Elvis Presley's 11 best movies

[molea]

http://www.examiner.com/x-6431-Country-Music-Examiner~y2009m5d23-Elvis-Presleys-11-best-movies
Michael McGuire
Country Music Examiner






What? The best 11 Elvis Presley movies? I am kidding? No.

A year ago, I would not have hesitated to use an Elvis DVD as a Frisbee.

Then, my 16-year-old daughter began watching old Elvis flicks on television. I gave her a bad time about it. She responded she rather liked them.

So . . . I decided to watch them with her. One afternoon, I turned to my wife and said, “I don’t know if I have a virus or what, but I saw two Elvis movies today and I liked them.”

I’ve watched enough of them now to compile a list of 11 favorites, and my apologies to Elvis for not liking them to begin with.

Left out of the list are concert movies and flicks released after Elvis passed away. I concentrated on movies with scripts and acting.

So . . . which are your favorites?

[DarrylMac]

Well, my 11 favourites, but in no particular order are:

King Creole
Loving You
Viva Las Vegas
Change Of Habit
Roustabout
GI Blues
Flaming Star
Kid Galahad (despite Elvis' ridiculous hair!)
Wild In The Country
Tickle Me
Frankie and Johnny

There are relatively few I really dislike, but the ones I'd not worry about ever seeing again:

Love Me Tender
Harum Scarum
Double Trouble

Might be worth re-posting this in the main section - will get more views over there!

[Jeff H]

Girl Happy? Is he kidding?
Apart from personal taste, the best movies are pretty self efident:
King Creole
Jailhouse Rock
Flaming Star
Follow That Dream
Kid Galahad
Loving You
Change of Habit
Wild in the Country
G.I. Blues
Roustabout
Viva Las Vegas (even though I think it is orverrated). I would insert Live A Little, Love a Little here.

The trash heap (bottom 10):
Harum Scarum
Easy Come, Easy Go
Double Trouble
Tickle Me
Spinout
Kissin Cousins
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Girl Happy
Stay Away, Joe
Charro! (Directors fault, could have been a solid western)

[ColinB]

The trash heap (bottom 10):
Harum Scarum
Easy Come, Easy Go
Double Trouble
Tickle Me
Spinout
Kissin Cousins
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Girl Happy
Stay Away, Joe
Charro! (Directors fault, could have been a solid western)

I'd go along with most of those.

There was something about Tickle Me that held my interest, though [maybe the songs were better than usual].

And Stay Away, Joe was something a tad different..................

[javilu]

The trash heap (bottom 10):
Harum Scarum
Easy Come, Easy Go
Double Trouble
Tickle Me
Spinout
Kissin Cousins
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Girl Happy
Stay Away, Joe
Charro! (Directors fault, could have been a solid western)

I'd go along with most of those.

There was something about Tickle Me that held my interest, though [maybe the songs were better than usual].

And Stay Away, Joe was something a tad different..................

Come on Colin, Double Trouble is not THAT bad!

[ColinB]

Come on Colin, Double Trouble is not THAT bad!

It isn't ?

Well, I suppose there is some redeeming feature in them all [if you look hard enough] ....... except for Harum Scarum..............

[Jeff H]

Harum Scarum - no redeeming features.
As stated, some movies are a matter of personal taste, I actually enjoy Charro even though it could have been much,much better. Having said that, it is still not a great movie if you compare it to other movies from '69 (True Grit, Midnight Cowboy, etc.) I can see how someone would enjoy Double Trouble from a fans perspective, but Scarum, Easy Come, and Kissin Cousins are the absolut bottom of the barrel. Show Yoga Is, Yoga Does to a teenager and gauge the reaction.

[javilu]

Come on Colin, Double Trouble is not THAT bad!

It isn't ?

Well, I suppose there is some redeeming feature in them all [if you look hard enough] ....... except for Harum Scarum..............

I like some of the scenes in Double Trouble and some of the songs. I love only one girl and Old McDonald are not among them.

[Jeff H]

Typical that the best song in the movie "Long-Legged Girl" is shown in the fog, but Old McDonald get up front prominence. Must of been monkeys running the store. I have not seen DT in at least 10 years, so I am fuzzy on the secens, but I do remember the Karate fight was bad. Couldn't they find somebody who actually new martial arts to make it look somewaht realistic. EP wasn't very good either, I can't believe he didn't throw some ideas around to the director!

