I watched every Elvis movie and all I went was insane
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- Опубликовано: 20 янв 2023
- I spent way too much time on this, but at least it's undoubtedly the most important thing I'll ever do in my life.
Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/ourewan
References:
Being Elvis, A Lonely Life by Ray Connolly
Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick
Elvis Presley in the Movies by Timothy Knight
Elvis Presley on Screen: The Good, the Bad, and the Bonkers by Chloe Walker: www.pastemagazine.com/movies/...
Elvis on Film: A Brief History of The King's Life on the Big Screen: / watch
v=8jtFfbushPU&ab_channel=TurnerClassicMovies
Elvis History Blog: www.elvis-history-blog.com/
Elvis Echoes of the Past: www.elvisechoesofthepast.com/c...
Elvis Australia: www.elvis.com.au/
The Colonel - The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker & Elvis Presley
Music:
Rock de la cárcel / Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley cover)
Burning Love - Elvis Presley 
Кино
The fact that Col Parker had Elvis spend the 60s making these crap movies instead of going head-to-head with the Beatles is one of the greatest cultural crimes ever committed.
Beatles burned out on bad films even faster. And did anything the Monkees did ever hold up? Jim Morrison killed himself even sooner. Etc. Elvis actually had great success. He wasn't a happy person. But most people aren't really happy.
Most 1960s movies(but not all)were mostly Fluff.
@@nathancoleman7235majority of them until about 66-67. It was either fluff, westerns or Hitchcock films. Japan was literally making better films in the early 60’s
If you think about it the movie model makes sense, music videos weren’t a thing and Elvis’ main selling point was his sex appeal. Making essentially 1.5 hour long music videos to be put in theaters makes sense in a world where most people didn’t have television and if you did, it was a handful of channels
@@patrickr3438 but couldn't any of those movies have been really good and maybe even "artistic" then they were, instead of being bad, and even weird?
FUN FACT: When Elvis came to Germany for his military service, he arrived in the small port city of Bremerhaven. Today, there's a plaque to memorialise this event, because it's the single most exiting thing that ever happened in Bremerhaven.
To be fair you were one of the only places he went outside of the U.S. so it’s definitely noteworthy!
Nah. I won't take that as fact.
I was told this fact would be fun.
jk it was kinda fun ☺️
In Bremerhaven is the Klimahaus, a building that explores and replicates the climate and enviroments of locations along the same longitude as Bremerhaven around the world. It is a technological marvel and a brilliant visit, yet is also a sign of "the most interesting thing to see in Bremerhaven is what it is like anywhere other than Bremerhaven."
This is one of my favorite fun facts now
“The only thing worse than failure is a persistent success to remind you of your own mediocrity.”
The best description of Elvis’ film career I’ve ever heard
His early dramas were pretty good. After that he churned out three a year and got paid a million dollars for each one, which was unheard of in those days. He didn't like most of them but hey, he got paid well.
and bracketed by people whose only goal was to maintain that mediocrity. He was a truly tragic figure
So true I couldn’t as much as sit through any of those schmaltzy movies. Actually just seeing clips of those movies it really ruins my impression of Elvis. I came to US in 1969 so didn’t grow up watching Elvis he wasn’t known in Europe it was the Beatles we grew up on.
Really loved their music and movies were great. All I remember about Elvis when i came here that he was always in the tabloids dating different women after his divorce from Priscilla. He was constantly ridiculed for his expending girth and just overall decline. That’s what i remember about Elvis while he was still alive.
What I realized is because of Social Media, RUclips etc we are handed a group of JETHROS and whacked white woke witches who magically have acquired a journalistic education and they surfaced here hoping we all believe they are authentic and not pretenders. There sickness though is character assassinating continuously SELECTIVE Dead performers they hate like Elvis. Sick is correct because they stay clear of the Little White Boy Collector who there is immense print and video library of this Peter Pan prickless prince of pop that proved through truth and the paying off parents of little white boys MILLIONS that this slime was worth a wealth of daily content to appear on social media for years but NO not with these degenerate dingos they have been exposed and they can't stomach the immense overwhelming popularity and respect for Elvis 50 years after his death. Sorry, degenerates just keep deficating out your mouth.
This guy isn't old enough to critique a damn thing pertaining to Elvis ! Elvis IS the KING of Rock n Roll and a LEGEND !!!
Elvis really did get the “I’m just Ken” treatment but worse because he wasn’t even genuinely dumb
I think elvis was pretty dumb..
Im listening to a biography written by one of his friends/ bodyguards and it sounds like he actually did have some true intelligence but it didn’t ever get used unfortunately and he was naive and trusting about certain things and got used poorly as a result @@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367
@@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367 What makes you think that? Do you know anything about him?
he was dumb for not firing his manager@@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367
@@fparkes5781 hmm dont need to know him to think he was dumb.. My father met him several times and liked him, he said he was a regular friendly southern sort of hillbilly type guy but with an amiable persona and good manners.. Was when he was young in the military . But my father was also insane and followed instructions from an ancient saudi arabian meteorite with a natural hole in it he had on a string made of fibre from a medieval surcoat , he also consulted an egyptian scarab betle he kept in a tiny sandalwood box carved with runes which told him to collect wheel weights off the road and to build a zuggurat in the back yard... So its probably of little worth what he said.
I just see elvis in interviews and see his fanily and they appear to be of low intellect.
He seems charismatic but dumb and childlike. And also he seems to enjoy sex with young girls. Although at that time many of these souther hillbilly types had this habit.. So i cant say if its him or a whole now passed southern rural culture of being pedos.. Which they didnt even consider at the time
I think Paul Mccartney said it was much harder for Elvis because there was only one of him rather than a group, if you think how many people were trying to take a slice of him it's insane. He did so much yet his potential wasn't truly fulfilled
Well, when you are never expected to write a song, can barely play guitar, and are of sub-normal IQ. Life is hard.
