Three Elvis-related movie reviews in one.
Movie 1: Elvis (2022, the Baz Luhrmann version)
We started our Elvis evening with the recent biopic. I did love how inventive the direction was. So fanciful. I wished they had warned me that the Young Elvis was not dubbed but old Elvis was. It was distracting, when you are listening to something and your brain knows exactly what the next note will be, especially when you've bought in to the idea that the actor is singing, as he was in the early scenes. I felt the acting was good, with one notable exception: Tom Hanks. More than once he would say a line and his mouth didn't move, I suppose because of the prosthetics. (Picture Roddy McDowell in Planet of the Apes.) Plus, I don't see why they dropped the most salacious parts of the story. Was there some agreement with the Presley people so no one mentioned Elvis shipped Priscilla over when she was a child and waited to marry her until she was legal? And why hush the fact Col. Tom was the lead suspect in a murder? That's why he left the Netherlands and assumed a name. Odd omissions.
Gary review: Gary fell asleep.
Movie 2: Jailhouse Rock
Elvis plays against type. His lead character is a jerk, and stubbornly remains a jerk until the last few minutes of the movie. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it.
Gary review: Gary gave a constant commentary of "This is ugly, this is misogynistic, why are we watching this?"
Movie 3: King Creole
Holy crap, this movie was terrific. Why in earth didn't he do more movies like this? He was good, Walter Matthau was good, Morticia Addams was good. I see why it was Elvis's favorite.
Gary review: hypnotized through the whole thing.
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