****ELVIS**** Summer 2022
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Last: 1 yr ago by Jugstore Cowboy
One of my all-time SNL skits is when Wayne Gretzky hosted and they did a parody of an Elvis movie called "Waikiki Hockey" where Wayne pretends to be just a waiter, not a hockey player, but is actually amazing at hockey and can sing (dubbed). Jan Hooks and Phil Hartman are the requisite girl who falls in love with him and overbearing father who doesn't trust him. Can never find it on YouTube for some reason.Big Al 1992 said:
We got to talking - what are the best/definitive Elvis movies - because as they even admitted, some of them were complete trash. Others were fun.
https://archive.org/details/saturday-night-live-s-14-e-19-wayne-gretzky-fine-young-cannibalshelloimustbegoing said:One of my all-time SNL skits is when Wayne Gretzky hosted and they did a parody of an Elvis movie called "Waikiki Hockey" where Wayne pretends to be just a waiter, not a hockey player, but is actually amazing at hockey and can sing (dubbed). Jan Hooks and Phil Hartman are the requisite girl who falls in love with him and overbearing father who doesn't trust him. Can never find it on YouTube for some reason.Big Al 1992 said:
We got to talking - what are the best/definitive Elvis movies - because as they even admitted, some of them were complete trash. Others were fun.
Skit starts at 42:45. Had not seen this one before. Hilarious!
Great find! I haven't seen it in 30 years I bet. Totally forgot about Dana Carvey as the d-bag boyfriend. When Gretzky starts "singing" i can't help from cracking up.GreasenUSA said:https://archive.org/details/saturday-night-live-s-14-e-19-wayne-gretzky-fine-young-cannibalshelloimustbegoing said:One of my all-time SNL skits is when Wayne Gretzky hosted and they did a parody of an Elvis movie called "Waikiki Hockey" where Wayne pretends to be just a waiter, not a hockey player, but is actually amazing at hockey and can sing (dubbed). Jan Hooks and Phil Hartman are the requisite girl who falls in love with him and overbearing father who doesn't trust him. Can never find it on YouTube for some reason.Big Al 1992 said:
We got to talking - what are the best/definitive Elvis movies - because as they even admitted, some of them were complete trash. Others were fun.
Skit starts at 42:45. Had not seen this one before. Hilarious!
Brian Earl Spilner said:
I got weirdly emotional seeing fat Elvis singing Unchained Melody at the end.
Guy seemed like he was in real pain.
This was so well done.
I had moderate expectations for this movie, but it was very entertaining. I think those who stream it will easily be distracted because of the length of the movie and won't enjoy it as much.
Not sure if anyone saw the only season of Sun Records on CMT, but that series was almost like a prequel to this movie, ending Season 1 (which ended up being the only season) with Sam Phillips having to sell Elvis's contract to RCA.
I finally got around to seeing Elvis this afternoon. Normally, I would have gone opening night, but had a conflict, and then I just kind of kept putting it off.
I was born 5 years after Elvis died, but when I was 4 years old, my parents recorded an airing of the '68 Comeback Special on HBO for me, and thus, Elvis has been my favorite musician my entire life. Hell, I remember showing that same Curtis Mathis-branded VHS tape to my friends my freshman year of college. I was so happy a few years later when it was remastered, along with Aloha From Hawaii, and both released on DVD.
I know Elvis' story like the back of my hand, so nothing here was new for me, which I figured going into it. This is the best re-telling of his life we're ever going to get in a 2-3 hour format. I found most of the show to be very emotional, coupled with a lot of great music.
On the flip side, I knew exactly when creative license was taken, but understand how it helped to tell a more cohesive story than what actually happened.
Recreating the taping of the '68 Comeback Special was especially a thrill to see, and I wish they would have shown more of the sit-down "in the round" session he had with Scotty Moore, among the others. To me, that session is the height of coolness of any concert ever recorded. Check out either or both of the two sit-down shows if you ever get the chance.
I've watched his performance of Unchained Melody 8 weeks before he died many times in my life, and always get choked up. From the first note of it at the end, I had tears coming down my cheek, and figured they were going to cut to the actual footage, and lost it when they did.
Baz Lurhmann and Austin Butler took great reverence and care, and I'd love to see them recognized during award season. I'm thankful we got this movie, and that it may create some new fans of Elvis.
I was born 5 years after Elvis died, but when I was 4 years old, my parents recorded an airing of the '68 Comeback Special on HBO for me, and thus, Elvis has been my favorite musician my entire life. Hell, I remember showing that same Curtis Mathis-branded VHS tape to my friends my freshman year of college. I was so happy a few years later when it was remastered, along with Aloha From Hawaii, and both released on DVD.
