Customer Reviews

Savage Sam

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Disney's "Savage Sam" is an entertaining and authentically staged presentation of the Fred Gipson story. It's presented in square-screen format, but since Disney films of this type were produced with eventual TV airings in mind, the cropping of the image is minimal and no action is lost. The quality of the image is good. It's not a "Vault Disney" piece like the other Gipson story, "Old Yeller," but it's worth having even without bells and whistles.

One thing that didn't age as well as the rest of the film is the title song. Really hokey. But after that's over, the story is told in a no-nonsense style. It dramatizes something Texas settlers contended with for four decades: the abduction of children in an Indian raid.

As befits a family film, "Savage Sam" soft-pedals the realities of such raids. Tommy Kirk's character, a teenage boy, would have been treated more harshly. Torture on the trail and a horrendous death upon arrival at the tribe's base camp would have been his fate. The teenage girl would have been raped right off. But Kevin Corcoran's character, a young child, would have been taken for adoption, just as the film shows, and the Indians' good-humored toleration of his combativeness is right in line with that.

All in all, a serious depiction of a slice of history that few Americans learn about in school anymore.

The sequel to Disney's family favorite, "Old Yeller" and every bit as good. Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran reprise their roles as frontier brothers, Travis and Arliss Coates. Both mother and father (originally played by Fess Parker and Dorothy McGuire in "Old Yeller") are away visiting McGuire's sick mother and have left oldest son, Travis in charge of things. Travis and Arliss are once again at odds with the old issue "who's in charge?" with Travis trying to get the work done and Arliss wanting to go off hunting with Savage Sam. Brian Keith plays the uncle who comes by to check on how the boys are doing and gives advice to Travis on how to handle Arliss a little better. During the story, Travis, Arliss, and their neighbor's daughter, Lisbeth are taken by Indians. Brian Keith gathers up some neighboring men to go in search of them, which include Lisbeth's father, Bud Searcy (once again played comically well by Jeff York) and Slim Pickens joins the group for a well rounded western adventure. The dvd plays with a clean transfer and good sound. I've not seen the newly released "Old Yeller 2 movie-collection" including "Savage Sam," but I don't think it features "Savage Sam" in the widescreen format either. I highly recommend "Savage Sam" as well as it's predecessor, "Old Yeller." These films will never lose their power to entertain and their appeal and charm are timeless.

**UPDATE!** "Savage Sam" and "Old Yeller" are now avaialble on one DVD disc in Disney's "Old Yeller & Savage Sam - Two Movie Collection." And for a "nice price," too!

I first caught this movie on the television and had no idea there was a sequel to Old Yeller. Although I haven't yet figured out how he turned out to be a blue tick coonhound, it is a wonderful movie. Seeing the boys from Old Yeller back at it and into things is wonderful. I couldn't wait to add it to my collection and was tickled that it was already on DVD when I looked for it. We need more movies like this! It is full of adventure and if you own coonhounds, it does them justice. I hate to say much about the movie because you need to watch it and I hate to know the ending or too much about one when I get one, but the saying boys will be boys is true for Arlis. There is nothing like the love of a child and his dog!!

Entertaining movie showing Indians (Injuns) having some fun.. We are Native American and Aztecan Indian so my daughter loved this movie. It is for fun, not to insult anyone. Bambie was as fake as this movie but we still like it. This movie has so many funny moments with people and animals. Will watch many more times. Movie is old so no reference to cross dressing, homosexuality, or foul language like so many Disney and movies in general have today. Not sure why Disney feels compelled to put adult humor in their movies for kids today, that to me is why they aren't making the great films of Walt's time. Disney classics are timeless.

I enjoyed seeing another movie with the two boys and another dog that remind me of old yeller it was a another great movie.

