Today’s movie is a biographical
drama with a scene that happens on July 8. I hope you will watch this film
tonight and enjoy it.
ELVIS
Elvis arrives in Las Vegas to play at the International
Hotel in his first live stage performance in 10 years. He thinks back to when
he got his first guitar. He obsesses over his twin brother Jesse, who died at
birth. Elvis is very attached to his mother. After the family moves to Memphis
Elvis, with his pompadour hairstyle
does not fit in with the crew-cut students. He gets talked into performing
at a school talent show. Elvis hangs out on Beale Street listening to blues
singers. He goes to Sun records to make his own record as a present for his
mom. They’re so impressed the owner, Sam Philips calls Elvis to come back and
they record him with some back-up musicians.
On July 8, 1954 [41:32 to 43:32] Elvis first hears one of his songs
played on the radio. He starts performing and goes to the Grand Ole Opry in
Nashville, but they don’t like him at
all. Col. Tom Parker agrees to become Elvis’s manager. Elvis starts making
serious money and he’s glad he can help his family and buy expensive presents
for his mom. Sun records sells his contract to RCA. He records his first big
hit “Heartbreak Hotel” and goes to Hollywood. He later appears in an iconic
performance on the Ed Sullivan show. Elvis buys Graceland and moves his family
in. Then Elvis gets drafted. His parents come to live near his base. When she
has a stroke, Elvis gets emergency leave, but she dies a few days later. Elvis
is transferred to Germany, where he
meets 14 year old Priscilla Beaulieu. When he gets out of the army, he brings
Priscilla to Graceland. After four years they get married and a daughter is
born nine months later. His movie and music career slowly decline in the
sixties. He starts to turn on his entourage and distance himself from
Priscilla. In spite of her wanting to spend more time together, Elvis arranges
his comeback special and a concert tour. Elvis goes out and gives his concert
at the International.
A decent bio of the King. However I get the feelling some
of the first part is fictionalized and some of the second part is glossed over.
It does cover the last few years of his life.
Last Train to Memphis: The
Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick (Little, Brown and Company, New
York, 1994) at pages 100-101 gives this date
Producers - Dick Clark and
Anthony Lawrence
Director - John Carpenter
Screenplay - Anthony
Lawrence
Runtime – 2 hours 30 minutes
Released – February 2, 1979
Starring –
Kurt Russell as Elvis Presley
Shelley Winters as Gladys Presley
Season Hubley as Priscilla
Presley
Bing Russell as Vernon Presley
Pat Hingle as Colonel Tom Parker
Charles Cyphers as Sam Phillips
Ellen Travolta as Marion Keisker
Charlie Hodge as Himself
James Canning as Scotty Moore
Elliott Street as Bill Black
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