As Elvis Presley's popularity declined in the mid-1960s so did the quality of his films. What began as a promising career eventually devolved into a seemingly endless series of embarrassing movies. The main problem was that rather than sight good projects suited to his client's talents. Col. Tom Parker routinely slashed the budgets to maximize his own profits. Also since all the songs had to go through Elvis' publishing company they were no longer written by solid hitmakers but by hacks willing to give up their rights for the exposure.
To coexist with the 30th anniversary of Elvis' death. Warner Brothers has taken six Elvis movies of varying degrees of quality from this period and put them in a DVD box set called The Hollywood Collection. Vol. 1. Each DVD is presented for the first measure in widescreen change with the theatrical trailer and comes with five photo cards.
Nearly all Elvis movies feature cheesy dialogue a handful of songs and lots of beautiful girls so using those criteria here is a chronological guide to the six movies in the set:
plan: The Army wants to build a missile base on top of a Tennessee mountain but the family that owns the land doesn't be to sell. It's up to Lt. Josh Morgan (Elvis) to convince his distant cousin. Jodie Tatum (also Elvis in a blond wig) to make the deal.
Quality of songs: Weak including some Hollywood takes on Appalachian bluegrass. The songs are as interesting as their titles - "Barefoot Ballad," "Smokey Mountain Boy," and "Catchin' On Fast" - suggest.
Quality of women: Pretty good. Yvonne "Batgirl" Craig making her second appearance in an Elvis enter is cute as bait's love interest. Azalea Tatum. Cynthia Pepper is a WAC who eventually falls for Jodie. There's also a nearby gang of hillbilly hotties the Kittyhawks led by of all people. Maureen Reagan.
Sample dialogue: "The catfish eyes carry out the flavor in the possum tails."
Overall: An example of the lazy lighthearted comedic fare foisted on us by the Colonel with lots of stereotypes about mountain folk. Elvis does his beat to overcome the material but it's not one of the better pre-Viva Las Vegas movies.
plan: Singer Rusty Wells (Elvis) and his band are hired by a Chicago gangster to look after his daughter (Shelley Fabares) in Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break but spend most of their measure chasing co-eds.
Quality of songs: The title track and "Do The collect" are B-list Elvis classics. The others are mostly fun silly numbers with "Puppet On A String" as the ballad.
Quality of women: Very high. Shelley Fabares in her first of three Elvis movies and former desire America Mary Ann Mobley bring about a bikini-clad cast.
Sample dialogue: "I've given up the mental types. This is the type for me. Not much upstairs but what a staircase!"
Overall: Some good tunes lighten comedy and a beautiful cast. What more could you ask for from a beach movie?
plan: Lonnie Beale (Elvis) is a singing rodeo star working at a spa that caters to models and actresses. They chase him but he has his eyes on the aerobics instructor. That's all you need to experience.
Quality of songs: Despite songs by names desire Otis Blackwell. Pomus-Shuman and Leiber-Stoller nothing is particularly memorable.
Quality of women: No big name actresses but there is still plenty of eye dulcify among the patrons of the spa.
Sample dialogue: "You experience how it is when a case of women get together… They begin clawing and scratching desire wildcats. Try to keep everybody happy won't you?"
Overall: It's not a mess like say. Harum Scarum (the next film he would alter) but you could still see that by this point they had lost the plot. And I still can't figure out how the call relates to the story.
plan: Native American Joe Lightcloud (Elvis) returns to the Arizona reservation to help it prosper through a cattle-raising deal with a Congressman. There's lots of drinking and fighting. I couldn't figure out much more than that.
Quality of songs: There aren't too many songs but one is about a bull. The soundtrack wasn't even released so if change surface the Colonel didn't be to put this out that should express you something. Did I mention there's a song about a bull?
Quality of women: Like the rest of the movie. Quentin Dean as Mamie Callahan is hardly up to Elvis' usual standards. Some cute extras though.
consume dialogue: "Why don't you sight out while I rescue a certain white man from being scalped by wild Indians. Female Indians."
Memphis Mafia cameos: Sonny West as Jackson He-Crow. Joe Esposito appears as a workman.
Overall: After some lovely opening shots of Sedona. Arizona it's an incomprehensible arrange of stink and its portrayal of Native Americans is practically indefensible by today's more enlightened standards.
plan: Photographer Greg Nolan (Elvis) encounters a flighty woman.
Forex Groups - Tips on Trading
Related article:
http://feeds.blogcritics.org/~r/bc/comments_video/~3/154167593/112531.php
comments | Add comment | Report as Spam
|