I know Elvis' story like the back of my hand, so nothing here was new for me, which I figured going into it. This is the best re-telling of his life we're ever going to get in a 2-3 hour format. I found most of the show to be very emotional, coupled with a lot of great music.
On the flip side, I knew exactly when creative license was taken, but understand how it helped to tell a more cohesive story than what actually happened.
Recreating the taping of the '68 Comeback Special was especially a thrill to see, and I wish they would have shown more of the sit-down "in the round" session he had with Scotty Moore, among the others. To me, that session is the height of coolness of any concert ever recorded. Check out either or both of the two sit-down shows if you ever get the chance.
I've watched his performance of Unchained Melody 8 weeks before he died many times in my life, and always get choked up. From the first note of it at the end, I had tears coming down my cheek, and figured they were going to cut to the actual footage, and lost it when they did.
Baz Lurhmann and Austin Butler took great reverence and care, and I'd love to see them recognized during award season. I'm thankful we got this movie, and that it may create some new fans of Elvis.
Interestingly enough, those never happened. Other than the manufactured minutia surrounding Tom Parker, those were the only two moments that took my mind out of the movie.TCTTS said:
There are two on-stage moments, in particular, where Elvis "sticks it to the man" that are worth the price of admission alone. Easily my two favorite moments of the movie.
FYI: Priscilla recently spoke at Elvis Week in Memphis, as did Jerry Schilling and Barbara Eden.
Eden turns 91 on 8/23.
Priscilla is 77. Schilling is 80.
Eden turns 91 on 8/23.
Priscilla is 77. Schilling is 80.
It's on HBO Max now.
Saw it on HBO Max last night. I can appreciate the Butler performance (which was incredible during the stage performances, but I found a little too "trying to look cool" in the non-singing scenes. He just didn't act like a human). The movie looked and sounded beautiful and the performances were solid, but ultimately I just don't like the style of the director. It felt like a 3 hour long trailer with the way the scenes get cut together. I am a fan of Elvis music and never knew his story, so the style of the director made it hard for me to follow.
This definitely got me interested in learning more about the man, so I'll be checking out some other material on his story.
This definitely got me interested in learning more about the man, so I'll be checking out some other material on his story.
Watched it yesterday. It was good but I guess I don't appreciate the Baz Lurhman style.
Thai was really entertaining
I watched it on HBO as well.
I am not a huge Elvis fan, though he has about five songs that are among the best ever done and are real favorites of mine.
I was too young for his 50s stuff and the 60s material was competing with the Beatles and so seemed at the time to be out of touch. His Vegas persona was just repulsive to me.
(I have come to admire the late 60s songs and his gospel songs very much.)
I am not an admirer of Baz Luhrmann, but the glitzy style really worked with Elvis as a subject. Beautifully shot movie.
It was an interesting choice to tell the story through an unreliable narrator, Col. Parker. (Similar to Evita, I suppose.) Risky, really, and I don't think it works all that well. Too much Col. Parker.
I also don't like hip hop and though I know why it's included, I still don't like it.
All that said, I really enjoyed this movie and I wish I had seen it on a movie screen.
The music is wonderful and the visuals are terrific.
It is a poignant movie--the whole sequence with "If I Can Dream" is perfect, as you hear the melody softly and then we switch to Elvis belting out the ending of the song.
And as others have said, the ending in which Butler's performance becomes Elvis himself is very moving.
I highly recommend it and I appreciate the comments of others on this thread which encouraged me to watch it.
I am not a huge Elvis fan, though he has about five songs that are among the best ever done and are real favorites of mine.
I was too young for his 50s stuff and the 60s material was competing with the Beatles and so seemed at the time to be out of touch. His Vegas persona was just repulsive to me.
(I have come to admire the late 60s songs and his gospel songs very much.)
I am not an admirer of Baz Luhrmann, but the glitzy style really worked with Elvis as a subject. Beautifully shot movie.
It was an interesting choice to tell the story through an unreliable narrator, Col. Parker. (Similar to Evita, I suppose.) Risky, really, and I don't think it works all that well. Too much Col. Parker.
I also don't like hip hop and though I know why it's included, I still don't like it.
All that said, I really enjoyed this movie and I wish I had seen it on a movie screen.
The music is wonderful and the visuals are terrific.
It is a poignant movie--the whole sequence with "If I Can Dream" is perfect, as you hear the melody softly and then we switch to Elvis belting out the ending of the song.
And as others have said, the ending in which Butler's performance becomes Elvis himself is very moving.
I highly recommend it and I appreciate the comments of others on this thread which encouraged me to watch it.
actor that portrayed elvis saved this movie. the schizo montages and narration/graphics might appeal to the zoomer generation, but that shouldnt be your target audience. (see top gun for how a revitalization should be done).
tom hanks was a hilarious (or was it meant to be) cast choice though for col parker. takes a piece of **** to know one.
tom hanks was a hilarious (or was it meant to be) cast choice though for col parker. takes a piece of **** to know one.
