Elvis Presley wanted to be a movie star more than he wanted to be a pop icon, but thanks to Hal Wallis and other directors he was able to have it both ways. Just as John Wayne fans knew that they were going to see a certain type of film every time they bought a ticket to see the Duke, Elvis fans knew the formula for most of the King's flicks.
Starting with Elvis's first comedy, "G.I. Blues," there would be lots of songs and singing in the most illogical places and situations--something that was effectively and hilariously parodied in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker comedy, "Top Secret!" In every film there would be more than one woman wanting to set her hooks into Elvis, and like James Bond he would play each one until the final scenario played out. Every film would have Elvis getting into a fight to prove he could handle himself, and at least once every outing he'd have an encounter with one or more children to sing and dance with and show what a great dad this ultimate desirable bachelor could be. And most films had him interacting with one or more older people as well, to show he was humble and generations-minded--not just a swivel-hipped rebel.
Now, Elvis Presley's estate is trying to make those films available to a whole new audience, marketing the first of several Cadillac-quality boxed sets directly to the public.
If I had to pick the "Ultimate Film Collection" it would feature an even dozen. I'd include Elvis's third film, "Jailhouse Rock" (1957),because in many ways this is the one that established the Elvis character and conventions that would evolve into a film industry. How big of an industry? Between 1962-69, Elvis cranked out 23 films. During that same period, John Wayne made 17. But if you watch "Jailhouse Rock" you can see the character who, with variations, would become as recognizable as those "Let's all go to the lobby" theatrical jingles. My other picks for the "Ultimate Film Collection"? "G.I. Blues" (1960) because it's the first one to go for musical romantic-comedy, "Flaming Star" (1960) because this western showed that Elvis could really act, "Blue Hawaii" (1962), "Viva Las Vegas" (1963), "It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963), and "Roustabout" (1964) because they're acknowledged to be the best of the Presley formula flicks, and "Girls! Girls! Girls!" (1962), "Girl Happy" (1965), "Clambake" (1967), and "The Trouble with Girls" (1969) because they were among the most popular (and therefore underrated) Presley films. And I'd throw in the documentary "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" just to show the human/performer side of the King.
Elvis Presley Enterprises (the Graceland people) are pretty upfront that "Elvis: The Ultimate Film Collection" isn't an all-inclusive boxed set. The first thing you read when you open this enormous box is that it's "the first installment of several movie DVD sets to bring the film legacy of Elvis Presley home to a new audience and to offer special extra content pleasing to them and to Elvis's longtime fans."
Included among the nine movie DVDs are five of my picks ("Jailhouse Rock," "It Happened at the World's Fair," "Viva Las Vegas," "The Trouble with Girls," and "Elvis: That's the Way It Is, Special Edition" (1970), along with four others: ""Harum Scarum" (1965), "Spinout" (1966), "Double Trouble" (1967), and "Speedway" (1968). The discs are housed in two multi-fold plastic and cardboard cases. What makes this box swell to its hefty dimensions of 12 1/4" x 9 3/8" x 2 3/4" are the bonus special content extras (more on that in the "extras" discussion).
These aren't the best Elvis films, nor are they exclusive to a period in time. If anything, most of them are from the "a-go-go" years, and so they feature plenty of mod and mini-skirted women doing the swim, the frug, the monkey, the jerk, and all those dances that look so uncool now. What will seem even sillier to modern audiences are the backgrounds that were clumsily and unapologetically used, or the far-fetched ways in which the writers sought to bring Elvis into contact with children. I mean, what uncle in his right mind would first allow his seven-year-old niece to sit with two hitchhikers in the rear of his truck, let alone give one of the men permission to take her to the World's Fair, alone, for the day? Then again, Elvis fans forgave an awful lot with these films. You've heard of popcorn movies? Well, these were all cotton candy--all fluff--and it didn't matter to fans. In a decade filled with war and social upheaval, the formula Elvis films were like comfort foods: predictable, light entertainment. They never pretended to be anything more, but audiences kept demanding more. What unites this collection is that the discs are all MGM releases, and the menu screen graphics, features, and aspect ratios match the individual releases already out on the market.
