#elvis presley reviews

[multifandomworldsposts]

Day 29 of Kinktober: Being Elvis Presley’s Mistress

pairing: elvis presley x fem!reader

warning: having an affair, making out, riding, giving hickeys,

Y/N’s POV

Being Elvis’ mistress is kinda terrifying because his fans would give me death threats including some of his Memphis Mafia would give me death threats as well. But Elvis would protect me from that and I understand that I’m dating a man who’s married, he went after me because he thought I looked cute and more attractive.

Elvis and I would sneak around and he would allow me to sleep in his bed, and we would have some sexual interaction with each other.

Eventually, Priscilla found out about us in the most terrible way, she caught us in Elvis and her bedroom. Ever since that happen, Elvis and I are still together. I went everywhere with him and we would have some private conversations with each other (public sex, just saying).

But this night, it felt good but different.

He lays me on his bed, he makes my arms go above my head so I can’t reach to make him kiss me. He kisses me still holding my arms above my head. He unbuttons my sun dress, he touches my body which made me shiver.

He releases my arms, I grab his head to make him get closer to me and I get on top of him, I unbuckle his belt, I start to ride him. His groans made me go faster. Eventually, he got sat up to give me hickeys, which made me moan, he made me lay on the bed so he can be on top of me and went in and out of me, which made me scream and scratch his back. I felt his cum go inside of me, I gasp on how good he is.

After our session, all you can hear is heavy breathing. Elvis cuddles up to me and I give him a peck on the lips. He loves me so much and lots of people can’t see it. I mean I love him and I hope he knows how much I do because he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my life.

[doll-elvis]

PRISCILLA 2023: the press conference and incoming reviews

today was my day off of work so naturally I stayed up until 5:15 am (pacific standard time thingz) to watch the press conference, and to read some of the incoming reviews for the film 😩

here are the most interesting notes from the press conference (it was extremely brief) and the reviews that I found the most interesting ⬇️

✭ the key moment in the press conference was most definitely Priscilla getting asked a question despite her not being on the panel but in the audience. She was asked how she felt about her life being represented on film and what touched her most about the movie… she gave the best answer of the conference imo

- she became emotional nearly right away and had to take a moment to wipe her tears for which she apologized

- at first she simply said “the ending”, referring to what touched her most about the film. Based on that, and another question, I’m assuming the film ends with Priscilla leaving Elvis

-there were a few questions which shed Elvis in a bad light and so Priscilla referenced one of the journalists and began defending Elvis: she said that her parents had no idea why Elvis was so drawn to her and wanted to be with her, but she states that she was someone that Elvis could completely pour his heart out into (she references the loss of Gladys, his fears, and his frustration with his career)

-As she says it, she was there to listen and to comfort him, she said that is what drew Elvis to her. She states she was mature for her age “older in life but not in numbers”. She also says that in the beginning of the relationship, when she was 14, the relationship was not about sex and that he always respected her

“People think, ‘Oh, it was sex.’ No, it wasn’t. I never had sex with him. He was very kind, very soft, very loving, but he also respected the fact I was only 14 years old”

-she talked about how she didn’t know why Elvis had put so much trust into her but she realized it was because she never gave him up. She never told anyone at school she was seeing him etc. etc

-to end her statement she says that Elvis was the love of her life, and that she didn’t leave him because she didn’t love him, she left because she couldn’t handle the lifestyle

some other key notes-

- the very first question by a journalist referenced physical and mental abuse that is shown in the film

-Jacob Elordi seriously surprised me (in the best way) with his very first answer: he was asked about Elvis telling Priscilla “maybe another time, maybe another place” and how he related to that. He first talked about how Priscilla’s book was the main source for him, and how he came to understand the scale of their love (between Elvis and Priscilla) and the power of it. He said it’s “true”, “undying”, and “it’s beautiful”. He finished by saying that Elvis and Priscilla will be tethered for eternity because of their love

(I honestly didn’t expect such an insightful answer from him lmaoo 🤧)

- Sofia talked about how it was really important for this film to only be the from the perspective of Priscilla, and she says that one of the reasons she loves film is because you can experience someone else’s story

- One journalist asked Sofia if she learned anything new about Elvis from talking with Priscilla and she says that Priscilla told her about how when they would go to movies together in Germany, Elvis would always mouth the words to film… that is how badly he wanted to be a serious actor

- Jacob was asked if he drew any inspiration from the 2022 “Elvis” and he said “no.”, and that Sofia helped him tackle his fears in portraying someone as big as Elvis

- When asked about why Jacob was casted as Elvis, Sofia said that she felt that he had the same charisma as Elvis but most importantly he could play the sensitive and vulnerable side to Elvis

There were a few other technical questions about the film’s palette and music but the press conference ended super quickly, it was a bit awkward to watch and the lead actress, Cailee Spaeny, was naturally very nervous 😭

Overall, reviews have been mixed. Some are saying it’s Coppola’s best work. Some are saying it lacks any depth. And many have had not good things to say about Elvis which makes me anxious for what kind of content is shown in the movie

Here are some of the newest reviews for the film, courtesy of letterboxd ⬇️:

“it avoids giving any sort of context to why Elvis was acting the way he was” is the most worrisome line out of all of these to me… elvis is quite possibly the most context needing person ever

it’s a lot to digest at once, what do y’all think about everything?

[devilsflowerr]

My honest, and slightly brutal review of the ‘Priscilla’ movie.

So, i did find this movie online just because it isn’t out in my country until mid january. (not like i was gonna pay for it anyway.) This is my opinion, as everyone else has one. Spoiler warning maybe?

Now, it is important to note that i tried to be completely unbiased watching this movie, to put away any feelings i had towards Priscilla or even Elvis for that matter… but…

There is something about this movie that throws me off. It almost feels incomplete in a way, like there are bits missing? and yes, i do understand that you can only fit so much into 1 hour and 50 odd minutes, but why am i still watching them before their wedding 1 hour and 20 minutes into the film as if from the wedding onwards didn’t matter? It kind of feels like the movie should’ve ended there, but it didn’t. it just keep dragging on into an unbearable and boring ending. I’m sure that if someone hadn’t read into what really happened in the events leading up to their divorce, they would be confused. Tell us what happened instead of being under the assumption that everyone knows.

To me, i find that some scenes that happened in this movie are quite comparable to Baz Lurhmann’s ‘Elvis.’ And yes, im not an idiot, i know it’s her ‘story’ of what happened, but it was poorly executed and anticlimactic. It seems to me that this movie goes at a snails pace compared to Lurhmann’s. ‘Priscilla’ did nothing for me to keep me intrigued.

What also has really rubbed me the wrong way about this movie, is the fact that this portrayal really paints Priscilla as the angel. There is barely anything in this movie, compared to her book, that shows her in a bad light. Her book, whether fact or fiction, has that human side to her, shows her flaws, whereas this movie, she is deemed as flawless, and instead giving all of the flaws to Elvis.

Yes, we all know Elvis wasn’t the perfect man, or even flawless, but it is evident in this movie that he is the villain. Throwing chairs, drug use, cheating etc. Yet, these are still things we see in this day and age, why must we think that’s really abnormal and villainize it just because it’s Elvis Presley?

