At the Movies: EPiC Elvis Presley in Concert

 This is a documentary of Elvis Presley with never before seen footage.  It focuses on the Las Vegas concerts but also gives insight to Elvis' youth and his music career based on recorded tapes that were found.  Elvis sings a wide range of music, including several covers of others.  The music is fantastic, the covers and the originals.  Songs include: "In the Ghetto," Can't Help Falling in Love," "That's All Right," Hound Dog," "Polk Salad Annie," "Always on my Mind," "Burning Love," "Are You Lonesome Tonight," "How Great Thou Art," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "You've Lost that Loving Feeling," "Walk a Mile in my Shoes" and "Suspicious Minds."  I really enjoyed the "Polk Salad Annie" as Elvis danced as only he can.  The conversion was also very good into the thoughts of Elvis with regards to his love of music, all kinds.  He refused to answer a question about politics saying he is an entertainer.  He also talked of how he did not enjoy his acting career feeling directors did not let him really act, but just play a caricature.  I loved this documentary.  Directed by Baz Luhrmann.  

Music Review: Elvis Presley Christmas Duets

This CD is based on a clever idea.  They have used Elvis Presley music and added a duet with female singers.  This includes the likes of Martina MCBride, Olivia Newton John, Carrie Underwood, LeAnne Rimes, Amy Grant, Anne Murray and Wynona Judd.  Elvis is a master of singing and performing, and these women add to his music rather than take away.  Some of the songs include: Wynona Judd singing a gritty Santa Clause is back in Town; Olivia Newton John with a very pleasing O Come, All Ye Faithful; Amy Grant a very enjoyable White Christmas.  It starts with Elvis and Martina McBride singing Blue Christmas which sets the tone for the entire CD.  It ends with three Elvis only Christmas songs as a bonus.  

I very much enjoyed this music.

Tom Hanks Movie Review: ****Elvis (2022)

 This film stars Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker and Austin Butler as Elvis Presley.  The cast also includes Olivie DeJong as Priscilla Presley.  It is a biopic of Elvis' life through the etes of Colonel Parker.  Parker is an act promoter, and when he latched onto Elvis he didn't need any other acts.  Elvis showed great loyalty to Parker.  Early in the movie it shows public discrimination against Elvis for his firations, and in fact at one tie he was threatened with arrest.  Instead of arrest, Elvis is drafted into the Army.

When he leaves military service he ow has a wife, and Parker pushes him into movies.  He starred in 31 films, 17 of which were top ten.  The movies were pretty cookie cutter with Elvis singng songs in the movies.  He continued to record and had many number 1 hits.  He would have like more international tours, but Colonel Park as an illegal immigant had to visa.  He kept Elvis close to home.  He hooked him up in Las Vegas and kept working Elvis very hard.  Parker had gambling debts so he had to keep signing Elvis to more deals.  Elvis developed a prescription drug problem which resulted in the end of his marriage.  He died August 16, 1977.  He was overweight and drugs caught up with him.  

The family later sued Colonel Park over his fiancial abuse and he was cut off from the Presley estate.  Parker narrates the film trying to justify his actions; but I am not sure if it convinces anyone.  Hanks also had to gain weight for his role as Colonel Parker but he does a good job portraying the character even though he is not very likable.

He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Music

This link to Youtube only has the end of the program.   However I saw the entire program on PBS and then also on Bing.  It is amazing the love Elvis had for gospel music, and in turn the Lord in general.  This movie documents how he was influenced by this music growing up in Nashville, both gospel and Black gospel were part of his growing up years.
It goes on to talk about how he would insist on making gospel recordings, sang a gospel song on the Ed Sullivan Show, and was a true devotee.  Quite often he would do two shows.  However then he would retire to his room where the musicians in his group, and himself, would entertain until dawn, singing mostly gospel songs.

Music Review: Brilliant Elvis Love Songs & Gospel favorites

I must admit the gospel favorites appeal to me more than the love song.  However this C.D. includes "Now or Never" which is a song that moves me and is a favorite.  Of the gospel songs I would personal recommend "Joshua Fit the Battle" and "I Believe in the Man in the Sky."  I like the feel of this music.  It is not the diet of rock and roll but more a gospel, jazzy kind of feel.