"Jailhouse Rock" (1957) comes on a double-sided disc, with widescreen on one side and full screen on the other. It's the King at his best, playing a guy whose temper lands him in prison, where a rockabilly cellmate who's out of touch with current music (Mickey Shaughnessy) gloms on to this talent as a "partner," while Judith Tyler plays the love-interest and music business contact. The trivia notes tell us that the famous prison dance cost Elvis an emergency surgery to remove a dental cap he had swallowed (sliding down a pole) from his lung. Great performances, great songs, great black-and-white cinematography. I'd rate it a solid 7, but it's darned close to an 8.
"It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963) has Elvis as a barnstorming crop duster and bi-plane pilot for hire. Here, he gets involved with a young Chinese girl and looks after her when her uncle disappears. The songs aren't bad, and the plot is much more "on-story" and less obviously formulaic than other Elvis films. Look for a very young Kurt Russell as a boy who kicks the King for a quarter so he can hobble into the fair's infirmary and try to pick up an attractive nurse. Another solid 7.
"Viva Las Vegas" (1964) is a high-energy romp in which Ann-Margaret holds her own onstage. Elvis plays a race-car driver in town for a Grand Prix, and Ann-Margaret is the sex kitten who coos to this mechanic-minded fellow, "Could you check my motor. It whistles." "I don't blame it," Rusty says, and that's about as innuendo-laden as any G-rated Elvis film gets. This one features a talent competition in which both stars are entered, and, of course, a big race against a big name in racing (Cesare Danova) who's also a romantic rival. More great songs, and another solid 7 that gets better over time. This one is also on a dual-sided disc, with both widescreen and full screen options.
"Harum Scarum" (1965) is a goofy little film that drops Elvis in the Middle East as a working movie star who's recruited by assassins to be an assassin because of his movie prowess with his fists. Elvis is kidnapped, he gets help by a con-artist and a band of street performers (including little person Billy Barty) and he has a love-interest (and vice versa) with the princess whose father he's been asked to kill. Got that? But the song Elvis sings to a little peasant girl he dances with is just a little creepy, and the whole plot is pretty farcical. Still, you find yourself watching and smiling. The songs are disappointing. A 6, perhaps? Widescreen presentation.
"Spinout" (1966) is one of three racecar driver films on this set, and while it's better than "Speedway" it pales alongside "Viva Las Vegas." This was one of two films Elvis made with Shelly Fabares, and the thing of interest here is that her onscreen father is played by Carl Betts, who played her father on the old "Donna Reed Show." It's all typical fluff, with running gags involving the female drummer of Elvis's traveling band. Three women want him, but in the end none of the three get him. Talk about a spinout and mostly sputtering musical performances. Widescreen presentation, and another 6.
"Double Trouble" (1967) is one of those films that starts out entertaining enough and then bogs down in goofy comedy, including tiresome running gags involving two bumbling smugglers. Elvis is in London performing as a nightclub singer, where he gets involved with a young heiress (Annette Day) who's run away and seems to be the target of assassins. There are decent moments here, including a few worthwhile songs. Still, a 5, in widescreen.
"Speedway" (1968) is a film where, if you can't stand Nancy Sinatra, you won't be able to tolerate this much. Frequent Elvis-movie flyer Bill Bixby (TV's "Incredible Hulk" alter ego) makes an appearance as the King's manager and best friend. But it feels a lot like other Elvis racing movies, and even fans recognized it as being pretty tired. Another 5 in widescreen.
Starting with Elvis's first comedy, "G.I. Blues," there would be lots of songs and singing in the most illogical places and situations--something that was effectively and hilariously parodied in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker comedy, "Top Secret!" In every film there would be more than one woman wanting to set her hooks into Elvis, and like James Bond he would play each one until the final scenario played out. Every film would have Elvis getting into a fight to prove he could handle himself, and at least once every outing he'd have an encounter with one or more children to sing and dance with and show what a great dad this ultimate desirable bachelor could be. And most films had him interacting with one or more older people as well, to show he was humble and generations-minded--not just a swivel-hipped rebel.
Now, Elvis Presley's estate is trying to make those films available to a whole new audience, marketing the first of several Cadillac-quality boxed sets directly to the public.