I also wanna add, i feel like this movie was made incredibly cheap and quick, the whole movie feels like a school project and a bad coming of age movie that cable tv plays during the day to pass time, there’s a certain tackiness to it. It’s an okay movie, if it was completely fiction and written about two completely fictional characters and didn’t drag someone’s legacy in the mud.

There is so much about this movie to talk about but it makes me angry so i’ll stop here.

All in all, would i pay to watch it? absolutely not. Save your money.

4/10 and that’s being generous. it gave… absolutely nothing.

[deke-rivers-1957]

Clambake Review

This is often considered to be the worst Elvis film ever made. Even Elvis himself allegedly hated making the film. However, it's most likely because of the fact that Elvis suffered from that infamous concussion just before filming started. A lot of fans who watched this film say that you can see Elvis is ailing. Does his acting suffer because of it or just fan projection? Let's find out.

We immediately start off with the titular song "Clambake". For a movie that takes place in Miami, you wouldn't associate the city with clambake. Or oil rigs. But we don't live in this movie's reality because both of those things exist in Miami apparently. While it is true that Native Americans in Florida developed a technique referred to as a "clambake", a traditional clambake is predominantly held on the Northern East coast. They could've just as easily reused New Orleans if they wanted to include both of those elements.

This is easily one of the worst outfits Elvis ever worn. Scott would never wear this. Based on his character he'd want to be as far away from it as possible. It makes more sense for Tom Wilson to buy this when they switch identities. I know he has to wear something at the beginning to show that he's rich, but I would've used a different outfit.

Charlie Hodge cameos at the barber and gets a line. Imagine my surprise to see that we have an actual character arc that's setup. We understand who Scott is and why he's here in Miami. He's the son of an oil tycoon and wants to make a name for himself. He had a fiancee but he left her when it was clear she only cared for his money. We now have a clear reason to support his identity swap.

I don't hate this Prince and the Pauper type of plot, I just don't like how it's executed. Heyward Oil is everywhere somehow and yet no one recognizes Scott just by the face alone? Sure he's not the head of the company but they recognize his name so they had to have seen him at least once. Maybe I'm missing something, but I think this would've been better if Tom Wilson was played by an actor that looked more like Elvis. Impossible I know, but if Elvis had body doubles in movies, I think it could've been done.

"Who Needs Money" is a terrible duet. Elvis' vocals of course are fine but Tom Wilson's dubbed in vocals just doesn't work. The film doesn't grind to a halt because of this duet, but it's still not a rememberable song. I get that we needed a duet to show that Scott and Tom are both doing this for their own personal gain, but Tom Wilson needed different vocals for this song to be just average. It's also made abundantly clear that Elvis isn't in Miami to film this with the overuse of rear screen projections.

When we get to the hotel, the scene where Jamison is talking with the women is so bizarre. Some of the women's dialogue sounded either effected (meaning they purposely put on a type of voice that suggests bad acting or bad direction) or were dubbed in. It just didn't sound like they were recorded the same way Jamison's voice was recorded. The water-skiing scene also has so much dead air that we're watching Elvis' and Shelly's doubles ski at a far angle shot with no audio outside of the boat's motor. It lasted too long and could've been redone as it just wasn't engaging.

Given that Elvis wasn't actually in Florida, at least this scene has a real background. The lighting naturally matches the time of day it's supposed to be in and they all look like they belong there. I really like Elvis' outfit though as you can at least justify long sleeve shirts with "it's night time so it's going to be cooler".

"A House That Has Everything" is fine. It allows for Scott to seemingly bond with Dianne over being poor. As much as I love Scott's part of this relationship, I just don't understand why he's in love with Dianne. She basically admits to being a gold digger, which Scott wanted to get away from. I understand the point of the movie is that she falls in love with Scott for who he is, but Scott being interested after she admits to being the one thing he wanted to avoid just doesn't make sense to me.

I do appreciate that the movie wants us to dislike Jamison by making him act like a pig for ignoring Dianne's pleas to go away. I also appreciate that this movie didn't go down the path of most Elvis films and have Scott try to fight him ultimately getting him in trouble. Instead we get shown that Scott disapproves of Jamison's actions, but also acknowledges that Dianne's a grown woman who can take care of herself.

For once we have a mid 60s Elvis film that has him have the emotional maturity to know when to pick his battles. I also admit that as much as I don't like his romantic interests in Dianne, I really enjoy seeing him wanting to respect her choices and help her. He's willing to just be a companion and doesn't let any negative feelings for Jamison interfere. A cliched love triangle would've had Scott try to sabotage Jamison to make him look bad in front of Dianne, or Scott try to convince Dianne that Jamison is no good only for her to ignore him. He doesn't do any of that and instead just let's the chips fall where they lie.

This song was easily the worst scene in the entire film. "Confidence" is embarrassingly over 5 minutes long. The editing is just bizarre with a shot that is completely upside down and a clip of the US Calvary. It's so long that there was a stretch of time that Scott isn't even singing. We're just following him and Tom Wilson play with children. Even Red West, cameoing as the ice cream gets involved in playing with the kids for literally no reason. I kid you not, it was so bad that my besties who saw the film with me all had a mini breakdown at how awful and long it was.

I can see why fans say you can see Elvis is struggling in this film. Watching this scene is like watching a man mentally regress to a child's age right before your eyes. What makes it worse is that this scene has absolutely no impact on the plot. Him singing with the kids doesn't make Dianne see Scott in a new light the way, nor do any of the kids help Scott with his boat in anyway. Outside of a throwaway line about having confidence, nothing from this scene was ever mentioned again. This scene's only purpose is to provide filler to pad out the run time.

A ride up of over 2 inches or so should never happen with clothes. That's a sign of how cheap this film was. They couldn't even bother to give Elvis a turtleneck sweater that properly fits. This whole scene is just cringy mid 60s beach party aesthetics. "Clambake" as a song is bad in that I literally couldn't understand a single word of the beginning.

The dancing in this scene isn't good and the colors in the scene hurt my eyes. The only reason why I say this song is better than "Confidence" is that there's an actual reason for this song to exist. Despite being geographically inaccurate, a clambake event was mentioned earlier in the film. Scott would want to be there because he knows Dianne would be there and just in general wanted to have fun.

I like this montage of Scott developing the goop. The whole concept of Scott wanting to make his own product is brilliant. He wants to prove that his idea can work even if his dad didn't. It adds another dimension to his character without having to include his dad. He's a genuinely intelligent man who isn't depicted as a pathetic dork or an absolute kill joy.

This gives us a rare showing of Elvis playing a character that doesn't just rizz up girls, or fights people. He also isn't a bumbling, misfortunate character that is passive to the events around him. Here, Scott's actively choosing to do this. He's making the best use of his privilege and education to not only help out a struggling boat owner, but also create a product that shows that he's more than just his dad's money.

This dynamic only makes me think that Scott is too good for Dianne. He isn't just being a decent human being and therefore deserves to be with her by default. He's actively helping a woman he barely knows get with another man by giving her advice. The fact that she's still interested in Jamison after he refused to respect her boundaries indicates that she literally only cares about his money. I know that's the point of her character arc, but watching this only makes me think that Scott deserved better.

