Even the most terrible of Elvis movies serve a useful purpose

[Circle G]

As there have been lots of Elvis' movies on tv recently it started me thinking about them.

Athough I love Elvis, I have to admit many of these films are embarrasing to watch especially in company, many have been rightly panned by critics and fans alike as simple, formulaic and corny, however these films are how many fans of today like myself had their first introduction to Elvis.

When I was about eight years old these films like 'Paradise Hawiian Style' and 'Spinout' on the BBC were my introduction to Elvis. They were easy to follow, they were colourful and full of fun and I loved them :D Perhaps the films shown over the past weeks will similarly provide an easy introduction for todays youngsters. Yes, perhaps they will grow to loathe them but many will still have become hooked on Elvis.

Love them or loathe them, if they work today as they did for me all those years ago they will certainly have proved their worth. (y)

What do you think?

[ksimms2]

I recently watched some Elvis movies I'd never seen before....."Easy Come, Easy Go" and what is the name of the one with the big dog in it? Where he sings "Little Less Conversation"? Well that one, I thought was horrible....it also co-starred Dick Sargent or was it Dick York? One of the Darren's...lol....but man....it was just horrible.

But either way....I just love seeing him on the screen ya know?

[Getlo]

I what is the name of the one with the big dog in it? Where he sings "Little Less Conversation"? Well that one, I thought was horrible....it also co-starred Dick Sargent or was it Dick York? One of the Darren's...lol....but man....it was just horrible.



It is Live A Little, Love A Little. The dog was Elvis' real-life great dane, Brutus.

And it was Dick Sargent, who was the second Darrin in Bewitched.

[riley]

I like that film alot because of the beautiful scenes where you can see him playing with his own dog at the beach

[riley]

As a kid i "loved" to see most of his movies.

I still like them

especially blue hawaii, viva las vegas, clambake, girls girls girls, frankie and johnnie.

He was just gorgeous to look at and I could spend hours staring at him in awe.

Now I have not that much time anymore but still have great memories of those pictures.
Until now I don't have any of those on dvd tough.

I would love EPE to bring out "all" the songs of all the movies on dvd's.(y)

Wouldn't that be great.:D

[Lonniebealestreet]

I recently watched some Elvis movies I'd never seen before....."Easy Come, Easy Go" and what is the name of the one with the big dog in it? Where he sings "Little Less Conversation"? Well that one, I thought was horrible....it also co-starred Dick Sargent or was it Dick York? One of the Darren's...lol....but man....it was just horrible.

But either way....I just love seeing him on the screen ya know?

Seems to me that if you consider that one horrible then you would likely only find a handful of them tolerable in the least. Or maybe I am just weird in finding LAL,LAL enjoyable. It's silly, sure, but it's mostly good fun and Elvis looks good and does a fine acting job and the songs are top-notch. It doesn't ding the bell on my cheese-o-meter like some of the other ones do anyway.

[riley]

Live a little love a little
Here Elvis looked at his outmost best.
He was always good looking but OMG in that movie , I never saw him looking any better in his whole life. Equally beautiful to his looks in the 68 special:blush::blush:

[mislulu]

Hi ya, I was searching the web and found the following:

There has been a long-held myth that Elvis and Priscilla's dog Brutus was used in this movie as Albert the Great Dane. Not believing this to be true, we checked with Priscilla herself. She said it was not their dog but a professionally trained 'working dog that was hired for the film'.

I also thought it was Elvis' own dog but I was corrected by someone else.

Live and Learn. LOL

[ksimms2]

Hey guys...easy now...I'm not saying Elvis didn't look good, because well, he always looks good and yes he certainly did in that movie. I however did not like the lead character of female and thought her acting sucked....the movie just did not make sense to me much....has nothing to do with Elvis....I just didn't care for that movie or the main characters (other than elvis) in it....That is the one movie so far that I was from the "get go" not interested in - other than watching Elvis.......does that make sense?

[Circle G]

I recently saw this film on tv, I dont recall ever having seen it before and despite being a fan for 35 years there are others I have never seen. I have to say i thought it one of his better films.


di I however did not like the lead character of female and thought her acting sucked....the movie just did not make sense to me much....has nothing to do with Elvis....I just didn't care for that movie or the main characters (other than elvis) in it....That is the one movie so far that I was from the "get go" not interested in - other than watching Elvis.......does that make sense?