I think Ringo said that.
Lol I just stumbled across the quote and it was actually George. He said it was good to be four people in a group and he felt sorry for Elvis because nobody else knew what he felt
the above quotes just go to show how much better it is when there is a group rather than a lone individual. Someone's eventually gonna say something smart or useful! 🤣🤣
Ringo said it.
the farther you get into the video, the more heartbreaking the fact about him memorizing the entire script of his first movie becomes.
Lilo and Stitch is the true conclusion of the Elvis cinematic universe.
Like, legitimately. At the very least, it's a spiritual successor to those movies. It manages to lovingly poke fun at the B-movie status that man had while simultaneously criticizing the ways that colonialist structures (that include Elvis) have impacted Native Hawaiians. Elvis just pairs so well with a story about an alien finding his own identity and place to belong separate from his creator, and I took his role in the plot for granted as a kid who was introduced to his music through that movie.
Stitch is a sign of everything wrong with modern Disney.
@aclark903 bro even as a die hard modern disney hater i gotta say bad take, terrible take, lilo and stitch was a touching beautiful movie with a genuine soul and spirit to it that would never be found in a modern disney movie
@@Aratlikecreature It wasn’t all bad, I’ll give you that.
Raaaawwwlll
@@aclark903 It was the beginning of the end.
48:57 "I would ask him what his favorite anime was, just to see what he said."
Elvis: Whoa lil man, I sure do love me some a' that Neon Genesis Evangelion. That Misato is one hot momma, whoooaaa baby.
LOL
The more I hear Elvis actually speak, the less I’m able to separate him from Johnny Bravo.
There is a very low-hanging fruit joke involving Misato, Elvis, and 14 year olds
@@theoneandonlymichaelmccormickJohnny Bravo takes a lot of cues from Elvis
@@josephtafur No shit.
Interesting tidbit about Jailhouse Rock: Elvis never watched this movie, his co-star, Judy Tyler, died tragically in a car accident shortly after she finished filming and he couldn't bring himself to watch it.
He also promised his mother he would never die in any film after the first one he died in because it made her cry so much and hated to upset her and he could never watch the movie Gladys was in after her death.
That’s right…. Very sad fact 😢
At least you didn't call it a "fun fact".
As someone who grew up in the 50’s & 60’s I regularly went to see Elvis movies. Like you said..back then we saw them to see Elvis. It gave him more exposure than most singers back then. My mom was a big fan so we would talk about is life and career. People knew he was not happy doing these but we all loved him so we went to them. It is weird how much people just loved him. Word got around about how generous he was with total strangers. In a way we all felt like we knew him. I don’t think any other entertainer will be beloved like he was back then.
That’s exactly what I was going to say. As a young teen in the UK, how else was I going to get to see Elvis but in these movies. They may have served him well in the long run, heh?
Michael Jackson surpasses him in that regard, but he's probably the only person to do so.
I wasn't alive back then, but I can tell that it wasn't very different from whatching superheroe/franchise movies today, most of them are formulaic and generic, with some gems being the exception, but I think that this "Elvis Cinematic Universe" is a reflection of what is going to happen to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, consummate the formulas until they have no more, that's what happened to Universal's Classic Monsters (and also Hammer Films), the first films are good, but they stretched the material so much with sequels and crossovers, the films just ended up becoming parodies of themselves (hence, Abott and Costello meet Frankenstein and the Wolfman), taking antoher Universal example, nobody takes the Fast and Furious movies seriously at this point, they just exist for entertain and make money at cost of all logic, they are very far from what they were at the beginning.
Today's people don't think about it, but musical cinema was an escape window to see your favorite musical artists on screen, this was during the first years of television (which was rivalizing with movie theatres, just like streaming services nowadays), long before MTV existed, many consider the sequence of Elvis singing Jailhouse Rock to be the first music video in history.
My conclusions: when reworking old formulas and stories no longer work, we have to support new stories and new artists, many of them could be legends for the next decades, Hollywood is going through a crisis similar to that of the 60s, it's time to reinvent.
@@bluefalcon6356 Elvis had one of the most highly attended celebrity funerals processions in the U.S. , approximately 80,000 people (17,5OO for Michael Jackson)
So Elvis was Mr. Beast of his time
There was ONE genre that Elvis did not conquer... Science Fiction.
What about "Space Station Rock" or "Blue UFO"? Those movies are sci fi classics
In the new cartoon series 'Agent Elvis' he goes to space in the end.
Lilo and Stitch
I would pay a disgusting amount of money to see Elvis go to space
A shame too because he loved star trek
I grew up with an Elvis fan for a mum. We used to watch ALL of these movies, while I'd ask her a million questions and she'd answer using her collection of fan knowledge.
In his less good movies she'd say 'he wasn't too good in this one, it was a very early one for him'. Or 'he wasn't in a good place here'. She'd tell me the little life details behind the man I saw on the screen.
It's very nostalgic for me to watch my generation enthusiastically delve into music history like this. Especially about Elvis. It's unlocked so many childhood memories.
I cannot count the times I'd wake up to Elvis records playing, and my mum busting moves while cleaning the house. Shes a fantastic dancer (though she can't anymore due to arthritis) so when she saw you, she'd pull you in to dance with her. My dad couldn't dance, but she'd make him dance too, and he'd be so happy, feeling like he was the best dancer in the world because of her. Such precious family memories.