"You Don't Know Me" only solidifies that opinion. The entire song is literally Scott lamenting that Dianne doesn't know who he is. While part of it is on him for purposely hiding his true identity, Dianne basically uses him as a tool to get Jamison to notice her. She doesn't really take the time to get to know Scott on even a friendly basis. That one night on the beach just isn't enough to say that she knows enough about Scott to even be his friend. You really feel bad for Scott because he's in a one-sided relationship with someone who doesn't seem interested in him outside of what he could do for her.

It's little moments like this that make me appreciate Scott as a character. He's so dedicated to making this product work that he works through the night and falls asleep at his work station. He isn't even doing it to impress Dianne either. He's had this idea before he even met her. He genuinely wants to help Mr. Burton and prove that his product can work.

"Hey, Hey, Hey" is a terrible song. It's similar to "Clambake" in that it has bad dancing and similar to "Confidence" in that it just comes completely out of nowhere. It also just doesn't work with Scott's character. He's only shown interest in Dianne so even though he's not committed to her, it doesn't make sense for him to give every woman a kiss. I get that it's meant to be a montage of Scott getting help to finish the boat, but the song just feels unnecessary. Each woman's reaction to his kiss is obviously dubbed in as the actress' reaction doesn't match the noise she makes. You could just as easily convey that in a way that's similar to when Scott recreated his goop.

I was absolutely shocked at how good this dynamic was. Mr. Heyward had a big beef with Scott for leaving the way he did. He was so upset that Scott took stuff from his company without asking him, that he had to be confronted. At first you think this is the cliche dad that just doesn't get his son wanting to be his own man or even bothered to know what Scott liked. Scott's relationship with Mr. Burton made me think that this was the case. However, Mr. Heyward ultimately isn't that cliche.

Mr. Heyward knows his son more than anyone else. When he found out that Tom Wilson was acting like a party animal who smoke and drank, he immediately knew that this wasn't Scott. For a time period where it was more common for a man to smoke and or drink, Mr. Heyward outright being confused to hear that "Scott" did this shows he knows his son. He really does care about Scott, but is just upset at the way Scott chose to handle his feelings. When given the chance to confront him about it, Mr. Heyward said his part and let Scott have his say too. Even though he still didn't fully believe in Scott's product, he still wanted to let Scott try. Ultimately a very well written tension that didn't give you the idea that these two outright hated each other.

This part of the movie has the most amount of tension. There's a proper build up of the audience and Scott realizing that Jamison wasn't a good person worth Dianne's affection. Watching Jamison put the moves on her when she said no, is the nail in the coffin for the audience. For Scott, since he didn't see the same things we do, he wouldn't get upset at Jamison for that reason. He knew Jamison wasn't the best person when he forced Dianne to go out with him in exchange for her missing bra. He didn't interfere because he knew that he would've gotten in trouble because Jamison was rich and he was working as an employee.

Here he had the emotional maturity to not put up a stink when Dianne was with Jamison. He didn't even fight him after she left the room. It wasn't until Jamison essentially threatened him first, that Scott had enough and punched him. As soon as Jamison went down, he left. He had the emotional maturity to know that he put Jamison in his place. Nothing else needed to be done as there was no reason to keep punching him. Punching an unconscious man is no longer self defense and is just meaningless violence. Scott understanding that in spite of his own feelings is a refreshing thing to see in a character.

"The Girl I Never Loved" is the best song in the movie. Scott's lament that he'll never be able to tell Dianne how he feels is so sad. He's so adamant about not wanting to interfere in her relationship with Jamison, that he's willing to make himself suffer. He accepts that she doesn't have feelings for him, but he also still lets himself feel hurt about it. That being said, Dianne giving up her scheme and wanting to just go home feels a little forced. Like she doesn't even want to stay because Scott was a good friend. She just wants to go because Jamison ended up not working out.

I just feel bad that Scott went through all this work only for Dianne to not seem that enthused. Mr. Heyward only wants the best for his son so if the goop works, he couldn't be any happier and supportive. Tom Wilson and his girlfriend are genuinely excited to be at the race watching him. They really want Scott to win because they know he worked so hard on the boat. Dianne just doesn't look all that emotional for him and I wonder what would've happened if Scott ended up losing. Mr. Heyward and Tom Wilson I feel would've still supported Scott. They know how hard he worked on it even if it didn't pan out as he thought. I just can't say the same for Dianne. I'm not sure if it was an acting issue or a writing issue, but I just don't feel the same passion she has for Scott that he does for her.

This hurts me. When I think about the low production value of this movie, I think of this. First off no license would ever have a picture like that. If it has a picture it was to be front on not at this weird angle. Also his name's spelled wrong! If you look at the signs for his father's company it's spelled Heyward. The worst mistake though is that Elvis has blue eyes! Why do you mark Scott as having brown eyes when he clearly doesn't have them? This whole scene summarizes the lack of effort put into making this look like Miami. Florida doesn't have any mountains and if anything, Miami is actually prone to flooding and sinkholes because of the low altitude.

Regardless, I actually like how this film ended. The whole point of Scott switching identities in theory was to find someone who loved him for his personality and not just his money. Was doing that right at a stop light the best time to do that? No but in general for a mid 60s Elvis film, we didn't get a stereotypical final number to close out the film. It could've been executed better but we actually get the plot point of Dianne not knowing who Scott is wrapped up. I still don't think Dianne and Scott will work out. They don't know anything about each other and Scott kisses her once after he asks her to marry him. I'm happy for Scott that he got what he wanted, but I honestly think he still deserved better regarding his love interest. It really shows just how much of a real person this character was that you would feel something like that.

This movie is so baffling. On one hand yeah, I totally agree with fans that say this is the worst one. The complete lack of attention to geographical detail and the most blatant case of run time padding make this absolutely frustrating to watch. On the other hand Scott surprisingly has one of the most complete character arcs I've seen where every choice he's made has made sense to his character. His ballads and emotional maturity were quite refreshing to see. He actually makes me care enough to say "you deserve to find someone who loves you. Dianne isn't good enough for you king".

That being said, I give this film a 5/10. There's just too many issues to say that this is a good film. However, I truly think if this script was redone and a different creative team made this movie, it might be one of Elvis' best ones. In fact, as long as you skip "Confidence" and are someone who can forgive production errors easily, I would actually recommend watching this Elvis fan or not. Scott's character arc has enough good elements to make it worth watching.

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AN: Thank you @georgefairbrother for requesting this film. Also shout out to @arrolyn1114 and @xanatenshi for watching this film with me. Your input was much appreciated. I currently don't have anything planned on what to review next. If anyone wants to request an Elvis film feel free to send it in.

Tagging: @lynettethemadscientist, @motht-eeth, @ash-omalley, @spooky-hazex, @oh-my-front-door, @father-of-2cats, @stormie-ryan23, @yksuwyksud, @tacozebra051, @alienelvisobsession, @vintageoldsoul, @ohmygiddd, @lovininapinkcadillac, @stephthestallion, @mistyspresley, @bisexualwvtson, @karel-in-wonderland, @moonchild-daniella, @musiclover712, @worldofyns, @sillybookmarks, @g00d2balive, @leighpc, @generoustreemystic, @peskybedtime, @thetaoofzoe, @renegadewarrior, @vintagepresley, @tupelomiss, @myradiaz, @pinkcaddyconfessions, @kiankiwi, @presley72elvis, @delulubutidontcare, @elvispresleywife, @ilivebecauseiamforced, @jaqueline19997, @richardslady121, @if-i-can-dream-of-elvis and @lookingforrainbows.