If I had to pick the "Ultimate Film Collection" it would feature an even dozen. I'd include Elvis's third film, "Jailhouse Rock" (1957),because in many ways this is the one that established the Elvis character and conventions that would evolve into a film industry. How big of an industry? Between 1962-69, Elvis cranked out 23 films. During that same period, John Wayne made 17. But if you watch "Jailhouse Rock" you can see the character who, with variations, would become as recognizable as those "Let's all go to the lobby" theatrical jingles. My other picks for the "Ultimate Film Collection"? "G.I. Blues" (1960) because it's the first one to go for musical romantic-comedy, "Flaming Star" (1960) because this western showed that Elvis could really act, "Blue Hawaii" (1962), "Viva Las Vegas" (1963), "It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963), and "Roustabout" (1964) because they're acknowledged to be the best of the Presley formula flicks, and "Girls! Girls! Girls!" (1962), "Girl Happy" (1965), "Clambake" (1967), and "The Trouble with Girls" (1969) because they were among the most popular (and therefore underrated) Presley films. And I'd throw in the documentary "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" just to show the human/performer side of the King.
Elvis Presley Enterprises (the Graceland people) are pretty upfront that "Elvis: The Ultimate Film Collection" isn't an all-inclusive boxed set. The first thing you read when you open this enormous box is that it's "the first installment of several movie DVD sets to bring the film legacy of Elvis Presley home to a new audience and to offer special extra content pleasing to them and to Elvis's longtime fans."
Included among the nine movie DVDs are five of my picks ("Jailhouse Rock," "It Happened at the World's Fair," "Viva Las Vegas," "The Trouble with Girls," and "Elvis: That's the Way It Is, Special Edition" (1970), along with four others: ""Harum Scarum" (1965), "Spinout" (1966), "Double Trouble" (1967), and "Speedway" (1968). The discs are housed in two multi-fold plastic and cardboard cases. What makes this box swell to its hefty dimensions of 12 1/4" x 9 3/8" x 2 3/4" are the bonus special content extras (more on that in the "extras" discussion).
These aren't the best Elvis films, nor are they exclusive to a period in time. If anything, most of them are from the "a-go-go" years, and so they feature plenty of mod and mini-skirted women doing the swim, the frug, the monkey, the jerk, and all those dances that look so uncool now. What will seem even sillier to modern audiences are the backgrounds that were clumsily and unapologetically used, or the far-fetched ways in which the writers sought to bring Elvis into contact with children. I mean, what uncle in his right mind would first allow his seven-year-old niece to sit with two hitchhikers in the rear of his truck, let alone give one of the men permission to take her to the World's Fair, alone, for the day? Then again, Elvis fans forgave an awful lot with these films. You've heard of popcorn movies? Well, these were all cotton candy--all fluff--and it didn't matter to fans. In a decade filled with war and social upheaval, the formula Elvis films were like comfort foods: predictable, light entertainment. They never pretended to be anything more, but audiences kept demanding more. What unites this collection is that the discs are all MGM releases, and the menu screen graphics, features, and aspect ratios match the individual releases already out on the market.
"Jailhouse Rock" (1957) comes on a double-sided disc, with widescreen on one side and full screen on the other. It's the King at his best, playing a guy whose temper lands him in prison, where a rockabilly cellmate who's out of touch with current music (Mickey Shaughnessy) gloms on to this talent as a "partner," while Judith Tyler plays the love-interest and music business contact. The trivia notes tell us that the famous prison dance cost Elvis an emergency surgery to remove a dental cap he had swallowed (sliding down a pole) from his lung. Great performances, great songs, great black-and-white cinematography. I'd rate it a solid 7, but it's darned close to an 8.
"It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963) has Elvis as a barnstorming crop duster and bi-plane pilot for hire. Here, he gets involved with a young Chinese girl and looks after her when her uncle disappears. The songs aren't bad, and the plot is much more "on-story" and less obviously formulaic than other Elvis films. Look for a very young Kurt Russell as a boy who kicks the King for a quarter so he can hobble into the fair's infirmary and try to pick up an attractive nurse. Another solid 7.
"Viva Las Vegas" (1964) is a high-energy romp in which Ann-Margaret holds her own onstage. Elvis plays a race-car driver in town for a Grand Prix, and Ann-Margaret is the sex kitten who coos to this mechanic-minded fellow, "Could you check my motor. It whistles." "I don't blame it," Rusty says, and that's about as innuendo-laden as any G-rated Elvis film gets. This one features a talent competition in which both stars are entered, and, of course, a big race against a big name in racing (Cesare Danova) who's also a romantic rival. More great songs, and another solid 7 that gets better over time. This one is also on a dual-sided disc, with both widescreen and full screen options.