I know that Elvis did awful things too, and that's something I can't ignore. I also do not remember the spanking scene, I feel my mother shielded me from all the odd scenes! However I can't deny that his music was integral to some of my happiest childhood memories. 😂
You brought back Memories for me about my Mom and she was a big Elvis fan as well.She would have a dance to Elvis anytime and would play his music all day and watch his movies to have a laugh and those really are great memories for me too.Thanks ❤Love🥲
@@vnette9777 aww I'm so happy to hear about your memories! That's so similar to my own ❤️ Those are the most precious moments and having the music+movies is a great way to hold onto them forever ! X
It's seriously a crime this isn't more viewed. This is incredibly well done
Seriously?
If you know the real story you wouldn't think so
Well done sirrr🎉 thank youuuu
Agreed
Blame RUclips. It’s a horrible website for newcomers.
My favourite part of watching this was the horror I felt every time I imagined Elvis in some of the iconic roles he was offered, but turned down.
Except Bye Bye Birdie. That would've been awesome.
@@BrendanJSmith He would have been good in True Grit. I thought Glen Campbell did very well in the role though.
take a shot every time then we can all cry together at the end 😭😭😭
Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick told me that Elvis didn't really get those offers.
THE DEFIANT ONES- with Sammy Davis Jr and Elvis. It was later done with Sidney Pointer and TOny Curtis
TRUE GRIT- At Wayne's request.... amazing. Later played by Glen Campbell.
WESTSIDE STORY
GREASE - He was considered for the Frankie Avalon part.
A STAR IS BORN- This would have sent over the line... he would not have died from boredom.
Lots more we are missing. Imagine had he done all of these!
Man, absolutely insane Elvis missed out on most of the bustling 60s rock music scene because of the movies.
He granted himself a pause - so that others could pretend that they were on his level, without him in the game.
I love that there are no good photos of Tom Parker
He was so funny in many of his films. His comedic timing was great. He was also serious when needed, I.e. Kid Galahad. His argument scene was perfect.
His performance as a juvenile delinquent in King Creole is also world class.
my favourite Elvis' funny scene is maybe in Viva Las Vegas : Elvis playing the waiter ruining Ann-Margret dinner with the other race driver; but Stay away Joe and The trouble with girls are also so funny; well you're right, many of his films are very funny . If Elvis could look back right now, he could also be proud of Hollywood career.
He did gave some good movie moments. Viva Las Vegas has decent production values and the duo of Elvis and Ann-Margret was quite charming.
I love those Elvis movies... as cheesy as they may be... I just love Elvis. I've been a fan since I was 4 years old.
this video is actually so good, it's comedic, serious and pretty educational. I've never laughed at a youtube video this much 💀
As an Elvis fan this is one of the most detailed reviews of all 31 films and some things I didn't know.
🙋🏻♀️ Same! #fangirl 👍🏼Very well done!
I couldn’t have put it better
i feel exhausted just watching this, how do you not go absolutely insane watching all these, let alone filming all this shit for the better half of a decade 😭
As an Elvis fan (based on his music and talent, not his movies), I was intrigued by a video chronicling his film career. “Sheesh, a 94-minute video!”, I thought, “I’ll skip around to the more interesting parts.” And I watched the entire thing and was riveted the entire time. Superb job. You know your stuff, you’re a serious Elvis scholar, you’re an engaging host, and I love your ironic humor. Okay, you win. I’m a subscriber, and I look forward to your other videos.
Agreed! I thought I would have to break this video into chunks. The video was so entertaining and well put together that I was hooked all the way through and watched it all in one sitting.
So you agree with the daily double dingos that Elvis was a racist then how about that Elvis stole BLM's $90 Million dollars.
You get the sense that elvis, as electrifying as he already was, could have been so much greater had he not been stifled by the people meant to help him
As someone who has never watched a single Elvis Presley movie, 45:41 literally made me go “WHAT” out loud. That entire segment from 45:20 to 45:45 has been living in my head for the past couple days now lmao. This entire video was super well done and I enjoyed every part of it! If someone who doesn’t really have that much interest in Elvis can watch an hour and a half deep dive and be completely enthralled, you’re definitely doing something right!
"kissing cousins" is a phrase for a cousin that isn't blood related but is only related through marriage. That's still kinda gross but not as bad as what many people think the phrase means: which is a cousin that you're romantically involved with. Which CAN be the case, it isn't what the phrase necessarily refers to.
I said oh my god or fuck or a mixture of both so many times during this video. 🤣🤣
For everyone's rewatching pleasure, I present to you timestamps!
6:52 “Love Me Tender”
10:58 “Loving You”
14:45 “Jailhouse Rock”
17:48 “King Creole”
22:14 “G.I. Blues”
25:55 “Flaming Star”
28:00 “Wild In The Country”
30:19 “Blue Hawaii”
34:53 “Follow That Dream”
36:23 “Kid Galahad”
39:11 “Girls! Girls! Girls!”
41:43 “It Happened At The World’s Fair”
42:52 “Fun in Acapulco”
45:40 “Kissin’ Cousins”
47:25 “Viva Las Vegas”
49:40 “Roustabout”
51:53 “Girl Happy”
53:44 “Tickle Me”
55:49 “Harum Scarum”
1:01:10 “Frankie and Johnny”
1:02:04 “Paradise, Hawaiian Style”
1:03:00 “Spinout”
1:05:32 “Easy Come, Easy Go”
1:07:39 “Double Trouble”
1:10:33 “Clambake”
1:12:18 “Stay Away, Joe”
1:14:25 “Speedway”
1:17:56 “Live A Little, Love A Little”
1:22:03 “Charro!”
1:23:55 “The Trouble with Girls”
1:26:21 “A Change of Habit”
haha
what a legend xx
THANK YOU ! 🫡
BLESS Y0U⚘️♥️💯
Thank You⚘️😊
Where are they showing?