Ksimms - I have to say from a male point of view I liked the female lead, you were obviously looking at her in a different way to me. The scene in the white bathing costume that leaves very little to the imagination!!!:blink:

[jak]

I just watched Stay Away Joe from the new boxset recently released.I forgot just how brutal that movie was.It was almost a painful experience.A good many of the films are tolerable but a select few need to be detroyed for the sake of Elvis' legacy.
Jak

[Getlo]

I just watched Stay Away Joe from the new boxset recently released.I forgot just how brutal that movie was.It was almost a painful experience.A good many of the films are tolerable but a select few need to be detroyed for the sake of Elvis' legacy.
Jak

Are you saying it was bad? I love that flick!

[ksimms2]

I recently saw this film on tv, I dont recall ever having seen it before and despite being a fan for 35 years there are others I have never seen. I have to say i thought it one of his better films.



Ksimms - I have to say from a male point of view I liked the female lead, you were obviously looking at her in a different way to me. The scene in the white bathing costume that leaves very little to the imagination!!!:blink:

You are right...I wasn't looking at her bod. I was looking at the hunk Elvis' bod!! She was very attractive - but I thought the script just wasn't that great. I mean from the very beginning, she sends her dog out to "fetch" Elvis....and she decides just from looking at him through her binoculars that she loves him? or wants him? or whatever....just seemed silly to me....but it doesn't matter....I'll watch anything with Elvis in it.....I find it strange that I have not seen all his movies either and now am looking forward to seeing those I have not.

[jak]

Are you saying it was bad? I love that flick!

Im glad you enjoyed it.It's all subjective.I wouldnt call it a memorable moment for Burgess Meredith either.Elvis looked great but the movie itself was beyond terrible to me.I put it in the same class as Harum Sarum.Onthe other hand I actually enjoy Tickle Me.Go figure.Elvis' costar joceyln Lane ,ay be part of the reason I like that one;)
Jak

[Getlo]

I actually enjoy Tickle Me.Go figure.Elvis' costar joceyln Lane ,ay be part of the reason I like that one;)
Jak

I saw Tickle Me for the first time in about 15 years (at least) yesterday; I'd forgotten that it was actually quite funny. And I'd forgotten what a hottie JL was in that ... a close second to Ann-Margret, I think. She couldn't act a lick, though ... but who cares?!

[Lonniebealestreet]

I just watched Stay Away Joe from the new boxset recently released.I forgot just how brutal that movie was.It was almost a painful experience.A good many of the films are tolerable but a select few need to be detroyed for the sake of Elvis' legacy.
Jak

I must say as much as I like LAL,LAL I strongly dislike SAJ. It is hard for me to watch. It had its moments, but for the most part I found myself feeling embarrassed for Elvis--and Burgess Meredith, too.

I definitely had my expectations set too high whenever I first saw it. Apparently Elvis did too, seeming to have a pretty positive mindset about it while he was making it. At the time he said something to the effect that in most of his movies he had played a guy who had things happen to him, with girls pursuing him and things taking place that determined his fate while Joe Lightcloud was a guy who was a go-getter, stirring things up and making things happen.

It is unclear whether Elvis really felt good about the film or if he was trying to convince others (or himself) that it was a worthy project. It had a great setting, a rarity among Presley pictures, and a decent cast, but the story and the dialogue seemed to lack any sense of direction and cohesiveness.

There are plenty other far from serious Elvis movies that I do enjoy, like Tickle Me or Clambake, so it isn't that if it's not King Creole I don't appreciate it. Stay Away, Joe is just a mess as far as I'm concerned.

[Miss Clawdy]

I think it could be helpful to wear our famous rose coloured glasses to watch some of his films:lol: ;)
but I totally agree with ksimms2, I love to watch him no matter how or where....we don't have many choices, we have to take what we have:'(;)

[KPM]

Are you saying it was bad? I love that flick!
I actually thought it was a fun movie. Elvis was not a "humble straight arrow" At least this was a change in format to a certain extent. He was stealing his friends girls, trying to seduce an 18 year old and there was the hint that he had also had a fling with her mother years before(played by the great actress Joan Blondell) It was 180% turn from the characters he usually played. It was fluff-but had a more mature subject matter. But it is subjective, some like it- some don't.;)

[KPM]

I saw Tickle Me for the first time in about 15 years (at least) yesterday; I'd forgotten that it was actually quite funny. And I'd forgotten what a hottie JL was in that ... a close second to Ann-Margret, I think. She couldn't act a lick, though ... but who cares?!
Tickle Me is funny because it was written by two great comedy writers who wrote and directed many Three Stooges shorts and some of their feature films-Elwood Ullman and Edward Bernds. When you watch it again and realize Three Stooges writers were involved-it ties together.:D

[ksimms2]

Don't think I've ever seen "Tickle Me" will definately have to take a look....everyone in my house dreads Aug 16th and Jan 8th because the movie channels all run Elvis movies and I won't let them watch anything else. But I've since accumulated (sp?) some of my own Elvis movies to watch in my room....but don't think Tickle Me is one of them.