"Harum Scarum" (1965) is a goofy little film that drops Elvis in the Middle East as a working movie star who's recruited by assassins to be an assassin because of his movie prowess with his fists. Elvis is kidnapped, he gets help by a con-artist and a band of street performers (including little person Billy Barty) and he has a love-interest (and vice versa) with the princess whose father he's been asked to kill. Got that? But the song Elvis sings to a little peasant girl he dances with is just a little creepy, and the whole plot is pretty farcical. Still, you find yourself watching and smiling. The songs are disappointing. A 6, perhaps? Widescreen presentation.
"Spinout" (1966) is one of three racecar driver films on this set, and while it's better than "Speedway" it pales alongside "Viva Las Vegas." This was one of two films Elvis made with Shelly Fabares, and the thing of interest here is that her onscreen father is played by Carl Betts, who played her father on the old "Donna Reed Show." It's all typical fluff, with running gags involving the female drummer of Elvis's traveling band. Three women want him, but in the end none of the three get him. Talk about a spinout and mostly sputtering musical performances. Widescreen presentation, and another 6.
"Double Trouble" (1967) is one of those films that starts out entertaining enough and then bogs down in goofy comedy, including tiresome running gags involving two bumbling smugglers. Elvis is in London performing as a nightclub singer, where he gets involved with a young heiress (Annette Day) who's run away and seems to be the target of assassins. There are decent moments here, including a few worthwhile songs. Still, a 5, in widescreen.
"Speedway" (1968) is a film where, if you can't stand Nancy Sinatra, you won't be able to tolerate this much. Frequent Elvis-movie flyer Bill Bixby (TV's "Incredible Hulk" alter ego) makes an appearance as the King's manager and best friend. But it feels a lot like other Elvis racing movies, and even fans recognized it as being pretty tired. Another 5 in widescreen.
Elvis Presley wanted to be a movie star more than he wanted to be a pop icon, but thanks to Hal Wallis and other directors he was able to have it both ways. Just as John Wayne fans knew that they were going to see a certain type of film every time they bought a ticket to see the Duke, Elvis fans knew the formula for most of the King's flicks.
Starting with Elvis's first comedy, "G.I. Blues," there would be lots of songs and singing in the most illogical places and situations--something that was effectively and hilariously parodied in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker comedy, "Top Secret!" In every film there would be more than one woman wanting to set her hooks into Elvis, and like James Bond he would play each one until the final scenario played out. Every film would have Elvis getting into a fight to prove he could handle himself, and at least once every outing he'd have an encounter with one or more children to sing and dance with and show what a great dad this ultimate desirable bachelor could be. And most films had him interacting with one or more older people as well, to show he was humble and generations-minded--not just a swivel-hipped rebel.
Now, Elvis Presley's estate is trying to make those films available to a whole new audience, marketing the first of several Cadillac-quality boxed sets directly to the public.
If I had to pick the "Ultimate Film Collection" it would feature an even dozen. I'd include Elvis's third film, "Jailhouse Rock" (1957),because in many ways this is the one that established the Elvis character and conventions that would evolve into a film industry. How big of an industry? Between 1962-69, Elvis cranked out 23 films. During that same period, John Wayne made 17. But if you watch "Jailhouse Rock" you can see the character who, with variations, would become as recognizable as those "Let's all go to the lobby" theatrical jingles. My other picks for the "Ultimate Film Collection"? "G.I. Blues" (1960) because it's the first one to go for musical romantic-comedy, "Flaming Star" (1960) because this western showed that Elvis could really act, "Blue Hawaii" (1962), "Viva Las Vegas" (1963), "It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963), and "Roustabout" (1964) because they're acknowledged to be the best of the Presley formula flicks, and "Girls! Girls! Girls!" (1962), "Girl Happy" (1965), "Clambake" (1967), and "The Trouble with Girls" (1969) because they were among the most popular (and therefore underrated) Presley films. And I'd throw in the documentary "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" just to show the human/performer side of the King.
