The Films

Can you imagine being universally recognized as the King of Rock ‘n Roll? Elvis Presley’s legacy is such that he still has rabid fans today claiming he’s alive and kicking, though if you’ve seen Bubba Ho-Tep you can image he’d be in pretty bad shape. Conspiracy theories aside, Elvis made major musical contributions and transitioned with ease into films. His electric personality translated on screen in a slew of films. While none of them may be “classics,” it’s still great to see the legend in action. To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of his passing Paramount Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video are releasing 24 of Elvis’ films onto DVD. The Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection features 8 films of the King doing what he does best: singing, seducing, and having a damn good time doing it.

Elvis’ popularity made Hollywood want to put him in as many films as possible. While his earlier efforts were generally quite good, the result was Elvis appearing in many stock films that were all essentially the same just in different settings. His persona became the star of the film; the plot and everything else took a back seat. Elvis started to play the same character in each film to the point where the film itself was a backdrop and just a way to get more Elvis out there. I’m not saying this was a mistake, not everyone is meant to be Al Pacino. If nothing else, Elvis fans got numerous chances to see him do his thing on the big screen and enjoy his talent while he was around. If the films make people happy, why should people try to tarnish them? If my favorite musician made 24 films, no matter how crappy they were, I would be elated to have that much material of someone I truly enjoyed watching. So I say this to the naysayers—take your negativity somewhere else and let people enjoy their own opinions.

The Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection features 8 classic Elvis films from 1958-1967:

King Creole (1958): On the verge of graduating, hard-working-but-troubled senior Danny Fisher (Elvis) gets into a brawl that costs him his high school diploma. His father demands that he stay in school, but Danny has bigger dreams as a nightclub singer. To make life more complicated, he gets mixed up with a local mob boss and a seductive moll, who have other, more dangerous plans for Danny’s future. In the Big Easy, life is anything but…

G.I. Blues (1960): Stationed in Germany, Army specialist Tulsa McLean (Elvis) and his buddies are saving up to open a nightclub after they get discharged. To build their seed money faster, they make a wager that one of their own can seduce a sexy, hard-to-get cabaret dancer. But when their chosen Romeo gets transferred to Alaska, Tulsa must step in to melt her heart, win the bet, and save their dream. He’s ready to rise to the challenge…but the last thing he expects is to fall in love.

Blue Hawaii (1961): Ex-G.I. Chad Gates (Elvis) returns home to a land of sand, surf, and sun. While his mother wants him to join his father’s pineapple company, Chad would rather bum around on the beach and serenade wahinis. He does, however, land a job as a tour guide at his girlfriend’s tourist agency, where his first assignment is to chaperone a car full of cute co-eds. Adventure, trouble and hula songs await as Chad explores the exotic locales of Hawaii’s most stunning beaches…and says aloha to romance, island-style.

Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962): Fishing guide Ross Carpenter (Elvis) has two passions…the sea and Girls! Girls! Girls! Dreaming of owning his own boat one day, the charismatic fisherman moonlights as a hotel lounge singer to earn the money. On stage, he catches everyone’s ear, and more than one lady’s eye. Torn between a savvy nightclub headliner and a charming socialite posing as a working-class girl-next-door, Ross must decide which lucky lady makes his heart sing.

Fun In Acapulco (1963): Elvis goes south of the border for his spiciest adventure yet. Fired from his job as a boat hand, Mike Windgren (Elvis) is hired as a singer and lifeguard at a local hotel…thanks to a savvy young muchacho with connections all over town. He finds his Latin groove, and of course, his fair share of amor. Mike catches the eye of both a sexy female matador and the sultry girlfriend of a rival lifeguard. But just as the fiesta is getting started, his best-kept family secret could cause Mike to lose them both.

Roustabout (1964): When a motorcycle accident strands hot-tempered biker Charlie Rogers (Elvis) with a carnival troupe, life literally becomes a circus. The carnival is bankrupt, but the sideshows must go on. The tough-as-nails owner hires Charlie to help out while his bike is being repaired, but she soon realizes that this tough guy has a talent that could save her failing business. A beautiful carny may be just the ticket to get a restless Charlie to settle down and rock the big top like never before.

Paradise, Hawaiin Style (1965): When hotshot pilot Rick Richards (Elvis) sets up a helicopter charter service on the islands, say aloha to trouble. One misadventure after another leaves Rick grounded for a month, while Danny, his business partner and bes friend, is left to pick up the pieces. But when Danny and his young daughter go missing, Rick risks his license and his future to take to the skies and find them.

Easy Come, Easy Go (1967): Lieutenant Ted Jackson (Elvis), a Navy frogman, is about to end his tour of duty. But on his last dive, he discovers a sunken ship. Once he finds out there are silver coins hidden in the wreck, he sees a fortune in his future. Now, he and his older boss dive headfirst into the treasure-hunting business. Mix in go-go dancers, underwater suspense and romance with a yoga cutie…suddenly, adventure doesn’t get any groovier.

The DVDs

The films are presented in 16×9 anamorphic widescreen and vary slightly depending on the film. In general, most of the video transfers are too soft and feature plenty of grain. They simply look like older films that haven’t had much restoration done. After flipping through the discs it appears that Roustabout and Paradise, Hawaiian Style suffer the most from print damage and shoddy colors. Don’t let these transfers deter you, the films are still easy to enjoy and won’t bother the casual viewer too much.

All of the films feature English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound tracks and English Subtitles. Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Easy Come, Easy Go, Girls! Girls! Girls!, and Fun in Aculpulco also feature a restored English Mono track and a French Mono track. The other four films feature an English Mono track without any restoration. It’s a tough call on what track to choose. The 5.1 tracks are hardly impressive and almost seemed forced. Purists will want to stay away from them. The restored English Mono tracks are well done, but mono can still only sound so good. Either way it’s not too harsh on the ears but some more effort would have been appreciated.

The Extras

The only special features offered are Theatrical Trailers. This is a disappointment. They couldn’t have included a bonus disc with a documentary or series of featurettes?

Final Thoughts

The Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection is far from an impressive set with its lack of special features or restoration. Still, the packaging is impressive and the eight films are a joy to watch. It’s the perfect gift for an Elvis fan who isn’t a DVD-phile and won’t care about the lack of extra content. – Jeff Ritchie