[elvis1970s]

On July 25th and 27th, 1976, Elvis played the Onondaga County War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, NY, with a date in Rochester squeezed in between.

The first show in Syracuse received a pasting from a young reporter named Dale Rice, in the Syracuse Post-Standard. The huge, sustained and angry response from fans, in the form of hundreds of letters and phone calls to the paper, 'went down in Syracuse history', and led to the reporter being sent off on vacation to a remote part of Wyoming, and an appeal for calm by the editor.

The story is told in this fascinating video from the paper's official Youtube channel.

Elvis was due to play the Onondaga Arena again, on August 20th, 1977.

[the-ugly-swan]

ꗃꓸ 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗔 ! ⋆ ⌧ ꓸ 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐. !

➤ 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁: Since I have Priscilla Presley as a faceclaim in my story about ❝The Beatles❞, it occurred to me to watch the movie based on her. I am aware of the enormous controversy it has generated, and don't worry I have informed myself as much as I can, so I will evaluate the film not as a biopic but as a regular drama film. I want this blog to be free of controversies and I want everyone to feel free to share their thoughts and opinions. PS: Cailee looks very pretty in that poster.

➤ 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀: I have to admit that I have never been a fan of Sofia Coppola either as an artist or as a person. However, one of the things I have always admired about her is her good eye for aesthetics and visuals. One of the things in which ❝Priscilla❞ stands out is in the visual section. While the locations don't look quite right due to the low budget, I think they did a good job with what they had on hand.

Although the lighting was not completely to my liking, I understand its reason and purpose. The setting is supposed to be cold and somewhat gloomy...so I understand the reason for this choice. The soundtrack seemed decent to me and I think that although it accompanied the setting more or less well, it didn't seem like anything special to me. In conclusion, the visuals were the most redeeming part of the movie.

➤ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: If I'm honest, one of the things that bothered me the most about the movie was the lack of realism of the characters. I’m not going to count them as real people but as fictional characters, again to avoid controversy.

One of the most important points when creating and writing a character is to make sure it is as human as possible. In other words, we must ensure that it is morally gray. It should be neither completely good nor completely bad. Although as a society we tend to classify people as good or bad, absolutely no one is completely good and absolutely no one is completely bad.

The big problem with the characters in ❝Priscilla❞ is that they were all painted and presented with black or white morals. In other words, they are either the incarnation of a saint or they are the incarnation of satan himself. And that is too far from reality, especially for a film that aims to be as realistic as possible. No character, whether hero or villain, should be painted with a black or white morality. They should always be painted with the grayest morality possible.

The central point of the film is supposed to be that we see Priscilla as a victim, that we feel Priscilla as a close person and that we empathize with her situation. However, it’s impossible to empathize with a character without humanity. It's not wrong that they paint her as a sweet and innocent girl, what's wrong is that we never see her grow and evolve, we never see her fail or make mistakes, we never see her humanity. We barely get to know her in her own movie and it’s even worse with the side characters. We never get to actually meet them or get to know their stories and personalities.

And this seems even more serious to me if we take into account one of the genres of this film, which despite being a biographical film is also a drama. And what a dramatic film seeks is precisely to generate emotions such as empathy, emotional investment, so that the viewer feels very attached to the characters. Which is impossible in this case due to the poor writing and character development.

➤ 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗲: I will be brief with this section. I will not compare the costumes in the movie with those in real life since I said that I was not going to classify it as a biopic. If I'm honest, the costumes look extremely cheap. I'm more than aware of the low budget, but the main characters are supposed to be the supreme monarchs of glamour and the costumes unfortunately do not reflect that.

➤ 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Regarding the casting, I will not compare the appearance of the actors with those of real people due to the point of this review. Therefore, I will limit myself to rating the actors according to their acting quality.

In terms of the actors, the only one I knew before seeing the movie was Jacob Elordi, the interpreter of Elvis, so I can't speak about the acting qualities of the other actors outside of ❝Priscilla❞. So far the best acting work I know of Jacob Elordi has been his portrayal of Nate Jacobs in the show ❝Euphoria❞. However, although I do feel that he is a good actor, his acting range does leave a lot to be desired. His portrayal of Elvis feels like Nate Jacobs himself with a different name. And unfortunately the terrible writing and lack of realism and humanity doesn't help matters either.

Now moving on to Cailee Spaeny's performance, I honestly think her performance stole the entire movie. While the script dehumanized the characters too much, Cailee made the character of Priscilla feel warm and personal at times. I feel like she handled the psychology and emotions of the character quite well. I genuinely feel that she has potential as an actress and I would love to see her with a better director, a better story, a better script…I think she could do an excellent job at a better film.

➤ 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁: Now, this will be a pretty strong and honest criticism...mostly because ironically what people praise the most is in my opinion the worst thing about the movie.

Something I noticed about the movie that I haven't seen many pointing out is the immense feminist propaganda both in the marketing and in the movie itself. I am more than aware of Sofia Coppola's extreme feminist agenda, however...as I always like to say: ❝a story with a little bit of speech is not the same as a speech with a little bit of story❞. Nothing against the feminist movement, I would just like for it to be portrayed and used correctly. Similar to what I mentioned with the lack of gray areas in the characters, the script lacked transparency and coherence.

The purpose of the script is never entirely clear. Sometimes it feels like it's simply trying to tell a story and other times it feels like it's manipulating the viewer and making them doubt their own judgment. Which is pretty bad for quite a few reasons. Starting with the fact that a script should always be as transparent and neutral as possible even if one of the purposes is to give a moral. However, it is one thing to try to give a moral and quite another to impose it by force and that is what ❝Priscilla's❞ script does in some parts.

I’m a believer that the purpose and intentions of cinema should never be to educate the viewer but simply to entertain them. The only audiovisuals that should have the intention of informing are documentaries. It's pretty cool for a regular movie to try to give a moral, but a forcefully given message is not a moral...it's pure propaganda. In case some of you are not aware of the difference between publicity and propaganda...publicity sells you a product while propaganda sells you an idea.

The problem with ❝Priscilla's❞ script is not that it tries to give a message, even if it is full of politics, the problem is the way in which it does it. It doesn't do it in an organic or dynamic way, we have little to no context for the actions and intentions of the characters, we only see them act good or bad just because…and the director intends for us to like them or dislike them just for that…exactly, by force. If her intentions were to give a speech about the independence of a woman…she did an awful job. ‘Cause it doesn’t feel like female empowerment…it feels like bad presented propaganda.

Moving on to more technical aspects of the narrative...to be honest, it's been a while since I've come across such a poorly structured script. A messy, underdeveloped script wouldn't have bothered me as much if the movie was a parody or didn't take itself seriously, but that's not the case. More than a regular drama it feels like a collage, very poorly done, of random moments from Priscilla's life.

If the purpose of a film is to show the life of the main character, their evolution, and their growth as a person over the years, it is extremely important that the timeline is well done and structured. Another thing we must take into account is that ❝Priscilla❞, beyond being a drama, is also a character study. That is, a work in which the main focus is the life and development of the characters rather than the plot itself.