Elvis Presley Enterprises (the Graceland people) are pretty upfront that "Elvis: The Ultimate Film Collection" isn't an all-inclusive boxed set. The first thing you read when you open this enormous box is that it's "the first installment of several movie DVD sets to bring the film legacy of Elvis Presley home to a new audience and to offer special extra content pleasing to them and to Elvis's longtime fans."
Included among the nine movie DVDs are five of my picks ("Jailhouse Rock," "It Happened at the World's Fair," "Viva Las Vegas," "The Trouble with Girls," and "Elvis: That's the Way It Is, Special Edition" (1970), along with four others: ""Harum Scarum" (1965), "Spinout" (1966), "Double Trouble" (1967), and "Speedway" (1968). The discs are housed in two multi-fold plastic and cardboard cases. What makes this box swell to its hefty dimensions of 12 1/4" x 9 3/8" x 2 3/4" are the bonus special content extras (more on that in the "extras" discussion).
These aren't the best Elvis films, nor are they exclusive to a period in time. If anything, most of them are from the "a-go-go" years, and so they feature plenty of mod and mini-skirted women doing the swim, the frug, the monkey, the jerk, and all those dances that look so uncool now. What will seem even sillier to modern audiences are the backgrounds that were clumsily and unapologetically used, or the far-fetched ways in which the writers sought to bring Elvis into contact with children. I mean, what uncle in his right mind would first allow his seven-year-old niece to sit with two hitchhikers in the rear of his truck, let alone give one of the men permission to take her to the World's Fair, alone, for the day? Then again, Elvis fans forgave an awful lot with these films. You've heard of popcorn movies? Well, these were all cotton candy--all fluff--and it didn't matter to fans. In a decade filled with war and social upheaval, the formula Elvis films were like comfort foods: predictable, light entertainment. They never pretended to be anything more, but audiences kept demanding more. What unites this collection is that the discs are all MGM releases, and the menu screen graphics, features, and aspect ratios match the individual releases already out on the market.
"Jailhouse Rock" (1957) comes on a double-sided disc, with widescreen on one side and full screen on the other. It's the King at his best, playing a guy whose temper lands him in prison, where a rockabilly cellmate who's out of touch with current music (Mickey Shaughnessy) gloms on to this talent as a "partner," while Judith Tyler plays the love-interest and music business contact. The trivia notes tell us that the famous prison dance cost Elvis an emergency surgery to remove a dental cap he had swallowed (sliding down a pole) from his lung. Great performances, great songs, great black-and-white cinematography. I'd rate it a solid 7, but it's darned close to an 8.
"It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963) has Elvis as a barnstorming crop duster and bi-plane pilot for hire. Here, he gets involved with a young Chinese girl and looks after her when her uncle disappears. The songs aren't bad, and the plot is much more "on-story" and less obviously formulaic than other Elvis films. Look for a very young Kurt Russell as a boy who kicks the King for a quarter so he can hobble into the fair's infirmary and try to pick up an attractive nurse. Another solid 7.
"Viva Las Vegas" (1964) is a high-energy romp in which Ann-Margaret holds her own onstage. Elvis plays a race-car driver in town for a Grand Prix, and Ann-Margaret is the sex kitten who coos to this mechanic-minded fellow, "Could you check my motor. It whistles." "I don't blame it," Rusty says, and that's about as innuendo-laden as any G-rated Elvis film gets. This one features a talent competition in which both stars are entered, and, of course, a big race against a big name in racing (Cesare Danova) who's also a romantic rival. More great songs, and another solid 7 that gets better over time. This one is also on a dual-sided disc, with both widescreen and full screen options.
"Harum Scarum" (1965) is a goofy little film that drops Elvis in the Middle East as a working movie star who's recruited by assassins to be an assassin because of his movie prowess with his fists. Elvis is kidnapped, he gets help by a con-artist and a band of street performers (including little person Billy Barty) and he has a love-interest (and vice versa) with the princess whose father he's been asked to kill. Got that? But the song Elvis sings to a little peasant girl he dances with is just a little creepy, and the whole plot is pretty farcical. Still, you find yourself watching and smiling. The songs are disappointing. A 6, perhaps? Widescreen presentation.