@@sandrasanders3422
there a few you can watch for free on RUclips and hbo max has a few
if you go to prime and search elvis presley movies you can find a few there also
unfortunately most aren't readily available for free
but his bday is next month and sometimes the week leading up to his bday jan 8th and elvis week that leads up to his death aug 16 places like RUclips and max will run a whole bunch of them for free :)
Elvis is actually a very important part of my family life. My Grandma was obsessed with Elvis and I even bought a movie collection for my mom. The biggest part of one of his movies I think is most fascinating is that Kurt Russell made his film debut as a kid kicking Elvis in the shin.
And then Kurt went on to play Elvis. (Terribly) but full circle none the less
Kurt became a better Actor by doing that kick. ;-)
This sounds like my upbringing! My grandma had so much Elvis memorabilia
Ngl I was weary ab watching this after enduring yrs of listening to people make fun of and slander this mans soul crushing movie career..
But you've managed to make an honest and loving tribute to a man who always did his very best, because he knew his fans would be paying to see it, because he believed in honoring his contracts, and through it all refused to give up on his dream for as long as humanly possible..even though he was actually dying inside from it.
None of us can possibly understand the type of strength it took to deal with the crushing disappointments movie after movie, yr after yr or the actual toll it took on his heart and soul.
I will always defend this man and his movie career because he deserves that.
I'm so happy this exists!
Thank you ♡
Same! I'm not gonna lie, I avoided this video when I first saw it recommended to me because I've been burned so many times from people not even trying to find the truth behind the man, and all of the very complicated goings-ons and issues surrounding Elvis and his time with Hollywood. But I'm glad I did finally watch, thank you!
Did you mean to say "wary?" I'm struggling to figure out how "weary" makes any sense here.
@@ttintagel
really!?!?
"struggling" lol
i think its pretty obvious what i meant
but hey thanks for pointing out what was probably an autocorrect typo
tf will i ever get a decent nights sleep with this typo knowledge....
He made so many great, classic films.
@@Kevmaster2000 It's a type of film we never see anymore and would feel revolutionary now when we don't have them every four months.
This inspired me to rewatch the entire ECU.
"Follow That Dream" definitely deserves more respect and attention and "King Creole" is a legitimately great movie. I get shivers when he starts singing "Trouble".
Imagine my dismay when I find out this guy only has 11 videos.
No wonder he ripped a lot of these scripts apart, raging with fury. I will never, ever understand why he never told the Colonel to bugger off. He was, as Martin Sheen said, «unfulfilled», well said. To me the movies, especially from 1963-1969, with a couple of exceptions, was so bad, it hardly scratched the surface of his immense talent.
elvis was probably a little on the spectrum, we know he had anxiety disorders. he went from one caretaker, his mom, to the colonel. he always had a gang of hangeroners to take care of his needs. aside from his time in the army, he kinda lived in a gilded cage trapped in familiarity like a lot of people like that do.
Funny thing is, one of his better films from that period - Viva Las Vegas - Elvis himself absolutely LOATHED. Go figure that one out if you can!
Well he would have had a much better time getting rid of Parker if Andreas’ little secret had been exposed a lot more quickly. Because he was eventually taken to court for his unethical management practices if I am not mistaken, but until 5 years after EP’s death. As far as the little secret… not sure when all that came out.
@@anthonyrowland9072Probably not. The man who performed Elvis' autopsy published a report a few years ago speculating that Elvis' wild temperament was the result of cumulative head trauma. His gang of "hangeronners" were mostly comprised of his cousin and and childhood friends, none of whom he paid very much save the odd Cadillac or two.
Because the colonel owned every aspect of his life
The Beatles did not meet Elvis at Graceland, they met Elvis at his house on Perugia Way in Los Angeles. An amazing and very entertaining study of Elvis and all of his movies.
Man, Col Parker is like the most stereotypical villain producer imaginable, he wants the cheapest and most markable shit and plenty of times because of his own Greed he lose out on making even more MONEY
Its wild because... Its Elvis, the man could release a 70 minute tape of him doing jumping jacks in a white room and it would raise millions. So, why the hell was Parker this... Conservative?
He was a textbook example of those people who think they know everything while making an ass of themselves. Thus "my way or the highway" type manipulations @@bautistagimenezcorti404
I think what you've done here is absolutely incredible. I wrote my college thesis for film and popular culture about Elvis' film career. And you nailed it. But what I really appreciated about this video is your research. You didn't just review the movies themselves but threaded the needle into how they tied into his career, the effect it had on him, personally and professionally. The last 4 minutes of this where you for it all together is absolutely brilliant. Well done. I might add for his very last film, Elvis on Tour from '72 Elvis gives a very candid interview where he talks about his movie career which is something you may have heard in your research but what he reveals is quite eye opening. Again, this is IMO the ULTIMATE overview of Elvis' movie career.
Elvis read The Prophet in 1956, when he borrowed the book from his then girlfriend June Juanico. He asked to keep it and he had it ever since, still by his bed when he passed in 1977. It's still there today. I really recommend reading her book, Elvis: In the Twilight of Memory, as it does show a lot of Elvis' mind back in 1956, when his career were really taking off. This was a time where June and Elvis was walking the streets, and someone asked Elvis to take a picure of them and not Elvis. They didn't recognize him. The same year, June and Elvis would escape the cinema with a mob of people after them. This was the first time he feared for his life. This book is truly a gem. Even letting us know that Nick Adams was a spy hired by the Colonel to make sure he wasn't too close to any which girl. It showed the control the Colonel had on him and June having quite the feisty comebacks to his way of going with what the Colonel wanted. It's a superb book on Elvis' early fame, and who he was before the army.
Wondered what killed Elvis and Nick Adam's friendship. Did Elvis find out about Nick and the Colonel? I will get that book. It was on my list.