[Mike Eder]

Loving You
Jailhouse Rock
King Creole
Flaming Star
Wild In The Country
Follow That Dream
Kid Galahad
Viva Las Vegas
Stay Away Joe
Live A Little
Trouble With Girls

[bajo]

My soon to become 10 year old son have a heart for Elvis movies. So, since I've got them all on DVD now, I sit down with him and watch now and then.
Our favourites are:
Loving You, Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Wild In The Country, Flaming Star, Follow That Dream, Kid Galahad,
Viva Las Vegas, Roustabout, Tickle Me, Stay Away Joe, Charro.

Runners up for me: Fun In Acapulco, Kissin Cousins, Girl Happy, Frankie And Johnny, Live A Little Love A Little, The Trouble With Girls and Change Of Habit.

Runners up for him: Kissin' Cousins, Girl Happy, Double Trouble, Easy Come Easy Go and Clambake.

Watching with him, reminds me how much I enjoyed them back then withouth having to analyze them. Simply fun and watching Elvis was the main thing anyway!

[rickeap]

King Creole
Flaming Star
VLV
Follow That Dream
Jailhouse rock
Change of Habit
Loving You
Kid Galahad
Love Me Tender
Stay Away, Joe (guilty pleasure)
Tickle Me

Charro was ok but should have been better and tougher

Worst 3
Clambake
Harum Scarum
PHS

[jeanno]

TOP 10
JAILHOUSE ROCK
KING CREOLE
FLAMING STAR
LOVING YOU
VIVA LAS VEGAS
CHANGE OF HABITS
LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE
FOLLOW THAT DREAM
BLUE HAWAII
IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD´S FAIR

TOP WORST
KISSIN COUSINS
FUN IN ACAPULCO
GI BLUES

[sylvain]

Live a little, love a little
Change of habit
Charro

[Alexander]

I grew up with Elvis films on German television in the '80s... Like Europeans know they were synchronized... Elvis speaking German... I hear you thinking: must be a terrible youth!
Anyway, the majority 31 of Elvis movies are not really highlights in the history of cinema to put it mildly. Viva Las vegas is mentoined quite regularly as a good film, but overrated and terribly put together. They tall low-voice singer of The Climb can (for example) be seen with and without glasses... Nice work from the director!
I prefer TTWII and Elvis on Tour, with the last one being an absolutely underrated highlight as a rock 'n roll documentary! Okay, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole are nice milestones too, but that's about it.

[Nora Sivle]

Loving You
Jailhous Rock
King Creole
Flaming Star
Wild In The Country
Follow That Dream
Kid Galahad
Viva Las Vegas
Stay Away Joe
Live A Little
Trouble With Girls

My picks too.

[patricia66]

Loving You
Jailhouse Rock
King Creole
GI Blues
Wild In The Country
Flaming Star
Follow That Dream
Blue Hawai
Viva Las Vegas
Tickle Me
Stay Away Joe
Live A Little Love A Little

uups, are 12 - can't help it

[interlci]

Live A Little Love A Little , best ever!!! after king creole of course and flaming star.

[interlci]

Live A Little Love A Little best ever!! after king creole of course and flaming star.

[JLNeibaur]

Best of the less traditional, more dramatic efforts: Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Flaming Star, Wild in the Country, Kid Galahad, Follow That Dream, Roustabout.

As far as the more conventional musicals" are concerned, I rather like It Happened at a World's Fair and Viva Las Vegas.

Worst: Harum Scarum, Frankie and Johnny

The rest are about average. There are a few high points to some. I agree Charro could have been a good movie if it had been better directed. Elvis was prepared to rise to any such challenge.

Jim

[Mike Eder]

Loving You
Jailhouse Rock
King Creole
Flaming Star
Wild In The Country
Follow That Dream
Kid Galahad
Viva Las Vegas
Stay Away Joe
Live A Little
Trouble With Girls

My picks too.

Good taste!

[showfan]

My personal favorites in no particular order are:

King Creole
Love Me Tender
Jailhouse Rock
Loving You
Flaming Star
Follow That Dream
Girl Happy
Tickle Me
Clambake
Roustabout
Change of Habit