Posted: Dec 13, 2003 8:25 pm
Chris, your post makes me wish Elvis had played the lead roles in Dr. Strangelove, per Kubrick's original plan. But I digress.
(WARNING: SPOILERS)
I do like how, in "Viva Las Vegas", E's rival for Ann-Margret's hand gets killed in a horrenous car wreck and is simply never mentioned again. That's Hollywood! Great flick.
"Fun In Acapulco" has the best plot...Elvis, a former trapeze artist and current pool boy, has developed a paralyzing fear of diving boards. To supplement hs now-dwindling income, he seeks work as a singer in the local Hilton. But they already have a singer -- the legendary El Trovador (legendary because he never appears in the film). But with the help of the streetwise moppet Raul (or "Rowell" as the King would have it) and the toothsome Ursula Andress, maybe, just maybe, young Presley will find some kind of job in the Acapulcan service economy.
It's interesting on many levels. There's also something about a lady bullfighter. The songs aren't so hot in it.
All Elvis movies are pretty good, just like all episodes of COPS, but the most not-good is "Double Trouble": Elvis falls for goofy not-hot "teenage" British redhead, winds up in Benny Hill-style chases, his enemies drown at the end, Elvis develops stigmata from appearing in such a shitty movie...what won't he do for his fans?