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Love Me Tender |
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Released: 1956
Twentieth Century Fox Fun Fact: although this was Elvis' first movie, he wasn't the star. He was given equal-billing with Richard Egan and Debra Paget, as a co-star. ------------------------------------------------------------ Elvis took second billing in his big screen debut, a typical Western that takes place just after the completion of the Civil War. The setting makes for some unintentionally humorous anachronisms, as the spirit of Elvis' musical numbers is far more at home in the 1950s than the 1860s. The plot sets up a love triangle involving two brothers: Elvis' character Clint Reno marries his big brother's sweetheart when the elder sibling fails to return from the war, but brother Vance unexpectedly shows up and naturally is not happy about the state of affairs on the family farm. The rivalry brings about tragic consequences. Elvis gets shot which ignited fans enough to bring about a compromise ending cooked up by Twentieth Century-Fox showing a ghostly Elvis image singing Love Me Tender as the rest of the cast walk off into the Sunset.
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Loving You |
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Released: 1957 Paramount Pictures Available on VHS & DVD Fun Fact: Elvis' parents are seated on the right of the screen in the last scene where Elvis dances in the crowd. ------------------------------------------------------------ Elvis Presley's second feature capitalized on the King's meteoric rise to superstardom by autobiographically depicting his real-life experiences with some embellishment. Loving You, therefore, provides fans with a sort of auxiliary examination of a working class kid's practically supernatural odyssey from gas station to recording studio -- shedding light on a few of the darker aspects of being famous (such as rabid fans that rob Elvis of his privacy and, even more telling, the tenuous relationship with a manipulative manager who guides his career with iron will). Loving You boasts beautiful color photography, excellent costuming, and a few of the King's outstanding performances -- particularly (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear and the final sequence with Elvis in fantastic form doing Got A Lot O' Living To Do.
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Jailhouse Rock |
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Released: 1957 MGM Pictures Available on VHS & DVD Fun Fact: Elvis did not cut his hair in the 'haircut' scene, it was a wig. ------------------------------------------------------------ Elvis (Vince Everett) is sent to prison after being convicted of manslaughter following a bar brawl over a girl. While banged up in the big house our guy learns to play guitar having been taught by cellmate Hunk Houghton an ex small time country singer. When Vince gets out he tries to get a job in a local nightclub and impresses Peggy Van Alden (Judy Tyler), a record promoter with his audition. After a series of failed attempts using the country style Hunk taught him, Vince adopts his own singing style and needless to say becomes rich and famous. Hunk is finally released from prison and comes to cash in on his old cellmates fame. Vince takes him on doing menial tasks after an attempt to give him a break on a TV show fails. Hunk frustrated by Vince's fame and bad attitude hits Vince in the throat and the singer is rushed to the hospital. After recovering everyone rallies round to see Elvis get his voice back and realize the error of his ways with the most sincere display of co star cuddling ever recorded on film. The films highlights are the 'Jailhouse Rock' sequence and the 'Don't Leave Me Now' recording studio sequence where Vince finds his style.
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King Creole |
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Released: 1958 Paramount Pictures Available on VHS & DVD Fun Fact: this movie was initially scripted for James Dean as a troubled boxer of New Orleans, but Dean died years earlier. ------------------------------------------------------------ Taken from the Harold Robbins novel "A Stone for Danny Fisher", King Creole is without doubt Elvis' greatest acting performance. A great story of young rebel Danny Fisher (Elvis) coming up from the ghetto to seek fame and fortune as a singer in the New Orleans Jazz clubs. Along the way he tangles with gangland boss Maxie Fields (Walter Matthau) and love interest Ronnie played by Carolyn Jones. Can he survive the constant parallels of the mob and achieve success or will his dream's b shattered for a dame? This move has great jazz-rock including songs like 'Dixieland Rocks' and 'New Orleans'. Elvis also shows his voice powerfully on ballads like 'Young Dreams' and 'Don't Ask Me Why'. |