[The King's Queen]

As we all know, Elvis really didn't have any control over those movies...we have the Colonel to thank for them...whether they are good or bad. :blink: But oh how I wish he could have done "A Star Is Born"....:king: maybe then he would have been credited as a serious actor. I do think he had the potential...:P

[Merry]

But oh how I wish he could have done "A Star Is Born"....:king: maybe then he would have been credited as a serious actor. I do think he had the potential...:P


I believe he did too, Queenie.

Hugs,
Kimmi

[Getlo]

But oh how I wish he could have done "A Star Is Born"....:king:

Unfortunately, the Streisand remake of A Star Is Born is one of the worst flicks of all time. (n)

However, it may have been better received at the time if Elvis had been in it. And if it was made the same way, it wouldn't have resurrected his career I think.

[jak]

Unfortunately, the Streisand remake of A Star Is Born is one of the worst flicks of all time. (n)

However, it may have been better received at the time if Elvis had been in it. And if it was made the same way, it wouldn't have resurrected his career I think.

You make the point that I think many forget.The movie is not well regarded.There isnt much reason to think Elvis' appearance would have changed that.Elvis may have dodged a bullet by not being in it.His performance may have been ripped to shreds leading to more woes for him.It's one thing to falter while doing a series of one nighters on the road.To do it on the big screen in a major film could have really hit him hard.I dont know that he could have got it together for that film or not.A lot of "what if's"
Jak

[Burning_Love]

I like some of the movies, but not all. They got stupid. Elvis could have been a great actor, he had the talent, he had it. Col. is to blame for the stupid movies that were made. They are all the same story, just different people, different locations. Poor Elvis. I think though if he toured during them years, he would have died earlier, because when he did tour he took twice as many pills. So i guess these movies saved his life a couple of years, IMHO.

[ksimms2]

I often wonder how Elvis life and career would have turned out without the Col. in the background barking orders....some blame him - others say he was a very good businessman.

[elvislady]

I just watched Stay Away Joe from the new boxset recently released.I forgot just how brutal that movie was.It was almost a painful experience.A good many of the films are tolerable but a select few need to be detroyed for the sake of Elvis' legacy.
Jak

I agree jak i watched this film last week for the first time and had to turn it off.
elvislady

[The King's Queen]

You make the point that I think many forget.The movie is not well regarded.There isnt much reason to think Elvis' appearance would have changed that.Elvis may have dodged a bullet by not being in it.His performance may have been ripped to shreds leading to more woes for him.It's one thing to falter while doing a series of one nighters on the road.To do it on the big screen in a major film could have really hit him hard.I dont know that he could have got it together for that film or not.A lot of "what if's"
Jak

Sorry, but I didn't necessarily mean that the movie in and of itself was that great...what I meant was that it was a cut above most of his movies...a more serious role, per say. Elvis viewed it as something that he really wanted to do...an IMO when someone really wants to do something, they tend to excell at it. Whether or not the movie would have been a box-office smash, I do think that it would have made him feel as if he was at least being recognized as an actor. Perhaps he did "dogde a bullet" by not being in it, we will never know for sure. But one thing is certain, there are a lot of "what if's"......

[Getlo]

Sorry, but I didn't necessarily mean that the movie in and of itself was that great...what I meant was that it was a cut above most of his movies...a more serious role, per say. Elvis viewed it as something that he really wanted to do...an IMO when someone really wants to do something, they tend to excell at it. Whether or not the movie would have been a box-office smash, I do think that it would have made him feel as if he was at least being recognized as an actor. Perhaps he did "dogde a bullet" by not being in it, we will never know for sure. But one thing is certain, there are a lot of "what if's"......

Hang on, in reference to your quoted post from jak, you seem to be talking about both movies - Stay Away, Joe and A Star is Born.

[The King's Queen]

Hang on, in reference to your quoted post from jak, you seem to be talking about both movies - Stay Away, Joe and A Star is Born.

Uhhh...no, just A Star Is Born. Maybe it just came across wrong....:hmm:

[retroprincess]

I grew up on Elvis' movies, but as an adult, still find a lot of them really enjoyable! Eg Blue Hawaii, Girl Happy, Viva Las Vegas, Fun in Acupulco, Live a Little Love a Little...lol, I could go on and on!

Perhaps the only one I really cringe at is Harum Scarum (but even so, I'll stop for a second look if it's playing on tv - just because Elvis looks so handsome in it LOL!!!)...!!!