While there are all kinds of narrative structures and ways to tell a story...I still believe that for a character study a simple and conventional structure works best. The problem with ❝Priscilla's❞ narrative is that it literally lacks structure. In addition to having a fairly boring and very little balanced narrative, it is almost impossible to keep up with it due to its terrible structure.

➤ 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: There are several things that I did not mention since I did not want to extend the criticism so much. The only thing I can highlight about this production is part of the visual and acting section. However, none of that was enough to save the final product. ❝Priscilla❞ is a film that falls short in absolutely every aspect, especially in the narrative aspect. However, that is just my opinion and now I want to hear yours.

━ 𝔀𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝓵𝒐𝒗𝒆 ꓹ 𝓜𝒆𝒚 ʾ

[estelscinema]

Pricilla Movie Review

The unseen side of the great American myth in Elvis and Pricilla Presley's long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German base to his estate at Graceland.

Elvis Presley needs no introduction. His voice, his dance, and his music will be remembered for generations to come. However, very few people really knew Elvis and what he was like. One of them was his ex-wife Pricilla Presley. The couple met when he was 24 and she was 14. From there it turned into a star-struck romance that swept the world. Yet behind the glitz and glamor, was a predatory relationship riddled with loneliness and melancholy. 

We are first introduced to Pricilla when she was 14 years old, living on a US military base in West Germany. One night, she is invited to a party, where she meets Elvis Presley. Both were immediately struck by one another thus beginning their romance. However, this initial meeting is uncomfortable as writer/director Sofia Coppola immediately sets up the power dynamic between the two. Pricilla falls into an obsessive love affair with Elvis. While Elvis slowly begins planting his control over her. The more she falls for him, the more control he gains over her. He soon begins to dictate her looks, her career, and her personal life. And before we know it, she is already living with him all alone at Graceland. Soon Priscilla’s obsession with Elvis turns into depressive isolation as she is cut off not only from the world but from herself. But it is not the end as she soon learns to become her own woman again. 

With romances such as this, it can become very hard to portray properly, especially when it is from a different era. Yet Sofia Coppola handles this romance with all the care and intimacy it needs. The film is fully aware that Pricilla was groomed by Elvis, yet the film is filled with loving and personal moments between these two people who clearly care for one another. This balance what many would call a predatory romance today, is perfect.  However, I would have loved to have seen more of the latter half of their relationship rather than the first half of it. I wanted to see how Pricilla eventually broke away from Elvis and reclaimed herself. But these questions are left unanswered. I would have loved to have seen Coppola explore this area and I am surprised that she didn’t.

Cailee Spancy's performance as Pricilla Presley is subtle brilliance. She completely transforms into this character and her journey. Her ability to convey so many emotions without saying anything is remarkable. Jacob Elordi equally gives a fantastic performance as Elvis Presley through this intimate lens. He is both quiet and commanding in his presence as the King of Rock and Roll. The cinematography is beautiful and intimate. While the costume and production design will take you back to the 1960s. Pricilla is an intimate film that explores the romance of one of the most famous couples in recent memory. Showing that behind the camera it was not all glitz and glamor for this complicated relationship. 

My Rating: B

[pricelesscinemas]

[average-guy-reviews]

What if......Elvis?

(A year ago, I had just seen my second viewing of the Elvis movie. These were my thoughts at the time)

Once in a while a star comes along whose flame burns brightly enough to brighten the lives of the people they see. Their impact is huge but is often short-lived. Once in a generation there comes a brighter star. Someone whose light burns strongly enough to leave a semi-permanent mark on the world.

Then, even more rarely, there comes a star who rises like a phoenix to leave an indelible, and permanent, mark on everyone. They become a part of the ongoing, cultural zeitgeist of the world. These very rare few are not once a generation, or even once a lifetime. They are one offs, unique individuals the likes of which will never be emulated, people whose talents, and impacts, cannot be replicated.

Elvis is one of these talents. A truly unique star that came from nowhere, with a talent unlike any seen before, he rose to heights of fame that are almost impossible to reach. For sure there were dips in his career, and he faced prison for the way he performed, but he overcame these barriers and continued his journey to becoming one of the most famous people in history. He provided the world with stunning performances, and music that has lasted, and will continue to last for as long as there are people. I firmly believe they’ll still be playing his music in 2 or 300 years, and there aren’t many artists I can think of to say that about.

I came out of my second viewing of the movie tonight and my heart was even heavier than the first time, more tears moistening my cheeks. The tragedies of his life struck me harder this time, maybe because I was expecting them so my mind knew what was coming. But as I was walking out an old thought resurfaced. Elvis had a brother, Jesse. A twin that died at birth and it’s almost like the soul of his brother became a part of him, increasing his talent exponentially.

My thought is this: What would have happened if Jesse hadn’t died? Would Elvis still have been a musician? Would the two of them have performed together? The possibilities of that have run through my mind a lot over the years. Obviously we can never know, but it leads to further thoughts. Was Elvis’ journey through music a way to fill a hole left in his heart by the loss of a brother he could never know? How much of the love he felt from the audiences at his shows, and the fans he met, might it have taken to fill that hole?

He lived a life of extreme highs and lows, and he had happiness and sadness in spades. If Jesse had lived would Elvis have needed that rush from the fans? Would he have been happier living a simple life as one half of a whole with his twin, and if they had become performers together how different would it have been? We cannot, and will never be able to, know the answers to any of these questions, but one of the most famous people ever will always have people asking about his life.

He has been part of my life for as long as I have been alive and I will always be grateful for the joy he has brought me through his music, and his movies. I am extremely grateful to have been able to watch the new movie, despite the tears it caused, because it allowed me to see a side of his story of which I was not fully aware. Was Elvis Aaron Presley perfect? No, he absolutely was not. Was his music universally loved? Of course not, for some people it was just too cheesy, or cloying, for them to fully enjoy, but that’s okay.

Perfectly perfect people very rarely make truly lasting impacts. It is the flaws and differences of those that do that make them stand out to everyone else. Elvis had flaws, and he was different, but he made a huge and, mostly, positive impact on the world, and for that I say simply.......Thank you, King, for everything.

[ashadhahaha]

Priscilla (2023) - A Review

Heya folks! Here's a new blog dedicated to films + TV that I'm watching.

I made a very hasty decision to see Priscilla (dir. Sofia Coppola) in theaters today. I knew a little bit about it, that it was Priscilla Presley's biopic and that it would be based on her own autobiography, "Elvis and Me".

I have many good things to say about this film. Perhaps the most stunning things are the mise-en-scene and the editing. As always, Coppola has a very compelling way of telling stories.

The montages!!! I love how Coppola and her frequent collaborator Sarah Flack cut together Priscilla. I can see Lost In Translation here a bit with the clunky, slightly off-beat cuts. It's intriguing, a little unsettling, yet rhythmic at the same time. My favorite is when Priscilla waits on Elvis the first time. The way she's suspended in her own girlhood while Elvis floods her brain and her life. What a way to watch the time pass. You get all the information you need, all the details, and in an interesting way that fits the film well.

Some of the montages feel a little too romantic, like I'm watching a teen drama, which I think is excellent. There were so many points in the movie I start to fall for the romance and have to remind myself how this began in the first place and the young girl at the center of it.

