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Post by stryker on Jul 6, 2022 5:37:28 GMT
In retrospect, we should thank the Lord that Elvis didn't get any of the roles you mentioned.
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Post by telegonus on Jul 6, 2022 8:56:24 GMT
As I've read down this thread once more, I came to the conclusion that Elvis was fortunate to have had the film career he did have, not unfortunate to not have starred in this or that film. The Defiant Ones would only look good in retrospect, and it's probably just as well that Tony Curtis did it even as it was kind of strange for an actor with his looks and background to play a "poor white trash" Southern guy with attitude. Still, better than the smooth, well mannered Elvis, who didn't seem to dislike anyone, on principle.
Elvis Presley simply wasn't an envelope pushing kind of guy, even as he did just that very early in his career. Within a few years, especially after his time in the army, most mothers of teenaged girls would likely have come to accept the church going rock and roll star, yet man enough to share his "crying in the chapel". Now that is a kind of envelope push, as I've never heard a guy, much less heard of a guy who felt that Elvis was a sissy to reveal his emotionalism. As he grew older, and moved onto New Things, I came to enjoy the New Elvis, and respect him for that.
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Post by marianne48 on Jul 6, 2022 14:54:16 GMT
In retrospect, we should thank the Lord that Elvis didn't get any of the roles you mentioned. No; if he'd gotten at least a couple of good movie roles, he might have gotten a little more professional respect and not ended up as the drug-dependent, bloated recluse he became, and could have toured in the '80s as an oldies star. He didn't deserve to be treated as the laughingstock he was because he wasn't given a chance to do a good film once in awhile. |
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Post by marshamae on Jul 6, 2022 17:34:52 GMT
In retrospect, we should thank the Lord that Elvis didn't get any of the roles you mentioned. No; if he'd gotten at least a couple of good movie roles, he might have gotten a little more professional respect and not ended up as the drug-dependent, bloated recluse he became, and could have toured in the '80s as an oldies star. He didn't deserve to be treated as the laughingstock he was because he wasn't given a chance to do a good film once in awhile. That was his whole tragedy . For every good move parker made he robbed Elvis of 10 good opportunities just to stay in the saddle. Elvis had good impulses for his music career, and brought at least as much as young Frank Sinatra to a film career. I agree that if he had been allowed to develop a film career with substantive roles he might not have become addicted to so many unhealthy behaviors.
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Post by stryker on Jul 6, 2022 17:58:14 GMT
In retrospect, we should thank the Lord that Elvis didn't get any of the roles you mentioned. No; if he'd gotten at least a couple of good movie roles, he might have gotten a little more professional respect and not ended up as the drug-dependent, bloated recluse he became, and could have toured in the '80s as an oldies star. He didn't deserve to be treated as the laughingstock he was because he wasn't given a chance to do a good film once in awhile. The King has never been a laughing stock to me marianne48. And I am not about to judge him for being as flawed and human as he was talented. Fact is, it made him even more endearing to me. Still, I wouldn't have liked to see play Joe Buck in MIDNIGHT COWBOY. His voice is part of the soundtrack of my life and he will always be The King of Rock and Roll to me.
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Post by stryker on Jul 7, 2022 3:45:53 GMT
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Post by phantomparticle on Jul 7, 2022 12:03:43 GMT
I don't think anyone has ever to adequately explained the Svengali-Trilby relationship between Presley and Parker, and at this point the "could have-should have" debate will never be settled, either.
There were so many "periods" in the singer's life, many overlapping, from his breakout years (1956-1958) to the mostly awful movies (1956-1969) and his return to the concert stage where the terrible deterioration of his health became a drawn-out American tragedy performed before his adoring fans.
In contrast to his physical decline, his vocal talent remained intact, more mature, resonant and immensely powerful, entrancing his audience with moving spirituals while still able to blow out the walls with covers like My Way and Bridge Over Trouble Waters.
If his entire film career were eliminated, he would still be one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century, his legacy undiminished a half century after his death.