Movie Review: Love Me Tender (1956)

This is Elvis' first movie, and he is surprisingly good.  It is also the only movie in which he played that he did not receive top billing.  The title of the movie was changed so as to accept Elvis' new hit single.  Elvis, Clint, is the younger of four brothers, who has stayed behind to mind the farm, while the other brothers go to the Civil War.  Those brothers are part of a confederate group which steal a federal payroll at the end of the war.  Not knowing what to do with the money, they take it home, and the oldest brother, Vance, (Richard Egan) plans to marry his girl, Kathy (Debra Paget).  However the family heard that the oldest brother had been killed, then the younger brother married the girl.  There is some quick adjustment, which doesn't go very well, because the love flame is still there between Kathy and Vance.  Added to this is the federals coming to get the money from the payroll.  Some of the other men involved in this heist get inside Clint's head, and turn him against Vance.  They want to get the money and run out West.  however Vance wants to turn the money over so as to negotiate their freedom.  As luck would have it, Clint shoots Vance, but his heart wasn't in it and it is not a fatal wound.  Clint comes running to his brother with grief, but ends up getting shot and killed by the men who had gotten inside his head.
 

Movie Review: Wild in the Country: Elvis Presley (1961)

This is an interesting early Elvis Presley movie.  In this case he plays an aspiring young author, Glen, who falls for his mentor and teacher, Irene Sperry (Hope Lange) who is working hard to get him into university so he can pursue his dream.  For a time Glen loses focus on his dream, and it becomes the relationship with the teacher.  They fall in love, but they do not become sexually involved.  However rumors of this involvement become a focus of the book.  They take refuge on a trip to a university, and they are seen.  They have two rooms, and profess their love, but do not go further than this.  However when the rumor flies, it results in an altercation between Glen and a young man, who dies after Glen hits him.  Glen is arrested, but later it becomes known that he has a bad heart condition.  They eventually get their focus back, and Glen pursues his original dream.

Music Review: Elvis The Platinum Collection: Elvis Presley

This is a collection of 75 songs.  If this is just his platinum songs, it makes you wonder how large is Presley's repertoire.  There are many fantastic songs included.  There are three discs, 25 songs each. The first disk is devoted to classics: "Can't Help Falling in Love", "It's Now or Never", "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", "Jailhouse Rock", "Love Me Tender," "All Shook Up" and "Hound Dog" among others.  I was amazed at how many Presley songs have a Latin feel.

The next disk has mostly movie songs.  The last disk gets into his Hawaiian period.  It includes songs like "Blue Hawaii" and "Midnight Swim".  This has plenty to like.  Sheri and I listened in the car.  Sheri wanted to dance, rare for her.  However putting one of these on at home will be a great way to dance.      

Elvis Presley ~ DVD The Final Curtain ~ Live 1977, Last Concert on DVD

This is Elvis past his prime; just a couple months before his untimely death in 1977.  Even though he is past his prime, and slurs his words at times, he is still a master entertainer.  He adds spiritual numbers into his repertoire, and it fits perfectly.  This doesn't represent but a small percentage of his musical contribution, but we have "How Great Thou Art," "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" "Unchained Melody," Teddy Bear" and "Jailhouse Rock."  Lots to keep a person happy here.

Music Documentary Review: Elvis on Tour 1972

Elvis on Tour 1972

 

This is a documentary of Elvis’ 1972 tour.  It gives back stage scenes, talk by the band members of the tour, and shows Elvis on Stage.  It also shows Elvis backstage singing gospel with the members of the band.  Elvis covers many songs made famous by others such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Rolling”.  We also see a few of the old Elvis standbys.  The bring in a clip from the Ed Sullivan show, show Elvis in the recording studio, and give a bit of Elvis history.  The part I enjoyed the most is Elvis on stage.  The gospel was also enjoyable, but not as much show as the actual performances.