THE COSTUMES. Coppola very much has an eye for production design!!! I noted in an interview she tends to spend her time there more than most directors. You can certainly tell. Elvis and Priscilla and honestly the whole world feels so believable and immersive because of the amount of detail. Priscilla's hair being our visual marker as we move through time is a great device and it really allows us to see this progression as she grows up and tries to fit more and more into this world she didn't choose.

Jesus, every single frame in this movie is beautiful. The way Priscilla is LIT. OH MY GOD. From the very beginning, with Priscilla's feet walking into the frame over the pink carpet. Every shot is composed with intention and meaning and create a strong aesthetic language that we feel consistently throughout the story.

Coppola doesn't shoot a lot of coverage, so her scenes consist mainly of a static camera, a well-decorated set, and her actors moving and talking to each other. Some moments feel incredibly long, other feels short and sweet. The rhythm is pervasive and concise.

She also tends to shoot at a lower budget. The most expensive scenes were likely the huge montages! There's a particular montage of Elvis performing that's used to show passage of time and it's shot very simply. You can do a lot with a little. Just a single spotlight in front of him to cast a long shadow, one camera on a dolly, a couple silhouettes to represent the crowd. Elvis is dark, powerful, and stepping more and more into the role of superstar. The lower the budget, the more creative control one has and I think Coppola thrives with these kinds of monetary restrictions.

Even the way scenes start seemingly right in the middle of things. Priscilla's life is moving at a pace she can't really control. She's completely at the mercy of Elvis and his wants and desires. And it's so observational. We're just watching these people exist. It gets unbearable the more Priscilla is barred from living her own life. She's trapped behind the gates of Graceland. Alone.

I love that first scene when she first moves in with Elvis and she's kind of wandering around this huge home. She sits in the chair, then she scoots back and crosses her legs. Then she looks out the window. Then she's playing with the piano. She's trying to imagine herself there, feel herself growing into it. It's foreign and she's so out of place. Still, she tries to force her own belonging. What a great use of negative space!

The world always feels like it's going to choke the life out of Priscilla. Like it's against her and swallowing her up at the same time. Coppola proves again how well she portrays isolated, lonely characters.

I also think Elvis was portrayed pretty fairly. He's sensitive, but troubled. There is love between them, but it's complicated and a little sinister and Priscilla spends much of the movie convincing herself it's worth sticking around for. I think this biopic is a step in the right direction of highlighting a more unseen perspective. Again, Coppola was a great choice.

& those are my thoughts! :3

ashadhahaha

[multifandomworldsposts]

ELVIS PRESLEY MOVIE REVIEWS (the movies i’ve seen) PT 1 🎞️🎙️❤️

BLUE HAWAII

10/10! I really love this movie! I really love the songs and Can’t Help Falling in Love is my ultimate favorite song because for a personal reason but in my opinion, its a sweet movie and I really loved the ending :)

Viva Las Vegas

11/10!!! I really love this movie and Ann Margot is AMAZING in this film! When I went to Vegas for the first time I thought of this movie. I really loved the end of the movie because Elvis won the race I felt happy 😊

Jailhouse Rock

10/10!! I really loved the 'music video' that the movie showed, it was really cool! fun fact, I saw a picture of Elvis for the very first time in a music class I was in 6th grade and it was this picture. The music was really good and I really hate the fact in the movie, there was a 'new' band that stole one of Elvis' songs.

Loving You

15/10!!! The movie reminds me of Elvis the movie in 2022 but different, his manager is a woman in the movie and he performed in small venues. Mean Woman Blues is one of my favorite songs from the movie! If you can see in the movie there is a scene with the man who told him to sing from the restaurant, he looks like he's not watching Elvis because Elvis looked amazing and made the place crazy and they loved him singing.

[football-in-tuxedos]

I posted my article on Priscilla, which is a little bit of a review and a little bit of me musing about how we talk about famous historical figures in biopics.

[thoughtportal]

Sofia Coppola’s girls want, but do not get. Her films are about the muffled-scream agony of young, romantic women trying really hard to want less. They are heterosexual in a way that feels important to point out, because everything Coppola’s girls want, they want from men.

[rickchung]

Priscilla (dir. Sofia Coppola) x VIFF 2023.

Coppola faithfully adapts Priscilla Presley's (née Beaulieu) famed bestselling 1985 memoir Elvis and Me into a tender yet piercing coming-of-age biographical drama of her own. Starring Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla is a subdued but darkly illuminating portrait of a naïve teenage girl's lost childhood thrust into stardom as the wife of the rock 'n roll icon in a welcome antidote to last year's maximalist Elvis movie musical.

[deke-rivers-1957]

Roustabout Review

Marred by pre-production issues, Roustabout took about 3 years to put out. Announced in 1961, Elvis didn't start filming until March 1964 at 29 years old (well after he stopped playing bad boy characters). This film also had Colonel's influence as he wanted the film to be portray carnival life as a respectable profession.

Made after VLV and Kissin Cousins, this is the last film from Elvis' 2nd Hollywood phase (lighthearted musical comedy travelogues). Does Roustabout have enough of a gritty yet colorful edge to make it enjoyably different, or was it trying too hard to capture a movement and emotion that was no longer relevant? Let's find out.

The titular song "Roustabout" gets us off to a great start. The colored lights are tolerable for those who are photosensitive. The song itself is very enjoyable but I'm not sure if it fits the movie's characterization of Charlie. He's characterized as a ruffian with a chip on his shoulder. I personally recommend looking up "I'm A Roustabout", an alternate opening title song that I think better suited Charlie's character.

So we get introduced to some college kids that only show up for this one scene and I don't like their attitudes. They get all uppity with a waitress who insists on giving them non-alcoholic drinks despite one of them claiming they're all 18 (unless this takes place in Louisiana, states even back in 1964 had the purchase age at 21 to buy alcohol so that argument is moot). The establishment has the right to enforce underage drinking laws, so regardless of their actual age, the waitress has to at least check.

This is the first example of the movie telling us to think one way about Charlie despite showing evidence suggesting otherwise. The college students start heckling him and then get mad when he heckles back. "Poison Ivy League" is an entertaining song that calls out the rich college students and has a unique sound for an Elvis song.

When the song is over, we're made to believe that Charlie is some type of bad boy who picks fights because he's got a chip on his shoulder for being an orphan. That isn't the case at all because Charlie didn't start the fight. Him being an orphan has absolutely nothing to do with this interaction. The college boys started it by making remarks and if you look closely, the one in the blue actually started to swing first. Despite this, Charlie is the only one who gets arrested then gets slapped by the waitress who bailed him out. She's upset that he wouldn't take her with him, when in reality he's not obligated to do anything more than pay her back.

"Wheels On My Heels" is a good song that properly fills in what otherwise would've been dead air. You want to believe that Charlie is content with being on his own as he travels to his next job. However, given the circumstances that lead to this, you still don't get the idea that he's a bad boy. He's acting like a relatively reasonable person that doesn't like getting blamed for things he didn't do.