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Post by stryker on Jul 7, 2022 13:26:56 GMT
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Post by stryker on Jul 7, 2022 13:50:33 GMT
"A Diabolical Genius In Every Way" - Tom Hanks On Colonel Tom Parker
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Post by stryker on Jul 7, 2022 13:52:50 GMT
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Post by marianne48 on Jul 7, 2022 18:43:05 GMT
No; if he'd gotten at least a couple of good movie roles, he might have gotten a little more professional respect and not ended up as the drug-dependent, bloated recluse he became, and could have toured in the '80s as an oldies star. He didn't deserve to be treated as the laughingstock he was because he wasn't given a chance to do a good film once in awhile. The King has never been a laughing stock to me marianne48. And I am not about to judge him for being as flawed and human as he was talented. Fact is, it made him even more endearing to me. Still, I wouldn't have liked to see play Joe Buck in MIDNIGHT COWBOY. His voice is part of the soundtrack of my life and he will always be The King of Rock and Roll to me. I didn't mean any disrespect to him and don't consider him a laughingstock, either. Which is why I never understood why his life and death at a relatively young age was so often considered comic material--I certainly remember a lot of "dead Elvis" jokes from the time of his death and for years afterwards, and how even today such sick humor exists, not to mention the implication of tackiness about his public image. I can't recall any other musical artists being subjected to such ridicule--from Hank Williams to Patsy Cline to Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, John Lennon, etc., there was not that kind of sick humor about their lives as there seemed to be for Elvis. I would guess that this was largely a result of the silly movies. If he had been allowed to take the role of Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie, it would have shown that he was in on the joke. But Parker didn't appreciate the humor of it and claimed to be protecting Presley from ridicule, which ironically led to more. IMO, I find some of the gravitas given to certain still-living "rock icons" a little excessive, and some of them could use a little of the kind of derision often aimed at Presley (I'm tired of hearing about pissy old David Crosby, frankly, and I think the Rolling Stones descended into self-parody decades ago).
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Post by timshelboy on Jul 7, 2022 20:51:17 GMT
this seeems to support marianne's thesis.....
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Post by stryker on Jul 7, 2022 21:24:31 GMT
The King has never been a laughing stock to me marianne48. And I am not about to judge him for being as flawed and human as he was talented. Fact is, it made him even more endearing to me. Still, I wouldn't have liked to see play Joe Buck in MIDNIGHT COWBOY. His voice is part of the soundtrack of my life and he will always be The King of Rock and Roll to me. I didn't mean any disrespect to him and don't consider him a laughingstock, either. Which is why I never understood why his life and death at a relatively young age was so often considered comic material--I certainly remember a lot of "dead Elvis" jokes from the time of his death and for years afterwards, and how even today such sick humor exists, not to mention the implication of tackiness about his public image. I can't recall any other musical artists being subjected to such ridicule--from Hank Williams to Patsy Cline to Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, John Lennon, etc., there was not that kind of sick humor about their lives as there seemed to be for Elvis. I would guess that this was largely a result of the silly movies. If he had been allowed to take the role of Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie, it would have shown that he was in on the joke. But Parker didn't appreciate the humor of it and claimed to be protecting Presley from ridicule, which ironically led to more. IMO, I find some of the gravitas given to certain still-living "rock icons" a little excessive, and some of them could use a little of the kind of derision often aimed at Presley ( I'm tired of hearing about pissy old David Crosby, frankly, and I think the Rolling Stones descended into self-parody decades ago). Absolutely, but I do miss Levon Helm and Greg Allman. They never descended into parodies of themselves.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Sept 17, 2022 7:29:48 GMT
"Elvis" Is The Most Baz Luhrmann-y Baz Luhrmann Film Thanks for the warning
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Post by Richard Kimble on Sept 17, 2022 7:37:32 GMT
Perry Smith in In Cold Blood (the Blake role)
Your Cheatin' Heart
The Fastest Guitar Alive -- Even Elvis had sense enough not to go near this. He was replaced by Roy Orbison.
Also Nick Adams, probably Elvis' closest friend among the Hollywood set, wanted him to sing the theme from the Rebel TV series, but this idea was nixed by Col Parker.
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Post by marianne48 on Sept 17, 2022 11:14:29 GMT
"Elvis" Is The Most Baz Luhrmann-y Baz Luhrmann Film Thanks for the warning Uh-oh. I have this on my viewing list. I guess I'll have to get ready to fast-forward through it like I did with that awful Moulin Rouge! |
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Post by stryker on Sept 17, 2022 21:39:38 GMT
Uh-oh. I have this on my viewing list. I guess I'll have to get ready to fast-forward through it like I did with that awful Moulin Rouge! is a very different sort of film to Moulin Rouge - of which I am not exactly a fan (it has its moments, though, and is romantic). Also, ELVIS is not anachronistic.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Sept 17, 2022 22:39:35 GMT
“He was an instinctive actor...He was quite bright...he was very intelligent...He was not a punk. He was very elegant, sedate, and refined, and sophisticated.” - Walter Matthau 
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