@@vickylong3229 How glad it makes me someone else is going to read this book! You won’t regret it. It’s a book I know I will reread. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I don’t know if Elvis knew. June said she found out Nick was a spy first when she was researching for her book. But she was suspicious back then. And I can see why, having read her book. I don’t want to say too much, due to possible spoilers that June herself can tell much better through her words. Her book is an experience, and read like true novel. If you do read it, I would love to hear what you thought of it!
I do think it's an sad thing we never got Elvis in the Barbra Streisand version of A Star is Born. He could of brought a rawness that only Judy ever had in all those remakes.
I'm sad we didn't get him in a good comedy movie, this whole video has shown he would've worked pretty good in a Zucker Abrahams and Zucker movie
Commenting again for the algorithm. This video deserves more views!
I rewatch it every so often, very cozy, funny, interesting and a little solemn.
I'm a HUGE Elvis fan, I have been since I was a kid, and I've seen almost all of his movies, and this is hands down the most in-depth, entertaining look at his film career I've ever seen. Your takes are incisive, funny, honest and your reactions to certain scenes were priceless.
I feel like some of these Elvis films would be weird guilty pleasures to binge. Great video!!
As an almost 40 year Elvis fan and frequent binger of his movies I can say this: THEY SO ARE!! Even if some of them are a bit ridiculous but hey he's Elvis 🤣😉
@@GrandMaester81so true!!
The irony of Clambake and Kissin' Cousins being two of my most rewatched movies lol 💀 For all the problems and things surrounding them, they're just fun and comfy to throw on
I watched Jailhouse Rock and it was kind of stupid but it was VERY entertaining
@@lllSASlll It was actually cruel to make Elvis look like a twin of himself because he had a twin who was stillborn. I think Elvis' feelings were overlooked with many of the decisions made for him.
My biggest take away from this is that Elvis had a manager who wasn't very creative and was unwilling to work outside of a proven formula. He was able to find a price point for everyone around Elvis to keep them satisfied enough to keep the gravy train rolling. Really sad story...
Edit: thinking about this further I have another thoughts. Elvis was turned into a carnival show where you get the same thing every time and you’ll leave with the experience you paid for. Makes sense since the Colonel was a carnival guy so he just kept applying that business model but now to an entertainer. The biopic showed that it was pretty much exactly that.
Parker only wanted quick money. He was very greedy, was one that people feared, (he wanted it that way), and should have never been trusted. Parker, controlled Elvis' carreer, he didn't. Sad indeed.
His last years felt like straight up a carnival show. Performing in the same place over and over again
Congratulations, you actually had me sitting through an entire video on a subject I am nearly indifferent to: Elvis. You're a natural at this, keep it up!
Time Stamps:
04:38 PHASE ONE
06:45 Love Me Tender
10:40 Loving You
14:41 Jailhouse Rock
17:48 King Creole
20:36 PHASE TWO
22:09 G.I. Blues
25:55 Flaming Star
28:00 Wild in the Country
30:14 Blue Hawaii
34:46 Follow that Dream
36:17 Kid Galahad
37:39 PHASE THREE
39:09 Girls! Girls! Girls!
40:17 (Extended Universe Theory)
41:43 It Happened at the World's Fair
42:48 Fun in Acapulco
45:33 Kissin' Cousins
47:19 Viva Las Vegas
49:33 Roustabout
51:53 Girl Happy
53:34 Tickle Me
55:48 Harum Scarum
01:01:20 Frankie & Johnny
01:01:56 Paradise, Hawaiian Style
01:02:55 Spinout
01:05:29 Easy Come, Easy Go
01:07:31 Double Trouble
01:10:21 Clambake
01:12:18 Stay Away, Joe
01:14:25 Speedway
01:16:43 PHASE FOUR
01:17:55 Live a Little, Love a Little
01:21:55 Charro!
01:23:35 The Trouble with Girls (Elvis '69)
01:26:10 Change of Habit
01:29:00 ENDGAME
Very well done. Especially what you call “third phase,” as you say, they replaced live concerts, this is wwhy it was essential for him to sing and dance. At that time, there were no videos, no DVDs, no internet etc., so these silly movies were actually replacing today’s music video clips.
Absolutely brilliant. Your review of Elvis's movie career was spot on. Just a Shame he never got to make a respected film, but King Creole came pretty close. Still, he was the greatest singer that ever lived, so that made up for it, talentwise. Good job.
i absolutely love that you didn't just sit and make jokes about these silly movies but you actually looked at them deeply to see what they had to say about the wider world (i.e. Elvis' real life). That's what art interpretation is all about and that's why I think bad art is just as valid and worthy of examination as good art
Damn you. Now I'll never stop wondering what an Elvis-written Rock Opera would've been like.
It definitely wouldn't have felt like "Elvis" as we know "Elvis"... damn... possibilities are unfathomably vast...
The king was simply too big for this small world. thanks for this video.
Thanks for taking the time to do this. I've been an Elvis fan for 50+ years but only just watched Follow that Dream and loved it. It was unfortunate that he aspired to be a serious actor because I think he would have been a great comic one. He was a fan of Peter Sellers and Month Python after all.
Is he insane cause he watched every Elvis movie or Did he watch every Elvis movie cause he’s insane ??
It's almost like the Elvis movies became the American version of the Carry on films.
British film audiences knew that the 'carry on' were crap but the actors is what made people go and see them.
The Elvis movies are the same.
This is a fantastic video. I've been an Elvis fan for 30+ years and this is the best assessment of his film career. The video clips represented are perfect!
This video essay is absolutely phenomenal. It's funny, it's emotionally involving, it gets far deeper than you'd expect at the start, I really loved this. I've gone from not wanting to see a single Elvis film to being curious about watching all of them. Thank you for making this
I have now watched this video several times. The way you put these movies in a historical context, the way you talk about the good, the bad, and the “what am I watching”, THE WAY YOU BRING UP THE MONKEES’ ANTI WAR MUSIC oh my goodness “Zor and Zam” is one of the best and most underrated anti war songs imo. The Ann Margaret appreciation is also very good to hear.