Loved this movie when I saw it in the theater. Watched it showing at home and I have to echo that it would be so much better without tom hanks or shot from the perspective of Tom Parker. We had to go from the perfectly shot scene of Butler morphing into the real Elvis at the end to seeing that Danny Devito as Penguin **** take his last breath. Just stupid.
Teslag said:
Loved this movie when I saw it in the theater. Watched it showing at home and I have to echo that it would be so much better without tom hanks or shot from the perspective of Tom Parker. We had to go from the perfectly shot scene of Butler morphing into the real Elvis at the end to seeing that Danny Devito as Penguin **** take his last breath. Just stupid.
I think Colonel Parker, in theory, works as the antagonist, and is even an essential part of the story. But I agree that it absolutely should not have been told from his perspective, and that Hanks' performance is so distracting that it almost ruins the movie at times.
Yes, absolutely. The fat suit, the facial makeup, and the accent are all cringeworthy.Quote:
Hanks' performance is so distracting that it almost ruins the movie at times.
Agreed, that kinda did ruin for me to an extent. The whole Col. Parker thing came off as "weird" to me. I also did not like the Baz Luhrman cut-up style. I did really like Austin Butler's performance. How could you not if you're an Elvis fan, which I am.TCTTS said:Teslag said:
Loved this movie when I saw it in the theater. Watched it showing at home and I have to echo that it would be so much better without tom hanks or shot from the perspective of Tom Parker. We had to go from the perfectly shot scene of Butler morphing into the real Elvis at the end to seeing that Danny Devito as Penguin **** take his last breath. Just stupid.
I think Colonel Parker, in theory, works as the antagonist, and is even an essential part of the story. But I agree that it absolutely should not have been told from his perspective, and that Hanks' performance is so distracting that it almost ruins the movie at times.
My wife OTOH (a huge Elvis fan), did not really want to see the movie when I suggested going to the theater. It just didn't appeal to her from watching the trailers. We watched it off HBO/DVR last night and she really, really enjoyed it and thanked me for recording it.
I am not the Six Million Dollar Man, but I might need that surgery. "We have the technology, we can rebuild him!"
My uncle, Paul Brown (A&M Class of 1928), was a Marine captain who was captured on Corregidor in May 1942 and died in a Japanese POW camp. I always respond to threads such as these as a way of honoring his memory.
I do not believe that Tom Hanks is a vile person. I give him much credit for bringing many stories about WWII to public consciousness. I have watched Band of Brothers and The Pacific countless times.
However, his comments on the war with Japan do show him to be someone with a very superficial and poorly-informed understanding of that war.
Pretty sure we wanted to destroy them because they atttacked Pearl Harbor, beginning a long and terrible war.
We quickly knew what the Japanese had done to Americans who surrendered at Bataan and Corregidor.
Then in the first real encounter between Japanese and American troops (on Guadalcanal), it became apparent that the Japanese were torturing captured Americans and mutilating their bodies.
From then on, neither side took many prisoners.
Hanks' simplistic comments on racism do a real disservice to Americans who were forced to fight and sacrifice their lives because Japan attacked us, not because "we hated them and they hated us."
I do not believe that Tom Hanks is a vile person. I give him much credit for bringing many stories about WWII to public consciousness. I have watched Band of Brothers and The Pacific countless times.
However, his comments on the war with Japan do show him to be someone with a very superficial and poorly-informed understanding of that war.
I guess. The Japanese saw the US as impediments to their vision of an Asia controlled by Japan, a hegemony in which they were free to dispose of what they considered subhumans such as the Chinese, Koreans, and Filipinos.Quote:
They were out to kill us because our way of living was different.
Quote:
We, in turn, wanted to annihilate them because they were different.
Pretty sure we wanted to destroy them because they atttacked Pearl Harbor, beginning a long and terrible war.
We quickly knew what the Japanese had done to Americans who surrendered at Bataan and Corregidor.
Then in the first real encounter between Japanese and American troops (on Guadalcanal), it became apparent that the Japanese were torturing captured Americans and mutilating their bodies.
From then on, neither side took many prisoners.
Hanks' simplistic comments on racism do a real disservice to Americans who were forced to fight and sacrifice their lives because Japan attacked us, not because "we hated them and they hated us."
Yeah, I've always been a Tom Hanks fan, but he pulled those ideas out of his ass.
Who dares say something bad about Haley Joel Osment!?
So is this movie good?
Was hoping to see this in the theater but never got around to it, finally watched it last night on HBOMax to forget about the football game. Definitely worth a watch if you have any interest at all in Elvis.