TRIVIA & BEHIND THE SCENES: This is the "sequel" of a sort to Walt Disney's 1957 classic movie , "Old Yeller" based on the book by Fred Gipson, written as a follow-up to his Old Yeller book. The book is based on the true story of a former Apache captive. William Tunberg wrote the screenplay. Walt Disney was against sequels and rarely supported them. He had to have a really good script before he would give it a green light. Directed by Norman Tokar, produced by Bill Anderson. Music composed by Disney veteran Oliver Wallace. Technicolor Released first to theaters on June 6, 1963. It aired as a two episode show on the Walt Disney television show "Wonderful World of Color" on NBC in October 2, & 9, 1966. The title song was released by Disney Records on a 45, "Savage Sam And Me," performed by The Wellingtons, with "Old Yeller" on the B Side. Character actor Royal Dano appears in the movie, and was selected by Walt to record the voice of the audio-animatronic figure of President Abraham Lincoln for the "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" show at the Worlds Fair in 1964. The attraction later moved to Disneyland.

THE STORY: The two brothers from the first cast are reunited, played by Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran. Sam is the pup of Old Yeller, and is played by a Blue Tick Coon Hound. Disney regular Brian Keith plays the part of their dad's younger brother who checks in on them and provides guidance. And the boys are once again fighting over who is the boss, right where they left off in the first movie. Things get really scary when some local kids are kidnapped by Indians, and once again the family dog is in the middle of protecting them with his tracking and fighting skills. Slim Pickens appears as Willy Crup, and Jeff York returns as Bud Searcy.

One of the hardest OOP Disney movies to find in the white clamshell.
This movie is very nicely done. A sequel to the well known classic Old Yeller. If you liked Old Yeller, you'll for sure like Savage Sam. It's a story about Old Yeller's pup, Sam.
Has most of the original cast from the first movie. If you are lucky enough to get a hold of this very RARE movie, you've really got something. A must have for the serious Disney Collector.

While it was a good movie, I was disappointed in the fact that it had nothing to do with "Old Yeller", as I was led to believe.

TRIVIA & BEHIND THE SCENES: This is the "sequel" of a sort to Walt Disney's 1957 classic movie , "Old Yeller" based on the book by Fred Gipson, written as a follow-up to his Old Yeller book. The book is based on the true story of a former Apache captive. William Tunberg wrote the screenplay. Walt Disney was against sequels and rarely supported them. He had to have a really good script before he would give it a green light. Directed by Norman Tokar, produced by Bill Anderson. Music composed by Disney veteran Oliver Wallace. Technicolor Released first to theaters on June 6, 1963. It aired as a two episode show on the Walt Disney television show "Wonderful World of Color" on NBC in October 2, & 9, 1966. The title song was released by Disney Records on a 45, "Savage Sam And Me," performed by The Wellingtons, with "Old Yeller" on the B Side. Character actor Royal Dano appears in the movie, and was selected by Walt to record the voice of the audio-animatronic figure of President Abraham Lincoln for the "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" show at the Worlds Fair in 1964. The attraction later moved to Disneyland.

THE STORY: The two brothers from the first cast are reunited, played by Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran. Sam is the pup of Old Yeller, and is played by a Blue Tick Coon Hound. Disney regular Brian Keith plays the part of their dad's younger brother who checks in on them and provides guidance. And the boys are once again fighting over who is the boss, right where they left off in the first movie. Things get really scary when some local kids are kidnapped by Indians, and once again the family dog is in the middle of protecting them with his tracking and fighting skills. Slim Pickens appears as Willy Crup, and Jeff York returns as Bud Searcy.

DVD: Image is clean, colors are good, but it is in full screen. Sound is clean and reconfigured to Dolby Digital 5.1 surround from the original mono sound. No extras, except for Disney commercials. Running 104 minutes, about 20 minutes longer than the first movie.

BEFORE YOU BUY: There is another DVD version of this movie that has both Old Yeller and Savage Sam in the same package. In addition to both movies, you get five terrific extras.

This is a great family movie, and if you liked Old Yeller, you will love this one too. I recommend watching Old Yeller and then watching Savage Sam - the two together would make a great "family movie night" companion set.