"Spinout" (1966) is one of three racecar driver films on this set, and while it's better than "Speedway" it pales alongside "Viva Las Vegas." This was one of two films Elvis made with Shelly Fabares, and the thing of interest here is that her onscreen father is played by Carl Betts, who played her father on the old "Donna Reed Show." It's all typical fluff, with running gags involving the female drummer of Elvis's traveling band. Three women want him, but in the end none of the three get him. Talk about a spinout and mostly sputtering musical performances. Widescreen presentation, and another 6.
"Double Trouble" (1967) is one of those films that starts out entertaining enough and then bogs down in goofy comedy, including tiresome running gags involving two bumbling smugglers. Elvis is in London performing as a nightclub singer, where he gets involved with a young heiress (Annette Day) who's run away and seems to be the target of assassins. There are decent moments here, including a few worthwhile songs. Still, a 5, in widescreen.
"Speedway" (1968) is a film where, if you can't stand Nancy Sinatra, you won't be able to tolerate this much. Frequent Elvis-movie flyer Bill Bixby (TV's "Incredible Hulk" alter ego) makes an appearance as the King's manager and best friend. But it feels a lot like other Elvis racing movies, and even fans recognized it as being pretty tired. Another 5 in widescreen.
Starting with Elvis's first comedy, "G.I. Blues," there would be lots of songs and singing in the most illogical places and situations--something that was effectively and hilariously parodied in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker comedy, "Top Secret!" In every film there would be more than one woman wanting to set her hooks into Elvis, and like James Bond he would play each one until the final scenario played out. Every film would have Elvis getting into a fight to prove he could handle himself, and at least once every outing he'd have an encounter with one or more children to sing and dance with and show what a great dad this ultimate desirable bachelor could be. And most films had him interacting with one or more older people as well, to show he was humble and generations-minded--not just a swivel-hipped rebel.
Now, Elvis Presley's estate is trying to make those films available to a whole new audience, marketing the first of several Cadillac-quality boxed sets directly to the public.
If I had to pick the "Ultimate Film Collection" it would feature an even dozen. I'd include Elvis's third film, "Jailhouse Rock" (1957),because in many ways this is the one that established the Elvis character and conventions that would evolve into a film industry. How big of an industry? Between 1962-69, Elvis cranked out 23 films. During that same period, John Wayne made 17. But if you watch "Jailhouse Rock" you can see the character who, with variations, would become as recognizable as those "Let's all go to the lobby" theatrical jingles. My other picks for the "Ultimate Film Collection"? "G.I. Blues" (1960) because it's the first one to go for musical romantic-comedy, "Flaming Star" (1960) because this western showed that Elvis could really act, "Blue Hawaii" (1962), "Viva Las Vegas" (1963), "It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963), and "Roustabout" (1964) because they're acknowledged to be the best of the Presley formula flicks, and "Girls! Girls! Girls!" (1962), "Girl Happy" (1965), "Clambake" (1967), and "The Trouble with Girls" (1969) because they were among the most popular (and therefore underrated) Presley films. And I'd throw in the documentary "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" just to show the human/performer side of the King.
Elvis Presley Enterprises (the Graceland people) are pretty upfront that "Elvis: The Ultimate Film Collection" isn't an all-inclusive boxed set. The first thing you read when you open this enormous box is that it's "the first installment of several movie DVD sets to bring the film legacy of Elvis Presley home to a new audience and to offer special extra content pleasing to them and to Elvis's longtime fans."
Included among the nine movie DVDs are five of my picks ("Jailhouse Rock," "It Happened at the World's Fair," "Viva Las Vegas," "The Trouble with Girls," and "Elvis: That's the Way It Is, Special Edition" (1970), along with four others: ""Harum Scarum" (1965), "Spinout" (1966), "Double Trouble" (1967), and "Speedway" (1968). The discs are housed in two multi-fold plastic and cardboard cases. What makes this box swell to its hefty dimensions of 12 1/4" x 9 3/8" x 2 3/4" are the bonus special content extras (more on that in the "extras" discussion).
