Elvis Presley: The Movies - Appreciation Thread

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Bink, Aug 22, 2021.

  1. Bink

    Bink Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Tender Feeling

     
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  2. Hooperfan

    Hooperfan Your friendly neighborhood candy store owner

    Location:
    New York
    Now this one is a keeper. Despite watching Elvis sing this with that corny blonde wig, it's a lovely ballad he performs well.
     
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  3. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    Thats not a wig. He had his hair lightened for those scenes. Its actually closer to his real color. He Dyed his hair black.
     
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  4. Be thankful he didn’t sing this in his ‘Jody’ voice.
     
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  5. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    Oh yes, just to point out that Elvis started going grey very early just like his dad Vernon. Hence the dye job.
     
  6. While I have no clue as to when Elvis started getting gray hairs, he was dying his hair black as early as his teens as he liked the look.
     
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  7. Bink

    Bink Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Thought I would squeeze the title track in before we get onto the next movie:

    Kissin' Cousins

     
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  8. Hooperfan

    Hooperfan Your friendly neighborhood candy store owner

    Location:
    New York
    If you look closely, you'll notice that one part features Elvis's double as plain as day!
     
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  9. PepiJean

    PepiJean Forum Resident

    OK, we're reaching now some low points. "Acapulco" is more embarassing than fun: a kid manager, really?!? Plus those blue screen shots are just so cheap: Elvis should have been filming those scenes in location in Mexico, not in California studios, specially knowing the guaranteed finantial success at the box office (up to that point at least.) And, worst of all, no matter how good his singing is, that cannot give permission for such a dreadful song selection: NO ROOM IN A SPORTS CAR... I mean, really?!? (And how odd that the best ballad on the LP is not from the film but from the "bonus" tracks section.) At the end, i give the flick a better placement than "World's fair" because of one single great track: BOSSA NOVA BABY. Still, what a disappointment. (And The Beatles themselves went to the theater to watch that!...)

    "Kissin' Coussns" is even more painful as it is one step lower: it is not only cheap, it's also ridiculous both as a feature film and musically too. City Elvis character is terrible but Hillbilly Elvis is bad taste / bad joke. Pathetic. The plot is insignificant just like the acting. To this day I can't understand how such a successful actor like Elvis Presley was able to star in such an embarassing production. In my humble opinion, there is no saving grace here. "Kissin' Cousins" - both the movie and the music soundtrack" - was / is a heartbreaking experience. Something to forget (if you can.)

    TOP#14 (1956 / 1964)
    -----------------------------------
    14. Kissin' cousins (1964)
    13. It happened at the world's fair (1963)
    12. Fun in Acapulco (1963)
    11. Wild in the Country (1961)
    10. G.I. Blues (1960)
    9. Love Me Tender (1956)
    8. Girls, girls, girls (1962)
    7. Kid Galahad (1962)
    6. Blue Hawaii (1961)
    5. Loving you (1957)
    4. Follow that Dream (1962)
    3. King Creole (1958)
    2. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
    1. Flaming star (1960)
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2021
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  10. Elvis was banned from Mexico at the time of the movie, although I doubt it made any difference as I can’t imagine them filming there even if he wasn’t. And at this point in his career that kid was probably a better manager for him than Parker!
     
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  11. PepiJean

    PepiJean Forum Resident

    I must agree with you on that.
     
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  12. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Once again, I am in perfect alignment with Shawn on both the merits of some of the better songs on the soundtrack album as well as the sinking quality of the motion picture itself. To put it quite bluntly, Kissin' Cousins the movie is a real stinker of a film that I probably won't be revisiting any time soon. In this case, Once Is Enough, indeed, Lol.

    There are a couple of stinkers on the soundtrack as well, but overall, I rate the rest of the soundtrack pretty highly. Once Is Enough is a real highlight, but I also love Catchin' On Fast, Tender Feelings and both title songs. I think part of the reason for the quality of the soundtrack recording is the fact that the instrumental backgrounds were cut in Nashville with that great A-Team of musicians, and I assume Bill Porter was the sound engineer for those sessions. Elvis overdubbed the vocals in Hollywood, but they sound pretty darn good as well.

     
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  13. Bink

    Bink Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Viva Las Vegas

    Year of release: 1964
    Studio: MGM
    Director: George Sidney

    Plot:
    Elvis plays Lucky Jackson who travels to Las Vegas to take part in the Grand Prix. However he must raise money for a new engine for his racing car. In the meantime, he seeks the affections of swimming instructor Rusty Martin (played by Ann Margaret ).

    Songs:
    Viva Las Vegas (theme)
    The Yellow Rose of Texas / The Eyes of Texas
    The Lady Loves Me
    C'mon Everybody
    Today, Tomorrow and Forever
    What'd I Say
    If You Think I Don't Need You
    Viva Las Vegas (performance)
    I Need Somebody To Lean On

    Trailer:

     
  14. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    I think Ann Margaret was Elvis ultimate leading lady. She could match him tot for tot, and be hot as heck and force El to burn brighter. She challenged him and he loved it and it shows. Of course they were dating too.
     
