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Sunday 1/31/10

1:00 PM Fox Movie Channel
Flaming Star (1960 USA): Until I watched it again last month, I considered Flaming Star as just another Elvis movie, perhaps slightly better than the norm, but not up to King Creole or Jailhouse Rock level. Now I know the truth: it's a close contender for best Elvis feature ever. The King delivers his finest screen performance as Pacer Burton, half-breed offspring of rancher Sam (John McIntire) and Native American Neddy (Dolores Del Rio). Along with brother Clint (Steve Forrest), the family live in comfort and ease—but when an Indian uprising looms, their downright neighborly neighbors begin to look askance at them, fearing the Burtons will toss in their lot with the savages. Well directed by Don Siegel, beautifully shot in widescreen by Charles Clarke, and with a subtle Nunnally Johnson screenplay, Flaming Star brings out the best in Elvis: he keeps the familiar tics to a minimum, only sings once or twice, and offers surprising nuance in his performance. Even a silly romantic sub-plot can't spoil what would be an above average western even without the presence of The King.

11:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
A Taste of Cherry (1997 IRN): 31 Days of Oscar gets off to a rip-roaring start with this slow-paced but thought-provoking Iranian drama from director Abbas Kiarostami. It's the simple tale of a suicidal man (Homayoun Eshadi) who needs a little help: he's already dug his own grave, but needs assistance in filling it in after he's gone. He's shocked to find that this is not a job people are anxious to undertake, and spends most of the film driving his Range Rover around town looking for a willing accomplice. A Taste of Cherry is very deliberate going and not for all tastes—Roger Ebert famously gave it a single star review—but for those interested in Iranian cinema, it's a must see.

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