This is such a fantastic and comprehensive video on Elvis’s movie career and his general career through the lens of his movies.
I was also thrilled at the Monkees reference; "Last Train to Clarksville" one of the first anti-Vietnam songs. (Fort Campbell, Clarksville, Tennessee. Home of the 101st Airborne) Although I do think he referenced them in a somewhat derogatory way (EVEN the Monkees!?). My favorite of all time band still do not get the respect they have always deserved! Perhaps this gentleman will think of doing a 3 hour video about David,Micky, Peter and Michael.
this is such a well done and detailed video essay! I definitely see myself watching it again and some bits made me laugh. I love elvis movies because I always saw them as comedy based on how ridiculous they are (aside from the racist and women harassment parts). But I haven’t deeply thought over how little control elvis really had in choosing his own pictures and it’s contents, it’s sad. His whole life makes me quite sad really. Thank you for making the video !
This was so fun to watch! And not to mention that I generally feel the same way about each of these movies as you seem to. I've never seen someone gives his movies the care that you did here. I love that we get to understand the context of his life and the history of at least the 60s because it's so important to understand the movies themselves. I wish more people cared about that context. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put it this! I will certainly watch it again. You're really enjoyable to watch
Yea, the context is the best part
I'm here viewing for the 4th straight time. This is literally the best RUclips video ever created. I'm such a fan of yours!!
Same. I’m obsessed with this video. It’s so entertaining and informative about Elvis’s internal struggle with fame.
I don’t know why RUclips suggested this video to me 10 months later or why I even watched it considering I have zero interest in Elvis but this was extremely interesting and well done. I even had to turn it off halfway to leave for work and a few days later was like “oh! I wanna finish that Elvis video” and looked it up to keep watching. Great job, make more videos please 😇
Have you been getting into more Elvis?
@@l0sts0ul89 no not at all lol
The director of Midnight Cowboy want Elvis for the lead roll. Parker squashed it. The role went to Jon Voight. The film went on to win Best Picture, best director, best screenplay.Jon Voigt was nominated for best Actor - but did not win. Every time I watch this movie I envision Elvis playing the lead, and it brings tears to my eyes of what could have been.
Elvis himself wanted to do more serious dramatic movies with A-list actors and I'm sure maybe Eastwood/Bronson-esque action films too later on. Like movies of Oscar-winning quality and critical acclaimed ones. He would probably had loved to travel to European movie award galas and attend Cannes film festival. Italian directors sure would've loved to work with him, due to the success of Clint Eastwood.
King Creole, Flaming Star, Jailhouse Rock, and Roustabout are some pretty good movies.
Flaming Star !! was the film.
Flaming Pie was a Paul McCartney album. 😉
"That wasn't in the IMDB trivia, I googled it like a big boy"
well done video my guy
I’m a young adult woman from the Deep South that’s come from a line of Elvis obsessed ladies. Elvis has always been a character of American folklore to me. Like Johnny Appleseed or Paul Bungion (sp?) and babe the blue Ox. Just my cents as someone who’s a little closer in proximity to the Elvis mania. Great video!
Bunyan. 🪓🌲🐂
@@expressnumber-5049 Bunyan !!! 🐂🐂💙🪓
Seriously a crime this video isn't viewed more. So much effort put into it and so funny
My mother-in-law says “co-CO-la,” too. It’s a Southern US thing. More an accent than a mistake, but still jarring if you’re not expecting it! Thanks for this great video. I loved every minute!
Not as jarring as this guy’s pronunciation of Pricilla’s surname 😬
I love all Elvis' movies.Elvis was the complete actor..drama, singing, comedy, dance, instrumentalist.
It is really sad he was never able to showcase his full potential because of the "image" they wanted him to have.
@@Ranixo286 Did you know the prifits of one of his movies financed Elizabeth Taylor movie Cleopatra? Did you know his movies kept a movie studio from going bankrupt? His movie were made quick to maximize profits.The drama movies were not as profitable as his movies about lighter themes
@@Ranixo286. You mean “the Colonel wanted him to have”!!
Well he couldn’t actually act. Or dance. Or ply more than one instrument. Or do stand up comedy. Or do serious drama.
But yes he could sing, I’ll give you that.
I lost my shit at "Kissin' Cousins," that's like a f*cking Simpsons joke.
It's so baaaaaad 😂
his last 4 movies will forever be my favorite because of the fact the songs decreased and it became more serious.
Watching this whole video and Ann Margaret stands out as the best co-star Elvis ever had. Imagine if he teamed up with more young big acts in the ‘60s and how much better those films would be. A Beatles and Elvis team up would be an all timer
I'm glad you landed in my recommendations! This was very thoughtfully produced. Sometimes the algorithm nails it!
The amount of work you’ve done is undoubtedly phenomenal! Your humor and the timings in the cut and the editing are on point! Loved this whole video!
(Kris Bluth on neesi's account) I only intended to check out the first few minutes when I clicked on it and wound up watching the entire thing. You did a great job of capturing the bittersweet poignance of Elvis' situation while having fun with how godawful a lot of these movies are. Outstanding work.
And Elvis saying "My dinner!" is probably the hardest I've laughed all week.
Elvis had more magnetic charisma, naturaly. Voice ,looks, moves,actor what more does he have to have. There will never be another elvis.
he married a 14 year old when he was 24... your idol is a pedophile. her name was Priscilla Presley
I cannot believe I watched 1h30 review of Elvis movies. Your ability to interpret and connect these movies to Elvis and his context is remarkable. I can't remember the last time I watched a YT video of over 1h. Awesome job man.