Which is what makes Joe running off the road so frustrating. Charlie flirts with his daughter, Cathy, and he just completely loses his mind. He verbally stated his intents on killing Charlie, yet still makes it like it was Charlie's fault. What's worse is that, Charlie is forced to work with Maggie and the family until his motorcycle is fixed. Instead of offering to buy him a new bike all together, this family makes like Charlie should be honored to work there as opposed to being held against his will.

We get a walk through of the carnival and I immediately get the idea that Colonel contributed to the script. Cathy uses all this carny talk and then compares it to doctors using Latin because it separates them from the common man. I'm all for wanting to break stereotypes, but Cathy saying this makes her come off as nothing but high in mighty. At least with Cody and the other carnival workers, they have a realistic perspective of trying to take pride in their work despite their low status. It's just a shame none of them show up again to do literally anything. Charlie so far is quite personable and even tries to be nice to Cathy by going on a Ferris Wheel ride singing "It's a Wonderful World." It's a beautiful song with unique tracking shots of the Ferris Wheel moving.

Joe is still unreasonably awful when he's not even the boss. He would literally rather pick on Charlie than accept his half dollar coin for using a ride. We later find out that Maggie is also an irresponsible carnival owner for keeping him employed there. Joe as we learn, was drunk on the job and rigged a ride that ended up killing someone. As a result of not having insurance, Maggie now owes the bank compensation. Instead of doing literally anything, she still insists on keeping Joe employed and only blames herself for letting the insurance lapse. In reality, she'd likely be forced to shut down her business and Joe would definitely be out of a job. There's no way she'd be in business if she kept Joe working there as she'd be complacent in his negligence.

It's the first night of the carnival and while there is business, Cathy simply isn't doing enough to get money at her booth. So what does the bad boy Charlie do? He sings "It's Carnival Time" to attract business on a toy ukelele. Wow that's such a bad boy move /s. Charlie was so bad that he actually manages to earn the carnival a lot of money for that game.

The song itself is still good but I don't think it was lip-synched well. In the shots like this one, Elvis sometimes isn't even moving his lips while he's singing. But ultimately I still buy the idea of using him to attract customers since his songs are entertaining. If only the movie also properly utilized the Wall of Death since we know Charlie is a motorcycle rider.

We get a double header of "Carny Town" and "Hard Knocks" which both do a good job of entertaining the crowd. In the meantime, we get an introduction to the so called "villain" of the movie. Harry Carver is meant to be this no good carnival owner that buys out dying businesses. However, given what we know so far about Maggie and co. I don't hate this man at all. Maggie has shown that she's unwilling to get rid of Joe despite him actively being cruel to other workers, while Harry Carver actually comes off as a reasonable man who just wants to provide the highest quality entertainment possible.

When Charlie's show ends up being a success, Joe still can't even have the guts and admit that he was wrong. He still thinks Charlie is the bad guy here. So of course when Charlie is still salty about the damages Joe caused, Cathy is mad at him for being ungrateful when Maggie gave him a new guitar. Do you see how messed up that is for Cathy to not only defend her father's awful actions, but then have the gall to get mad at Charlie like he's the heel? I'm sorry but the movie is actively trying to gaslight its audience into think Charlie's this bad boy when in reality Charlie's the victim. I just can't support this downright unreasonable and unlikeable family.

At Charlie's next show we get "One Track Heart" and it's one of the best songs in the movie for how entertaining it is. That being said, I have no idea why Charlie changes his mind out of nowhere when he signs Maggie's contract. Nothing we've seen indicates any major change in his status there. This is where not giving his relationship with the other male carnies any development, really hurts the movie. It just feels like the script is forcing Charlie into this instead of naturally establishing reasons to make him change his mind. That's bad storytelling where you're telling us this is what needs to happen as opposed to showing us how Charlie grows.

Cathy also comes off as being super unlikeable by getting mad at Charlie for so much as being with Estelle, the fortune teller. They are not dating and she didn't even tell Charlie how she felt. Charlie is not at all obligated to stay loyal to her. She just comes off as high and mighty like Charlie should never dare have affections for another woman and it's very annoying. I just don't get any chemistry from these two at all and it's another aspect of the story that just feels forced.

After signing the contract with Maggie, Cathy is seen running the dunk tank with Joe and my god do we get the most obnoxious couple I've ever seen in my life. This couple actually makes me feel bad for Joe when they accuse him of stealing their wallet when they have been nothing but a nuisance and started a fight with Charlie. Then again, this family gets mad at Charlie having dared feel concern over Cathy's wellbeing. I was so mad at Cathy when she slapped Charlie because I have no idea why I'm supposed to get at someone who just wants to help. How I'm supposed to like anyone in this family over Harry Carver when they've all treated Charlie as nothing but dirt?

Estelle the fortune teller and Cathy are just awful love interests. They wanna make like they're interested in Charlie, but just when Charlie shows interest back, they get all disgusted. That's not a bad boy. A bad boy wouldn't listen to Cathy when she says she's not a one night stand type of girl. Like Estelle gets mad at Charlie even though she was the one who wanted him to have sex with her. It comes off as these women being so flakey and unlikeable as opposed to Charlie actually being wrong for pushing.

So he finds the wallet and like a good friend decides that Joe needs time to get sober. The next morning, he gets his bike back and is about to leave when he sees the Wall of Death. In a scene that absolutely serves no purpose outside of wasting time before the big reveal, Charlie tries his hand at it. Once he had his fun, Charlie tells Maggie and the other carnies that he found the man's wallet last night. As rational, reasonable people, every single person gets mad at Charlie for betraying Joe. They think Charlie was a heel for having dared think it was a good idea to keep a drunk man in jail longer than he should've been.

I just can't stand any of these people. Charlie actively tries to keep an absolutely terrible person in jail just long enough to sober up and HE'S THE BAD GUY! I think everyone in this carnival is insane. The colonel wanting to make this a specially coded business with rules ended up making this a straight up cult. If you don't drink the kool aid and support your fellow carny no matter how much of a horrible person they are, you're the bad person. I want this carnival to fail and go out of business because of how awful they are. That's a complete failure on the writers part to just completely fumble the ball when making Charlie this "bad boy" who has to change his ways. I want Charlie to get as far away as possible from these people.

Charlie of course signs with Harry Carver and I refuse to believe he's supposed to be the bad guy like the movie wants to make him. He's an actually reasonable man who runs a far superior business. This is a whole theater with numerous performers providing a quality show. However, "Little Egypt" is by far the weakest song in the movie. I hate the sound effect used as it hurts my ears and is completely unnecessary. It ruined what would've otherwise been an absolute banger and a good reason to believe that Charlie is a good performer.

We see Maggie's carnival and of course it's failing. It's almost like they didn't realizing casting Charlie out would have consequences. Cathy and Estelle talk and despite literally watching her kiss Charlie multiple times, Estelle says "she didn't even get to first base". I have never seen a movie completely mess up on its own continuity this badly. It gives you this feeling of anxiety that you're being gaslight as the movie tells you one thing despite being shown something completely different. We never once see Charlie use anyone like Estelle says he did and it's completely ridiculous.

I love "Big Love, Big Heartache". It's the quintessential Elvis ballad but if Charlie had an actual character arc this is the perfect way to show that he actually does love Cathy. It's such a shame that he doesn't have any character arc at all. Cathy just shows up because she wants to manipulate Charlie into coming back and he does. I think Charlie is absolutely insane for leaving a legitimately superior job for an actually toxic work environment. Based on what we're shown, no one at Maggie's carnival is likable enough to make Charlie want to be there.

