Kissin' Cousins was, of course, an abomination. How Presley could keep Colonel Tom as his manager after he was signed up to make that embarrassing cheapie is anyone's guess. Viva Las Vegas is successful as an "Elvis movie", which is as good as it can get with post-1961 films. I don't think many of the tunes were good, but the film itself is vibrant if nothing else. Roustabout I saw several years ago, and I thought it was surprisingly watchable, though hardly a good film. Nice to see Elvis as a leather-clad bad-ass again. But the songs were forgettable. (Yet, the most surprising aspect of the whole project is perhaps the fact that the soundtrack album went to #1 on Billboard in the year of The Beatles.) I don't think I've seen any of the post-Roustabout films until we get to Change of Habit. The question is: Should I?
In regards to your question, I have no problem recommending Live A Little, Love A Little to an Elvis fan. After that one’s like Spinout, Girl Happy, Speedway and - yes - Clambake - are more than watchable on a proverbial rainy afternoon. It’s diminishing returns with the rest but I minimally tend to find at least a couple enjoyable moments with each of them. It also helps if you’re a fan of light 1960’s film making as well.
Someone pointed out to me that an "Elvis Movie" is not all that dissimilar in Hollywood to a Doris Day picture. Stuff like Send Me No Flowers or Pillow Talk.
Harem Scarum Year of release: 1965 Studio: MGM Director: Gene Nelson Plot: Elvis plays movie star Johnny Tyronne who is in the Middle East promoting his latest movie is kidnapped by a group of assassins who want him to kill a king. Songs: Harem Holiday (theme) My Desert Serenade Go East Young Man Mirage Kismet Shake That Tambourine Hey Little Girl Golden Coins So Close, Yer So Far (From Paradise) Harem Holiday (Performance) Trailer:
Just to avoid any confusion, this was issued in the UK as Harem Holiday. Why? Good question. Perhaps "Scarum" means something rude in scouse or something?
Well, I remember this one! Specifically, the Elvis karate-chopping the tiger scene... oh the horror! Based on that scene, I have no reason to doubt the general consensus that this is a bottom three Elvis film. But the soundtrack is a different matter - having had it and pretty much ignored it on LP (Australian tan label reissue) and the CD in The Albums box, I finally got the 90s remix following recommendations on the Elvis albums thread (probably by @RSteven and/or @czeskleba). The transformation of the material is remarkable and it becomes a decent Elvis 60s soundtrack. It's certainly one of the most successful remixes I've come across in terms of improving the listening experience. Why this version hasn't been released more widely is hard to understand.
I am not aware of Scarum meaning something different here in the UK. However, with the theme song being called Harem Holiday, I did wonder why they didn't just call it that!
I agree with Shawn: "Live a little, love a little" is definitely fun to watch and Elvis is pretty good on that one. But we will talk about that later on.
If I must. When Mickey Dolenz wrote and the Monkees recorded "Randy Scouse Git", a phrase he had heard in England on the Steptoe and Son TV show. RCA in England asked for an alternate title. Why? It was rude. Randy Scouse Git means "horny idiot from Liverpool". So Micky thought for a half second and changed the British issue to "Alternate Title".
I would like to recommend a movie called Top Secret from 1984, that was done by the guys that did Airplane! starring Val Kilmer in his first starring role as an Elvis type who gets in trouble at a goodwill trip to the former East Germany. It's a parody of an Elvis movie & a WW II guerilla movie, which was a bit much, but it's pretty funny:
Yeah, the title song makes one wonder if the film was originally going to be called Harem Holiday everywhere, but the title was changed for the US Market for some reason. "Harum scarum" is an expression that originated in England in the 18th century, so there's no reason why they would think it would be less familiar to British audiences than American ones. Regarding the film itself... I'd say it's the worst Elvis film I've seen. But I have not seen Frankie and Johnny or Paradise Hawaiian Style, so I can't vouch for it being the all-time worst film with certainty.
The parody of the "Mean Woman Blues" scene from Loving You is fantastic ---and the film is damn funny as well (yet the ending is somewhat meh)
Yes, it is certainly at the bottom of the list of Elvis films that we have looked at so far - although I might put Kissin' Cousins right at the bottom. On paper the idea of Elvis being in a movie set outside America makes for a pleasant change but unfortunately it was so badly done, with all the usual Hollywood clichés about the Middle East. The film also provided the opportunity for Elvis to be in more of an action film than he had previously but again the film is so bad that the opportunity was wasted. Imagine if he had starred in a better action film and directed by one of the top drawer directors who might have been able to support him more.
I always thought they were going for Elvis as Valentino. In an Elvis picture. Lets be honest. These are the cinematic equivalent of a sitcom. Lets stick Elvis in This situation. Six weeks later put him in THAT situation. You have 2 weeks to give me a script, call central casting and Teri Garr. Call Ben Weisman! Call Delores Fuller! We need songs quick! The shine was off the trophy by this point. This was as good as it would ever get. Cheap formula films to sell a soundtrack LP(to ever diminishing sales).
I have only seen about 4 of Elvis' films (little tradition of watching one whenever I go visit my aunt, the original Elvis fangirl of my family) and haven't seen Tickle Me though perhaps I won't be rushing to view after these reviews. I just had to say I love this song from Elvis is Back! and it's too bad to see it included in the soundtrack of a generally poor film, when it originally was on one of his very best albums!
Take my word for it, it's the all-time worst. Frankie and Johnny might not be Citizen Kane by comparison, but it's at least Maltease Falcon level. Paradise, Hawaiian Style is no great shakes eithr but at least it has some nice scenry so it's a better film, by a very small amount.
Harum Scarum (1965) I watched it once, I won't repeat the experience. Bottom of the bottom. Just awful on every aspect. TOP#19 (1956 / 1965) ----------------------------------- 19. Harum Scarum (1965) 18. Kissin' cousins (1964) 17. Girl Happy (1965) 16. It happened at the world's fair (1963) 15. Fun in Acapulco (1963) 14. Tickle me (1965) 13. Wild in the Country (1961) 12. Roustabout (1964) 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)