I'm glad my family and I always saw Elvis' movies (save a few like "Jailhouse Rock", "King Creole", "Flaming Star" etc.) as a fun way to spend 90 minutes. They were not a statement of his worth or standing as an artist. They were just entertainment - nothing more. I can't name any star whose cannon has nothing but excellent/mind-blowing/one-of-a-kind/change your life forever movies. He did what he did and sixty years (or more) later, we're still talking about them. I do wish he had been challenged more and some of the roles were better - but I mainly watched them because Elvis was cool and the girls that starred with him were incredibly beautiful. Long live the king!
As someone who just recently finished watching all of the Elvis movies from start to finish, this was so satisfying and so well done. I'm glad you gave Follow that Dream the recognition it deserves because I couldn't believe I'd never heard of it as I was watching it. I loved 'the moments my brain snapped' because there were points while I was watching some films that I just had to pause them and take a moment to process what on earth was happening, it feels good to have that experience shared - particularly with the dog man in Live a little, Love a little, that was one of the worst jumpscares I've ever sat through. I really appreciate the attention to detail you gave for every film and the empathy for Elvis, it's so gutting watching his disappointment play out as the films go on.
Also, Fun in Acapulco might not be a particularly good film and the exterior shots and random trapeze flashback might be jarring but it's so worth watching, I found it genuinely enjoyable, the scene where the kid is calling all the clubs got a laugh out of me.
yeah, fun in acapulco is such a fun watch i think it deserves more love than it gets!
This video is soooo great! Absolutely loved it! As a super Elvis fan, thanks for treating him with dignity. It's nice to see someone who understands his story and has simpathy for it. Just a minor correction: Kissin' Cousins, although it premiered before Viva Las Vegas, it was actualy filmed after. Colonel Parker was outraged that Ann-Margret stole the spotlight from Elvis and that the film took almost 3 months to shoot with an enormous budget. He was not gonna let that happen again... Hence Kissin' Cousins.
Thanks for a great summation of the Elvis movies. As noted they were done rather left handed. But you can't escape the mere STAGE PRESENCE of the star. That's why they have staying power. A sustained shelf life.
Dang, my friend. What an absolute banger of a video. It's Elvis's birthday today, and happily I decided to spend the evening watching this--couldn't have made a better choice. I daresay the King himself would appreciate your closing thoughts about the Elvis Cinematic Universe, too.
I know a single thing about my father: he loved the Elvis movies. there was this one time when I asked him "Why?" he smiled and answered "It's Elvis Presley" - I don't know why this stuck with me when I barely remember anything else about him. maybe it is because IT'S ELVIS PRESLEY and the way he still makes people feel.
this comment is so sweet it touched my heart and i can't even tell you why ♡
I'm so grateful the algorithm sent this my way! I was a MASSIVE Elvis fan as a kid, and I remember my excitement when my parents rented some of his movies for me. We watched Jailhouse Rock, Viva Las Vegas, and Blue Hawaii, at which point I remember asking if it was ok just to look at his picture and listen to his songs. Like, if I could still like him without ever seeing another one of his movies.
"An Elvis Presley picture is the only sure thing in Hollywood" - Hal Wallis
I don’t care about Elvis at all, but this video is fascinating. I’m so glad it was recommended to me. Wonderful job!
This was an awesome and hilarious deep-dive chronicle that really captures how bittersweet his film career was. Thanks for the wonderful insights and for making it!
😊
my dad loves the Elvis movies, thanks for talking about them without ruthlessly making fun of them. Elvis was earnest. Lol you should watch all the Ernest movies next. The King of Rock and Roll will never die!
17:25 While that cover is definitely one of the funniest… The POT LUCK cover is even better. Elvis’ pompadour on the POT LUCK cover is comically over-the-top.
Great video, btw. Thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot
This is incredibly well-researched and well-presented! I’m always hungry for video essayists who put a lot of genuine care and love and work into what they make, and as much as I wish I could offer more, I’ve subscribed. :)
A lot of effort went into this video. Great Job
Excellent review of Elvis's movie career..the best and fairest I've seen..contextualized to the times..something often losf to today is that his films were the biggest grossing movies of the 1960s...i also respected your empathy to Elvis...
I just finished reading the Peter Guralnick Elvis biographies and somehow I guess RUclips knew. This video is one of the best analysis's of Elvis' film career (and his life) that is online today. I know that saying its the most important thing you'll ever do is a joke, but honestly I would love for this to be shown at the Rock Hall or Graceland museum. Its so thoughtful and well researched and perfectly balanced looking back at an extraordinarily talented man who was doomed by his own success. Thank you for making this.
hard agree
a year ago when this first started showing up in my recs i was like "nope" i cannot deal with watching someone pick him apart
i resisted for a couple weeks i was so wary
but then finally gave in and watched
i have watched it several times now & return to the comment section just to enjoy the input from fans & even the people who didn't know anything about him & are now intrigued enough to learn more
i hope ewan truly understands how significant this essay is & what a invaluable service he's done for elvis' legacy
he should put it on dvd & make it available to purchase on amazon or something
it definitely needs to be persevered for posterity
the elvis community owes ewan an incredible debt and much gratitude for giving us such an honest concise & loving tribute
i will always defend elvis' film career because he deserves it & im so happy this exists to aid in that
~ we love you elvis
~ we miss you so much
This was INCREDIBLY well done! My son is a huge Elvis fan so I've been subjected to a lot of Elvis content in recent months, but its stuff like this that makes me think of him in new, interesting ways.
For me Elvis was fantastic in everything he did. He was pure talent and he could do anything he wanted. Unfortunately, the interests of many people interfered with the course of his life. I love Elvis.
In life, at least 80 percent of the time the truth hurts.