These aren't the best Elvis films, nor are they exclusive to a period in time. If anything, most of them are from the "a-go-go" years, and so they feature plenty of mod and mini-skirted women doing the swim, the frug, the monkey, the jerk, and all those dances that look so uncool now. What will seem even sillier to modern audiences are the backgrounds that were clumsily and unapologetically used, or the far-fetched ways in which the writers sought to bring Elvis into contact with children. I mean, what uncle in his right mind would first allow his seven-year-old niece to sit with two hitchhikers in the rear of his truck, let alone give one of the men permission to take her to the World's Fair, alone, for the day? Then again, Elvis fans forgave an awful lot with these films. You've heard of popcorn movies? Well, these were all cotton candy--all fluff--and it didn't matter to fans. In a decade filled with war and social upheaval, the formula Elvis films were like comfort foods: predictable, light entertainment. They never pretended to be anything more, but audiences kept demanding more. What unites this collection is that the discs are all MGM releases, and the menu screen graphics, features, and aspect ratios match the individual releases already out on the market.
"Jailhouse Rock" (1957) comes on a double-sided disc, with widescreen on one side and full screen on the other. It's the King at his best, playing a guy whose temper lands him in prison, where a rockabilly cellmate who's out of touch with current music (Mickey Shaughnessy) gloms on to this talent as a "partner," while Judith Tyler plays the love-interest and music business contact. The trivia notes tell us that the famous prison dance cost Elvis an emergency surgery to remove a dental cap he had swallowed (sliding down a pole) from his lung. Great performances, great songs, great black-and-white cinematography. I'd rate it a solid 7, but it's darned close to an 8.
"It Happened at the World's Fair" (1963) has Elvis as a barnstorming crop duster and bi-plane pilot for hire. Here, he gets involved with a young Chinese girl and looks after her when her uncle disappears. The songs aren't bad, and the plot is much more "on-story" and less obviously formulaic than other Elvis films. Look for a very young Kurt Russell as a boy who kicks the King for a quarter so he can hobble into the fair's infirmary and try to pick up an attractive nurse. Another solid 7.
"Viva Las Vegas" (1964) is a high-energy romp in which Ann-Margaret holds her own onstage. Elvis plays a race-car driver in town for a Grand Prix, and Ann-Margaret is the sex kitten who coos to this mechanic-minded fellow, "Could you check my motor. It whistles." "I don't blame it," Rusty says, and that's about as innuendo-laden as any G-rated Elvis film gets. This one features a talent competition in which both stars are entered, and, of course, a big race against a big name in racing (Cesare Danova) who's also a romantic rival. More great songs, and another solid 7 that gets better over time. This one is also on a dual-sided disc, with both widescreen and full screen options.
"Harum Scarum" (1965) is a goofy little film that drops Elvis in the Middle East as a working movie star who's recruited by assassins to be an assassin because of his movie prowess with his fists. Elvis is kidnapped, he gets help by a con-artist and a band of street performers (including little person Billy Barty) and he has a love-interest (and vice versa) with the princess whose father he's been asked to kill. Got that? But the song Elvis sings to a little peasant girl he dances with is just a little creepy, and the whole plot is pretty farcical. Still, you find yourself watching and smiling. The songs are disappointing. A 6, perhaps? Widescreen presentation.
"Spinout" (1966) is one of three racecar driver films on this set, and while it's better than "Speedway" it pales alongside "Viva Las Vegas." This was one of two films Elvis made with Shelly Fabares, and the thing of interest here is that her onscreen father is played by Carl Betts, who played her father on the old "Donna Reed Show." It's all typical fluff, with running gags involving the female drummer of Elvis's traveling band. Three women want him, but in the end none of the three get him. Talk about a spinout and mostly sputtering musical performances. Widescreen presentation, and another 6.
"Double Trouble" (1967) is one of those films that starts out entertaining enough and then bogs down in goofy comedy, including tiresome running gags involving two bumbling smugglers. Elvis is in London performing as a nightclub singer, where he gets involved with a young heiress (Annette Day) who's run away and seems to be the target of assassins. There are decent moments here, including a few worthwhile songs. Still, a 5, in widescreen.
"Speedway" (1968) is a film where, if you can't stand Nancy Sinatra, you won't be able to tolerate this much. Frequent Elvis-movie flyer Bill Bixby (TV's "Incredible Hulk" alter ego) makes an appearance as the King's manager and best friend. But it feels a lot like other Elvis racing movies, and even fans recognized it as being pretty tired. Another 5 in widescreen.
No comments:
Post a Comment