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  15. croquetlawns

    croquetlawns Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    Amongst many mysteries surrounding Elvis is why they didn’t release Viva Las Vegas as a proper soundtrack- decent film, better songs than the last couple of soundtracks, and if I remember rightly it was one of his highest grossing films of the 60s. Bizarre decision.

    I enjoy this film, although it’s a shame that they rushed the ending.
     
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  16. croquetlawns

    croquetlawns Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    Another observation: it’s interesting that the title track wasn’t a big hit in the USA at the time (it was in Australia) but has somehow gone on to become one of his most recognised 60s songs.
     
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  17. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    IMO the answer again, is Ann Margaret. There would have been far too much of the lady for the colonels taste. There is a reason they never got back together. She influenced him.
     
  18. Bink

    Bink Forum Resident Thread Starter

    A bit of trivia - apparently Viva Las Vegas was filmed before Kissin' Cousins.
     
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  19. croquetlawns

    croquetlawns Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    I was surprised to see that one of her solo songs was featured in the trailer.
     
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  20. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I agree with your theory and just to make matters even worse from Parker's viewpoint, Elvis came to the the Colonel suggesting that he start managing Ann Margaret's career as well. Parker was smart enough not to refuse Elvis directly, so instead he played a little reverse psychology game on Elvis, telling him, "Oh, I would be happy to manage her career, but I will have to cut back on my time managing your career a bit, if I take on Ann as a client as well." Parker played Elvis like a fiddle sometimes.
     
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  21. Hooperfan

    Hooperfan Your friendly neighborhood candy store owner

    Location:
    New York
    That is true. There are a few cases where that happens regarding Elvis movies
     
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  22. Viva Las Vegas with a car race that’s worthy of Death Race 2000. More thoughts later but I’m going to re-watch and count the horrific crashes this time!

    Oh and that scene where the kid finds Elvis’ big wad of cash money and shoves it down the pool drain. WTF.
     
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  23. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I am right with Jamie on this quote as well. Elvis and Ann were a match made in heaven. Maybe the two best looking people on the planet as well, Lol. They also both had enough charisma to lose a pint each and still outshine most other Hollywood stars or singers. It is easy to understand their passionate affair and lifelong friendship. I bought the FTD deluxe book called The Making Of Viva Las Vegas and even the off screen pictures show the two of them to be quite enchanted with each other to say the least. Here is probably my favorite scene from the movie, which I also rate rather highly. Once again, a quality director, George Sidney, delivers a very good film in my opinion. Oh man, and he also was the director for Frank Sinatra's Pal Joey film.

     
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  24. PepiJean

    PepiJean Forum Resident

    VIVA LAS VEGAS (1964)
    "VLV" was not only a clear improvement over Elvis' last films: it was also his best movie since "Follow that Dream", two years earlier. Some positive aspects: the flick was shot on locations - filmed through bright colors, matching perfectly with the depicted city - plus there was a talentful Director on board and a good supporting cast. The plot was fun and included some clever dialogues and cracking remarks. And of course, the chemistry between both lead actors broke through the silver screen. Even the soundtrack was somehow better than the previous ones (although many miles behind "Jailhouse Rock" and "King Creole".) The C'MON EVERYBODY scene was Presley best dancing sequence since probably RETURN TO SENDER back in 1962. Even the VIVA LAS VEGAS shot sequence had a visual panache not seen for several years. It was no cinematic masterpiece but compared to "It happened at the world's fair" or "Kissin' cousins", it was a step into the right decision.



    TOP#15 (1956 / 1964)
    ---------------------------------------
    15. Kissin' cousins (1964)
    14. It happened at the world's fair (1963)
    13. Fun in Acapulco (1963)
    12. Wild in the Country (1961)
    11. G.I. Blues (1960)
    10. Love Me Tender (1956)
    9. Girls, girls, girls (1962)
    8. Kid Galahad (1962)
    7. Blue Hawaii (1961)
    6. Loving you (1957)
    5. Viva las Vegas (1964)
    4. Follow that Dream (1962)
    3. King Creole (1958)
    2. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
    1. Flaming star (1960)
    -------------------------------------

    Bonus:
    THE MOVIE SOUNDTRACK

    Side A
    1. C'mon Everybody (movie version) ... 10/10
    2. If you think I don't need you ... 8/10
    3. I need somebody to lean on ... 7/10
    4. The lady loves me ... 6/10
    5. What'd I say ... 7/10
    6. Viva las Vegas ... 9/10

    Side B
    7. Today, tomorrow and forever ... 7/10
    8. Do the vega* ... 8/10
    9. Night life* ... 7/10
    10. Santa Lucia ... 4/10
    11. Yellow rose of Texas ... 5/10
    12. You're the Boss* ... 10/10
    13. The Climb ... 9/10
    (*) Not in the movie
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2021
  25. DISKOJOE

    DISKOJOE Boredom That You Can Afford!

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    I recently found a copy of Viva Las Vegas while thrifting. I saw it before and I enjoyed watching it. To me, it's almost the perfect Elvis movie. He & Ann Margaret were excellent together. "The Lady Loves Me" is one of my favorite Elvis songs. The only things that I didn't like was wondering if the Count got killed in that race & that the ending was too rushed & pay.
     

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