Elvis's 31 Feature Films: Which are watchable?

Yes, Elvis Presley made 31 feature films between only 1956 and 1969. (And for two of those years he was in uniform, in Germany...).

Anyway, Elvis's films are generally savaged as being disposable and formulaic, as well as being the chief time-waster that kept him away from contemporary and more vital music, while forcing him into recording gradually diminishing-quality soundtrack songs (many at RCA's Los Angeles studio, particularly in the 1960s). This is all true by degrees, but I wanted to have a thread not about the music Elvis was making (or wasn't making), but rather simply about the films themselves, trying to take them at face value.

Of course, since these are (almost) all musicals, the songs he sings in the films are part of the films themselves, so I guess fair game to discuss those in context.

(Incidentally, I am referring here only to the features in which he had acting roles, and not to docs like Elvis: That's The Way It Is or Elvis On Tour.)

The Elvis Australia fan-site has a very good page listing each of the 31 feature-films. You can click on the title of any film to read about it in some detail: Elvis Presley's Movies. Elvis Presley made 31 films as an actor | Elvis Biography

So, I'm wondering which films people actually like? In your opinion, do any of these films hold up as a really good movie? Which are at least watchable? Any guilty-pleasures?


As for me, I haven't seen all the films (like most people, I value my time) but I have seen several over the years. Ones that I thought were good...ish:

-- King Creole (1958): I haven't seen this since I was about 12, and I've been itching to watch it again recently and see if it holds up. It is generally considered Elvis's most "critically acclaimed" film. (It's the 4th and last film he made in the fifties.)

-- Wild In The Country (1961): I've seen this twice -- the first time (about 11 years ago) I was pleasantly surprised and quite enjoyed it; the second time (recently) I had more reservations. There are notably fewer songs than usual, and some heavyweight actors surround Elvis. There are some nice scenes with Elvis and his older woman, but the film is still a bit cheap-looking and the plot convolution of Elvis's troubled young man (he was actually 25 during shooting!) turning out to be a literary genius was slightly stretching credibility. Anyway, the highlight of this film is Tuesday Weld, who is really convincing.

-- Follow That Dream (1962): This is the one in Florida where Elvis plays the son in a gang of homeless hillbilly squatters who roam from town to town. It sounds terrible, but is actually a funny and surprisingly well-acted film. There's a courtroom scene at the end that features some of Elvis's best acting.

-- Viva Las Vegas (1964): This was a big box-office grosser, and it might be the most successful musical he ever did. Elvis and Ann-Margret sizzle on-screen. Of course, it's a frothy piece of fluff, but hey it's a musical.

-- Change of Habit (1969): Don't get me wrong, this isn't a good movie. It's only barely watchable, and then mainly for the fine performance by Mary Tyler Moore, one of a trio of nuns who encounter a medical doctor at an inner-city clinic, played by Elvis. But I like the unique (for an Elvis movie) characteristics of this story; it actually borders on serious social-commentary at times, and Elvis plays a "professional" for the only time (that said, he sleepwalks through his performance). It also looks very '1969', which is also unique.



What'cha got??

 

Call me crazy, but I like all of them. I own them all on DVD and watch them on a regular basis. I just watched Fun in Acapulco the other night (Ursula Andress, mmmmmmm). My least favorites are his westerns like Flaming Star, and Change of Habit is kind of lame. My favorites include:
Blue Hawaii
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Clam Bake
Spinout
Speedway
Viva Las Vegas
Stay Away, Joe

I have a special nostalgic spot for Blue Hawaii and Stay Away, Joe. My dad was in the Air Force and had a part time job as projectionist at the base theater. One day my mom was unable to watch us so he took us to work with him. We sat in the projection booth with him all day and watched Blue Hawaii 3 or 4 times. I also have vivid memories of watching Stay Away, Joe with my family as a kid.

Elvis worked with most of the hot actresses of the day including Ursula, Ann-Margret, Diane McBain (one of my favorite screen hotties), Shellie Fabares, Juliet Prowse, Deborah Walley, Donna Douglas (Beverly Hillbillies), Pat Priest (The Munsters) and Nancy Sinatra.

 

No.

 

I look at the Elvis movies in a similar light to "Kung Fu theater" movies.
The overall view does not garner much for they are not very good in general, which leaves the desirability up to the individual.
The stories are cookie cutter in nature.
The acting ranges from terrible to acceptable, and few will be emulating Elvis based on his acting credentials.
The special effects...well, you have seen the movies.

This leaves you as the one to please. If you like Elvis movies then good for you, and who gives a rip what others think?

I will admit I think the westerns are the least desirable of the bunch. Elvis, and his known image, just don't mix right to make a good western character in my mind.

