of role when it came to the western film. He was a stable and a
pioneer of performing. Started acting in the 40’s and went on to act up until
1989. Sadly this acting legend would pass in 1991. His career spanned many
years performing in over 140 films, TV and Voice overs. From parts in 1960’s
masterpiece Psycho to the long running TV show Wagon Train. Now interesting to
note is he married actress Jeanette Nolan who also was in Alfred Hitchcock’s
Psycho in voice only, she was the one and only voice of Norman’s mama, Norma
Bates. John along with his wife Jeanette would do voice talents to some on my
favorite Disney animated films. John would do the voice of Rufus in Disney’s
Rescuers and Jeanette would do the voice of Muskrat Ellie Mae in Disney’s The
Rescuers. John would also do the voice of Badger in Disney’s The Fox and the
Hound and his wife Jeanette would do the voice of Widow Tweed. He was a gifted
and extraordinary actor that left a shining reality in film and his performance
in Flaming Star is no different as all others who grace this film.
Twilight Time did an awesome job at restoring this beauty
and giving it an ultimate outlet it deserved. Now this generation can
experience the beauty of this film from its amazing direction, to its flawless
acting, to its drama induced story. This is clearly another gifted Blu-ray of
Twilight Time perfection. Twilight Time truly knows how to express the beauty
of film as an art form. They give a true outlet to films sadly overlooked.
Audio/Video: (5/5)
The best I have ever seen this film. The audio is spectacular and the imagery is crisp and clear and vibrant and beautiful as if it came out today in the theaters. A wonderful job by Twilight Time Blu-ray, could not have been any better.
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 2.35:1
AUDIO: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA / English 2.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1960 / Color
92 MINUTES
NOT RATED
REGION FREE
Extras: (3/5)
A nice commentary to listen to. Very informative for the film lover and cinema historian. I really liked the isolated score which Twilight Time never fails to ace this reality. Not only are the films worth buying, but the isolated scores should make you want to seek out their Blu-rays just for it.
Isolated Score Track
Audio Commentary with Film Historians Lem Dobbs and Nick
Redman
Original Theatrical Trailers
Liner Notes by Julie Kirgo
Overall Product Rating: (4/5)
A wonderful Texas Western of Cowboys and Indians with a
story of two worlds coming together. Add in amazing direction and music and you
have a truly memorable film of the 60’s. Flawless direction, acting, and
production. Twilight Time gives a new outlet to this old film and creates a
quality that shines as if the film is new; like it was when it came out.
INFO:
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