I`ve been a dedicated Elvis fan for more than four decades, yet I watched only five of his movies. I will always love his music, which is criminally underrated.
Considering his background, Elvis achieved the impossible. He was larger than life, an extraordinary musician and human being, and far more intelligent than most people give him credit for. Without him, there would be no Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, etc.
Agreed. I love Elvis. His live recordings, his studio albums, even that niche "follow that dream" label that releases his old rehearsal tapes and soundboard recordings. I especially love his gospel albums - and I'm not a religious person. But I hate his movies and most of the soundtracks to those movies. Wooden Heart and Viva Las Vegas are the only exceptions. And Return to Sender. I like his behind the scenes performance documentaries though. Elvis on Tour and That's The Way It Is are pretty cool
If you watch the first 4 movies, Love Me Tender, Loving You, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole, there's no need to watch the rest of them, they're all repeting the formula of these 4 ones. Believe me, i've seen plenty of them almost all.
Elvis was an asshole. He quickly dumped Scotty Moore by 68
@@fernandomaron87 Flaming star was written for Brando, Stay away Joe is based on a book, Frankie and Johnny on a musical : how could it be the same formula ?
Michael Jackson got his inspiration from James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Sammy Davis Jr, and many other black artist. I think without many black artist that created Rock n Roll, there wouldn't of been an Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and many other artist that people love to credit while looking over the black pioneers of that genre of music.
This video is better than sleep.
Ive been watching your two long videos on repeat for months, my autistic ass is obsessed with your editing style, your humor and the vintage topics. Please dont stop making these videos, they're so good!
My whole family were mad Elvis fans which in turn made me a mad Elvis fan. These movies were essentially my entire childhood but now as I’ve gotten older, a lot of them are hard to watch considering all the behind the scenes shit. It makes me sad to watch spinout or whatever and see the nothingness in his eyes, he didn’t deserve it. While I disagree with you on him being the king of rock and roll because of his 50s dominance, I thoroughly enjoyed this video mate. It’s awesome to see someone take an interest in someone I’ve idolised my whole life.
Great job on this vid, you got a new sub 👍
I saw an interview with Walter Matheau. Mr. Matheau suggested Elvis take lessons with Sandy Meisner. But the Colonel, according to my research, disliked outside influence on his golden goose, and Elvis never followed through with Mr. Matheau's advice.
Howard Hawks and John Wayne were putting together the movie Rio Bravo. Mr. Wayne wanted Elvis. Mr. Hawks, according to Mr. Hawks' wife, advised Mr. Wayne that to get Elvis, we would have to go through the Colonel. Mr. Hawks did not want to work with the Colonel, but he would act as the go-between for Mr. Wayne to see if Elvis' services could be obtained. Mr. Hawks set up a meeting.
He had a 9 a.m. appointment. The Colonel made Mr. Hawks wait 45 minutes to learn who held the cards. The Colonel buzzed his secretary to finally allow Mr. Hawks into the Colonel's office. The Colonel was sitting behind his desk, feet propped up on the desk, lighting a cigar. The Colonel said, "So I hear you want my boy." "I only have two demands, one million dollars in cash, and my boy gets top billing."
Mr. Hawks was known for his colorful, crude language. Mr. Hawks wanted to tell the Colonel where to go, but he was the mediator for John Wayne. He bit his tongue and said he would relay the demands to Mr. Wayne. Mr. Wayne, upon hearing the Colonel's demands, stated, "One million dollars in cash! AND top billing!" Well, one million is pretty steep, but we can do it. But the top billing, doesn't he (the colonel) realize it's a John Wayne film?" Elvis' role went to Ricky Nelson.
Mr. Wayne wanted Elvis for True Grit. Elvis' role went to Glenn Campbell.
Barbara Streisand wanted Elvis for her remake of "A Star is Born." She spoke to Elvis after one of his Vegas experiences. Her first mistake was not going through the Colonel. The Colonel was furious. The second was not meeting the Colonel's cash payment of $55,000 to secure Elvis. Elvis' part went to Kris Kristofferson.
The more I hear about this, the more I'm astonished The Beatles's A Hard Day's Night was that fucking amazing
Elvis IS the King buddy. Elvis is Everywhere.
I loved it. Congratulations on this video... I'm 41 years old and I felt completely represented in this video. I really wanted to make a video about Elvis's movies. They are never analyzed in depth like you did. I'm very emotional because finally someone has taken on the task of revisiting Elvis's films. Perfect video. The Elvisverse is real...
PS: I love Roustabout, it somehow feels like a continuation of King Creole.
PS2: I think Speedway was made before Stay Away Joe (his hairstyle is more similar to Love A Little), but released later, so I believe it would fit into the later phase of Elvis's career.
PS3: Follow That Dream is a great film, finally somebody recognizes it. The trial scene is a very well-acted and compelling moment.
PS4:There's an interesting line from Elvis's mother in "Blue Hawaii" where she mentions that spending two years in the army was a waste of time, something like that... a little jab about Elvis's enlistment in '58...
This was fantastic! Well done ! TCB! Deep, moving and full of easter egg gems that tickled this life long Elvis fan. CHEERS!!! And thank you very much.
So glad the algorithm somehow put this on my page!! This is incredibly well done
“This time it would result in arguably the greatest film Elvis would ever make.”
Elvis sings: “Craaaaaaaaauuuuwwwwwfeeeeeesh”
😂
This was the first analysis and synopsis of EP’s movie career that I’ve ever seen. I didn’t agree with everything you said but it was very thorough. My overall impression was one of sadness and regret at the obstacles EP faced and/or was unable to take on in order to establish the dramatic acting career he wanted for himself. Plus he didn’t surround himself with the sort of people who might have seriously supported his aspirations rather than some (not necessarily all) of the juvenile sorts that comprised that Memphis Mafia.