Day of the dead
I more or less spent the day with Elvis today — blogging three of his movies and watching the E! True Hollywood Story about his last days in between.I don’t really like his music, so I don’t know why I’m so fascinated by the man; I think it’s the same reason that I’m attracted to true crime.I’m trying to figure out or master something that can’t really be explained — madnesses, tragedies, the little decisions you don’t realize were big until later.
I’m hardly that introspective in the blogs, though, and you can read them on TWoP — first up was the concert film, which Matt Seitz and Steven Boone helped me out with; then I tackled Speedway with Miss Alli immediately after that; then I took a break, ate some lunch, did some formatting while Lamar Fike talked shit on my TV, and went back into the breach with Kissin’ Cousins, assisted by Couch Baron and the delightful wine he brought over.And I mean to tell you, I am exhausted and sick of jumpsuits and giant sideburns.
Tags: drinking games movies music sites TV writing
But did you indulge in a Special Edition Reese’s Peanut Butter and Banana Cream Cup, complete with Elvis factoid and cartoon of The King at work this afternoon? I did. I was basically shamed into eating 1/4 of one cup (I hate banana) but it wasn’t that horrible. We all held it would have been better with bacon bits on top.
Oh Elvis. I developed my great Elvis love during a trip to Graceland (which was supposed to be a joke, really). Something about his story is so sad, and yet so many people (especially in Memphis) really love him and not in that distancing, celebrity way but more personally. They feel like he’s one of them. I was touched. And I do love his music, especially the more rockabilly stuff. The ’68 comeback special blows me away.
The ’68 special is hot.
I’m from the deep South, and there are three people you do not–you DO NOT mock under my mother’s roof: Jesus, Bear Bryant, and Elvis. More or less in that order, depending on the time of year. I read a tell-all by the Memphis Mafia in which all sorts of sordid revelations were made about the King, and my mother refused to listen to any of it. You’d have thought I was trying to make her face sexual abuse in our own family or something. Actual “La-la-la”ing went on.
Oh man, you just reminded me… it’s been ten years to the day since I went off to college. I know this because we drove down a day early, and Mom and I watched HOURS of “20th Elvis Death Anniversary” movies on AMC.
I love that Lisa Marie, though. Big balls on that girl, and she seems so unimpressed with her own self.
Elvis was just so smokin’ hot when he first started out…’specially when he grinned. It’s fascinating how he sort of became a caricature of himself as time went by.
I never understood the fascination with Elvis. I always assumed it was a “you had to be there” type thing because his voice is only OK and he never wrote a single song as far as I know. No offense intended to anyone who loves or is devoted to him. I just never got it myself.
Want some Elvis comedy? Rent “Change of Habit”. The scene of Elvis as a nitty-gritty, inner-city doctor, curing a kid of autism with the power of Elvis hugs and guitar playin’, will make you snort stuff out your nose. If you like that sort of thing.
“She’s autistic?”
“Nah, she don’ even lift up a crayon.”
I was just mentioning to a friend last night how much I loathe August, because it’s “Elvis month.” This year it’s particularly tiresome because it’s the 30th Anniversary. For more unintentional hilarity, I recommend Spinout. I think writing Elvis movies must have been the easiest Hollywood gig in the ’60s.
SNNNARRRRFF! I laughed maniacally at the recap for Kissing Cousins–I think what the guy said about the WAC, what sounded like “Pretty as a speck of fluff”, was actually “pretty as a speckled pup.” It’s a common saying even today–I heard Dr. Phil use it once.
If you want more hilarity, watch the movie where Elvis is in the army (got some more use out of his uniform) in post WWII Germany, and the usual paper thin plot hangs on trying to get some cutie Frueilein (sp) to go out with him. Thrill as they wander the excrutiatingly cutsey German countryside, packed to the gills with Leiderhosen, Troylean hats, and beer steins, waved by the happy, shiny Germans. In POST WWII GERMANY. It’s all so adorable, you can almost forget about the genocide!
On the other hand, Blue Hawaii is a pretty good movie. And it’s got a Corgi! In a scarf!
If you’re not sick of reading about Elvis yet, read Dave Barry’s piece about going to Graceland on the 20th anniversary of his death. It’s nowhere near as snide as his usual stuff, and he actually has a lot of respect for both Elvis and the fans who genuinely adore him. I think it’s in the collection Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up.