I honestly feel bad for Harry Carver because he's a reasonable man who actually cares about his business. He even cares about Charlie being in love with Cathy and tries to give him advice. Charlie just gives him the shaft because we're near the end and this has to have a "happy" ending where Maggie's carnival is saved.

This is the most forced ending I've ever seen in an Elvis movie. Absolutely nothing is earned here. Absolutely nothing in this movie was properly developed as we're introduced to things like Charlie being an orphan and the wall of death only to have neither of those things matter. It's not like Loving You where Deke being an orphan actually matters as he learns how to heal and accept that he's good enough to have friends. With the Morgans you can't help but think this is the most unlikeable family you've ever seen. It's so badly written that the only way you can make sense of it, is to come up with the conspiracy theory that Joe is abusive towards both of them. It would other wise make zero sense for Maggie or Cathy to defend Joe.

Charlie can't accept the Morgans as his family because despite "There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon" telling us things are going to get better, I just don't think it will. Joe didn't have his epiphany and realizes Charlie is a good guy. Joe only accepts Charlie coming back because it's the end of the movie and the script tells you that he does. It's all so forced and I have no reason to believe Joe will get better. A complete mess of a story that is absolutely frustrating to watch.

I said in my Clambake review that it was the hardest film to develop a solid opinion on whether I liked it or not. Roustabout to me is like a Clambake but in reverse. Clambake had bad production and some bad songs but had the best character writing I've seen in a mid 60s Elvis movie so far. Roustabout meanwhile had good production and an amazing soundtrack (outside of the sound effect used in Little Egypt.) but the worst character writing I've ever seen in an Elvis movie.

Since the writing is the worst part of the movie that singlehandedly ruined my ability to enjoy it, I have to give it 5/10. This movie's production and soundtrack just wasn't enough overcome the failures of basic story telling. I personally didn't vibe with it so I can't say I'd recommend it but if you're someone who only watches Elvis films for the songs or doesn't care as much about the writing, then I think you would have a great time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN: Thank you @xanatenshi for requesting this review as well as @thedaisymaisy for providing input about the film. If anyone wants to send a request, feel free to send it in.

Tagging: @lynettethemadscientist, @motht-eeth, @ash-omalley, @spooky-hazex, @teamnefarious, @blighted-star, @ab4eva, @oh-my-front-door, @father-of-2cats, @stormie-ryan23, @yksuwyksud, @tacozebra051, @alienelvisobsession, @vintageoldsoul, @ohmygiddd, @lovininapinkcadillac, @stephthestallion, @mistyspresley, @bisexualwvtson, @ahundredlifetime, @karel-in-wonderland, @elvispresleywife, @georgefairbrother, @moonchild-daniella, @musiclover712, @worldofyns, @sillybookmarks, @g00d2balive, @leighpc, @generoustreemystic, @peskybedtime, @thetaoofzoe, @renegadewarrior, @vintagepresley, @tupelomiss, @myradiaz, @pinkcaddyconfessions, @kiankiwi, @presley72elvis, @delulubutidontcare, @januarypresley1969, @livelaughelvis, @all-hookedup-on-elvis, @slayingjd, @ilivebecauseiamforced, @dusintv, @cattcb, @jaqueline19997, @richardslady121, @iloveelvis2, @lett-them-eatt-cake @if-i-can-dream-of-elvis and @lookingforrainbows.

[agentnico]

Elvis (2022) Review

Don’t know what to make of this, but for some reason the go-to way of showing emotion in this film was to have characters stare through windows. The amount of window glaring shots in this movie was redonculous! 

Plot: From his rise to fame to his unprecedented superstardom, rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley maintains a complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker, over the course of 20 years. Central to Presley's journey and happiness is one of the most influential people in his life - Priscilla.

Elvis Presley is arguably one of the most significant musical icons of the last century, and his songs have been played and enjoyed until this day and onward. Personally I didn’t grow up listening to Elvis. Instead being a Russian born kid, my family played the Soviet version of Elvis - this chap with the easy-to-pronounce name Muslim Magomaev who’s voice did resemble Elvis’ quite a bit. Worth a YouTube search if interested. Anyway, enough unnecessary Soviet promotion. Back on topic, seeing as music biopics have been made cool in recent years thanks to the successes of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman respectively, now the King gets his due. This comes to us from director Baz Luhrmann for better or worse, as what we get is a visually popping motion picture that really captures the colourful flair of Elvis’ shows and costumes, however this is very much an example of style over substance. Especially the first half of the movie rushes through Elvis’ earlier life and plays out like a montage with quick cuts and transitions, so much so that in prior to hearing of Austin Butler’s incredible transformation into the role I felt like I was being deceived, as there were hardly any scenes that played fully and allowed the actors to freely show off their acting chops. Instead we were being treated to a best-of playlist of Elvis’ greatest hits (not complaining though, listening to those was great) and a bunch of intercut sequences that were ticking off points off of Elvis’ Wikipedia biography section, and it was difficult to get engaged in the proceedings. Well, minus Elvis’ first performance in front of an audience where I feel Baz Luhrmann got inspired by Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story where women began getting so horned up by the singer they began undressing themselves. Okay, that version was only in Walk Hard and what we get in Elvis is a PG version of that where women simply bit their lips and screamed in collective horniness over Elvis’ twitching leg dances. 

It is not only till the second half of the film however when we reach the Las Vegas stage (pardon the pun) of Elvis’ life that the movie pulls the brakes and actually finds a narrative purpose by unravelling the controlling relationship between the singer and his manager. During these points Austin Butler’s performance really does shine, as you see the pain and inner turmoil he feels from being a humongous success, but not having any real freedom or personal choice. He was simply used as a pawn on a chess board played by businessmen who wanted to export him for all his worth. And Butler also dabs well with the musical sequences, dancing and singing his way to Presley glory.

The main issue however with Elvis minus the lack of narrative direction and too much focus on the visuals over anything else, is that it does the questionable choice of being narrated and told from the perspective of the villain. Colonel Tom Parker, played here by Tom Hanks in a fat suit and a head-scratching accent, was the manager who exploited and used Elvis for his own gain. And the movie proves how despicable of a being he is, however with him narrating the story one has to question - why? Is the movie trying to redeem this persona? Cause the story told still paints him as the bad guy. It just seems like a directorial choice that doesn’t make much sense stylistically or narratively. Okay, put it simply, it doesn’t make any sense at all. 

Overall Elvis is an enjoyable and fascinating look at the life of the famous icon, with a solid performance from Austin Butler and a grandiose visual palette from Baz Luhrmann, but similar to the director’s previous works, he puts too much focus on the style and as such loses the focus or the narrative substance. Though this is redeemed in the second half. That being said, this makes me keen on seeing more biopics of popular music stars, as its always fascinating discovering the personal life of people we only see as celebrities. Maybe David Bowie? One for David Grohl and the Foo Fighters? Heck, my inner child is screaming for an ABBA biopic! Make it happen!! Then again there is that Madonna biopic coming out made by Madonna herself, which is one of the most obnoxious things I’ve ever heard, even from Madonna! 

Overall score: 6/10