Of all the other Elvis movies I don't really have any that stand out because they all seem to have something I like, as well as something I wish were different.

 

Jailhouse Rock is the best "Elvis movie"

His best performance is in Flaming Star, a fine western where he is excellent in a role originally intended for Brando. EP is especially good in the "renunciation" scene

“He was an instinctive actor...He was quite bright...he was very intelligent...He was not a punk. He was very elegant, sedate, and refined, and sophisticated.”
- Walter Matthau

 

There’s a few I find abysmal (Tickle Me, Harum Scarum) but the rest range from tolerable to entertaining. Regardless of the film, the music numbers tend to play out like music videos which IMO is a great thing.

Favorites of mine include Loving You, Live A Little, Love A Little, Viva Las Vegas and King Creole. While I can’t really defend them, I quite like Girl Happy and Fun In Acapulco. Even a movie like Clambake has its own charm.

 

Viva Las Vegas.

 

While I'm in the group of older fans on the forum, I would say that the OP is pretty much
correct. I saw all of the films when they were first released in the theater, but over the years
most would not be considered all that great today. While there are SONGS I like from most
of the soundtracks, the films themselves are, today, mostly one viewing films.
I would also go with:
King Creole
Viva Las Vegas (because of the chemistry between Elvis and Ann)
Follow That Dream (Elvis is quite good)
plus I would add Kid Galahad...good songs, good story, Charles Bronson
and Joan Blackman (more attractive in this than Blue Hawaii).
Nice clip from Kid Galahad...great song, Elvis looks great and Joan is, well hot.
Love seeing them doing the twist...

 

The early films are good--I've always been quite fond of Loving You. Blue Hawaii and GI Blues are decent musical comedies. The rest are redeemed by the occasional good song.

 

Follow That Dream and Viva Las Vegas are the ones I like and could watch again.

Follow That Dream is a good chuckler (think of the two boys sharing a chocolate bar for example) and is reasonably well acted.

Viva Las Vegas Sizzling Ann-Margret makes this movie for me. I've always been smitten and will buy anything she's selling.


...as for the rest of the Elvis movies? -meh-

 

One vote for Speedway (1968). Vintage NASCAR footage and Nancy Sinatra at her groovy best.

 

If you want a fine movie, "Flaming Star" is wonderful...

If you want crap, then "Easy Come, Easy Go" is wonderful, if only for the magnificent scene "Yoga Is As Yoga Does". Elsa Lanchester (the bride in "Bride Of Frankenstein") gave a heartfelt and dramatic performance....

 

Never tire of Girl Happy...Funny and good songs

 

Cafe Europa or G.I. Blues if only for Wooden Heart and Pocket Full Of Rainbows.

 

Jailhouse Rock
Viva Las Vegas
Blue Hawaii
Kid Galahad

The worst thing Elvis ever did was this number.

That said, what would be the least watchable Elvis movie?

 

Kissin' Cousins
Harum Scarum
Frankie and Johnny
Paradise Hawaiian Style
Easy Come, Easy Go
Double Trouble
Clambake

 

My big five are Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Flaming Star, Blue Hawaii and Viva Las Vegas.

 

Id say the worst would be middle eastern elvis...what the heck..he must have been ready to give the diamond horseshoe finger to all of them by that point.

 

Follow That Dream and Kid Galahad are the only two I like.

 

Spinout is really good. It's written by cult writer Theodore J Flicker so the funny bits are meant to be that way.

 

I'm a little sick but I like "It Happened at the World's Fair".

 

Doesn't anyone else like ROUSTABOUT?

 

I'm not sure I could get through some of the backlot, mid-60s cheapos. One thing nice about older films, even if the stories no longer compel, is the location shooting in color. If it's just backlot or stage stuff, I'm less interested.

I have actually seen mostly the later ones, when the formula pics stopped selling and they had to try to shoehorn Elvis into different formats to stay contemporary. Stay Away, Joe was probably the first of those.

Live A Little, Love A Little has more mature sexual content, with the implication that Elvis is actually sleeping with his love interests rather than the usual high school approach. Change Of Habit is relevant. Charro! is a spaghetti Western, probably the most watchable of these. Also interesting is The Trouble With Girls, where Elvis really has more of an ensemble part. Marlyn Mason was more of character actress as well, different from his usual leading ladies..

 

One of Elvis best films!!

 

While we are on the topic of Elvis's movies....

So, there has never been a box set of ALL of Elvis's movies, remastered from the 35 mm negatives, has there? I would think that there are enough Elvis fans around the world that would make that a profitable item. Imagine, EVERY Elvis movie in Blu-Ray on one set! I'd buy it, I really would.