As others have said, Butler had Elvis down cold; the hair, moves, clothes, sneer, sweat, swagger, you name it that guy got it right. The air of coolness and massive charisma really came through.
Showing the 1960's Elvis movie era as a montage with the focus on the '68 comeback special and the stellar musical numbers highlighting the Vegas years worked great I thought. Would have loved to see Butler do more of the younger, Memphis era Elvis as well.
I wasn't crazy about Tom Hanks as Col Parker but it didn't ruin the movie for me, was just distracting at times because I never saw him as Parker. He always seemed like Hanks with a fake nose.
As others have said, Butler had Elvis down cold; the hair, moves, clothes, sneer, sweat, swagger, you name it that guy got it right. The air of coolness and massive charisma really came through.
Showing the 1960's Elvis movie era as a montage with the focus on the '68 comeback special and the stellar musical numbers highlighting the Vegas years worked great I thought. Would have loved to see Butler do more of the younger, Memphis era Elvis as well.
I wasn't crazy about Tom Hanks as Col Parker but it didn't ruin the movie for me, was just distracting at times because I never saw him as Parker. He always seemed like Hanks with a fake nose.
No
This seems to have become a dump on TCTTS thread rather than an Elvis discussion thread.
Legend.
Tried watching this just now after taking 18 mg THC
Even high and I can't understand why Tom hanks is as bad as he is on this movie
Even high and I can't understand why Tom hanks is as bad as he is on this movie
My wife and I really enjoyed it. Agree with those who say it felt too long. 38 years old and always loved Elvis songs but didn't really know any of his history. Incredible that right up until the end - overweight, unhealthy, sweating through his costume - his voice was as strong as it ever was. Emotional stuff.
Not sure why Tom Hanks was in this movie. Did they just need a famous name to attach to the film? "Hey we're making an Elvis movie and TOM HANKS is in it!" Or did someone hear his Geppetto and think "boy if that just sounded a little worse and we slathered him in makeup he'd make a great Col. Parker."
Not sure why Tom Hanks was in this movie. Did they just need a famous name to attach to the film? "Hey we're making an Elvis movie and TOM HANKS is in it!" Or did someone hear his Geppetto and think "boy if that just sounded a little worse and we slathered him in makeup he'd make a great Col. Parker."
https://ew.com/movies/tom-hanks-goes-dark-why-our-favorite-good-guy-wanted-to-play-colonel-tom-parker/brillag said:
Not sure why Tom Hanks was in this movie. Did they just need a famous name to attach to the film? "Hey we're making an Elvis movie and TOM HANKS is in it!" Or did someone hear his Geppetto and think "boy if that just sounded a little worse and we slathered him in makeup he'd make a great Col. Parker."
"This notion of making Elvis and the Colonel foils to each other was what made Hanks feel like Luhrmann's Elvis would be a fresh take on the story. "Baz said, 'There would've been no Colonel Tom Parker without Elvis. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' And when he said that, I said, 'Oh, well, okay, now that's brand new,'" remembers Hanks. "Because I don't know what Colonel Tom Parker looks like. I don't know what he sounds like. I've never seen a photograph of him. He's never been identified as anything other than this mercurial or puppeteer-like, quasi-evil, greedy manager that took advantage of Elvis from the get-go. That's the standard trope that goes along with Colonel Tom Parker."
I think Hanks did a great job, but the fact that he's a big name celebrity made it very difficult for much of the audience to accept him in this role. The character would have been better served by a lesser known actor and could have been a breakout role for them just as the Elvis role was for Austin Butler.
Haven't read through all of this, but has it been discussed yet why Tom Hanks was talking like a blooming idiot?
Parker was a Dutch man who adopted a rural southern English accent, so I gather he didnt sound exactly like he should, but it obviously wasnt "**** off youre not from here" bad either. This movie decided to make his accent obviously foreign for whatever reason.
AgFormerlyInIrving said:
Haven't read through all of this, but has it been discussed yet why Tom Hanks was talking like a blooming idiot?
Yea, he sounds like a dumbass
Might be his worst acting job I've ever seen
You said it better than I could. Didn't even get to the end. My wife said she felt like we were watching one long MTV (1980's) music videoscoop12 said:
Saw it on HBO Max last night. I can appreciate the Butler performance (which was incredible during the stage performances, but I found a little too "trying to look cool" in the non-singing scenes. He just didn't act like a human). The movie looked and sounded beautiful and the performances were solid, but ultimately I just don't like the style of the director. It felt like a 3 hour long trailer with the way the scenes get cut together. I am a fan of Elvis music and never knew his story, so the style of the director made it hard for me to follow.
This definitely got me interested in learning more about the man, so I'll be checking out some other material on his story.
Bump! I love this movie. Just finished 3rd watch!
How'd you sit through that version of Tom hanks 3x
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