Elvis (1979 movie)
Encyclopedia
Elvis is a 1979 television film by John Carpenter
and is based upon the life of Elvis Presley
, starring Kurt Russell
in the title role. However, it ends in 1969 and does not depict the last few years of Presley's life and career.
Elvis is notable in Carpenter's career for two reasons. It was made after Halloween
had wrapped, so it offered him an avenue to try his hand at a film away from the horror genre. It was also the first time Carpenter had worked with Russell, who became a frequent collaborator of Carpenter's. Russell subsequently starred in Escape from New York
(1981), The Thing (1982), Big Trouble in Little China
(1985), and Escape from L.A.
(1996).
Kurt Russell worked with and met Presley in the film It Happened at the World's Fair
(1963). In the film, Presley wants to meet the fairground's nurse and he pays a young boy (Russell) to kick him in the shins. Later in the movie, the young boy sees Presley and the nurse together on a date and asks Presley if he can kick him again for money. Russell's cinematic involvement with Presley also includes dubbing the voice of a young Presley in Forrest Gump
and playing a Presley impersonator in 3000 Miles to Graceland
.
Country singer Ronnie McDowell
provided the vocals for a number of songs Russell performed in the film. McDowell recorded 36 songs for the soundtrack, but only 25 were used. Elvis originally aired on ABC opposite two blockbuster films; Gone with the Wind
on CBS, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
on NBC. Despite this, Elvis beat both in the Nielson ratings, receiving a 27.3 rating compared to 24.3 and 22.5 respectively. Elvis was ranked the sixth most watched program of the week. According to several reports, Priscilla Presley was paid $50,000 to check the script for accuracy before shooting commenced.
Russell was nominated for an Emmy Award
for his performance as Presley. Also nominated for Emmy Awards were cinematographer Donald M. Morgan and make-up artist Marvin Westmore. Russell would later marry co-star Season Hubley on March 17, 1979. They were later divorced. Bing Russell, who played Vernon Presley, is Kurt Russell's real father. For several years Bing played Deputy Clem Poster in the TV series Bonanza
.
After its success on television, the film was released theatrically throughout Europe. The film finally debuted on DVD
and Blu-ray in early 2010 via Shout! Factory
.
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction.- Early life :Carpenter was born...
and is based upon the life of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, starring Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
in the title role. However, it ends in 1969 and does not depict the last few years of Presley's life and career.
Elvis is notable in Carpenter's career for two reasons. It was made after Halloween
Halloween (1978 film)
Halloween is a 1978 American independent horror film directed, produced, and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut and the first installment in the Halloween franchise. The film is set in the fictional midwestern...
had wrapped, so it offered him an avenue to try his hand at a film away from the horror genre. It was also the first time Carpenter had worked with Russell, who became a frequent collaborator of Carpenter's. Russell subsequently starred in Escape from New York
Escape from New York
Escape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future in a crime-ridden United States that has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into a maximum security...
(1981), The Thing (1982), Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China is a 1986 American martial arts comedy film directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell as truck driver Jack Burton, who helps his friend Wang Chi rescue Wang's green-eyed fiancee from bandits in San Francisco's Chinatown...
(1985), and Escape from L.A.
Escape from L.A.
Escape From L.A. is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. The sequel to the action film Escape from New York, the film follows former war hero Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell...
(1996).
Kurt Russell worked with and met Presley in the film It Happened at the World's Fair
It Happened at the World's Fair
It Happened at the World's Fair is a 1963 musical film starring Elvis Presley as a cropdusting pilot.The motion picture was filmed in Seattle, Washington, site of the Century 21 Exposition, the 1962 World's Fair. The governor of Washington at the time, Albert Rosellini, suggested the setting to...
(1963). In the film, Presley wants to meet the fairground's nurse and he pays a young boy (Russell) to kick him in the shins. Later in the movie, the young boy sees Presley and the nurse together on a date and asks Presley if he can kick him again for money. Russell's cinematic involvement with Presley also includes dubbing the voice of a young Presley in Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
and playing a Presley impersonator in 3000 Miles to Graceland
3000 Miles to Graceland
3000 Miles to Graceland is a 2001 American crime film, starring Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Bokeem Woodbine, Christian Slater, and Kevin Pollak. It is a story of theft and betrayal, revolving around a plot to rob the Riviera Casino during a convention of Elvis...
.
Country singer Ronnie McDowell
Ronnie McDowell
Ronald Dean "Ronnie" McDowell is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1977 with the song "The King Is Gone", a tribute to Elvis Presley, who had died not long before the single's release. From that single onward, McDowell has charted more than thirty Top 40 hits on the Billboard...
provided the vocals for a number of songs Russell performed in the film. McDowell recorded 36 songs for the soundtrack, but only 25 were used. Elvis originally aired on ABC opposite two blockbuster films; Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
on CBS, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (film)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 American drama film directed by Miloš Forman and based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey....
on NBC. Despite this, Elvis beat both in the Nielson ratings, receiving a 27.3 rating compared to 24.3 and 22.5 respectively. Elvis was ranked the sixth most watched program of the week. According to several reports, Priscilla Presley was paid $50,000 to check the script for accuracy before shooting commenced.
Russell was nominated for an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for his performance as Presley. Also nominated for Emmy Awards were cinematographer Donald M. Morgan and make-up artist Marvin Westmore. Russell would later marry co-star Season Hubley on March 17, 1979. They were later divorced. Bing Russell, who played Vernon Presley, is Kurt Russell's real father. For several years Bing played Deputy Clem Poster in the TV series Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
.
After its success on television, the film was released theatrically throughout Europe. The film finally debuted on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray in early 2010 via Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
.
Cast
- Kurt RussellKurt RussellKurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
- Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... - Shelley WintersShelley WintersShelley Winters was an American actress who appeared in dozens of films, as well as on stage and television; her career spanned over 50 years until her death in 2006...
- Gladys Presley - Season HubleySeason Hubley-Biography:Hubley was born Susan Hubley in New York City, the daughter of Julia Kaul and Grant Shelby Hubley, a writer and entrepreneur. Her brother is actor Whip Hubley....
- Priscilla PresleyPriscilla PresleyPriscilla Presley is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the ex-wife of singer Elvis Presley, and the mother of singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley.... - Bing RussellBing RussellBing Russell was an American actor and baseball club owner, and was the father of Golden Globe-nominated actor Kurt Russell.-Personal life:...
- Vernon Presley - Pat HinglePat HingleMartin Patterson "Pat" Hingle was an American actor.-Early life:Hingle was born Martin Patterson Hingle in Miami, Florida, the son of Marvin Louise , a schoolteacher and musician, and Clarence Martin Hingle, a building contractor. Hingle enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1941, dropping out of...
- Colonel Tom ParkerColonel Tom Parker"Colonel" Thomas Andrew "Tom" Parker born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, was a Dutch-born entertainment impresario known best as the manager of Elvis Presley... - Charles CyphersCharles CyphersCharles Cyphers is an American actor who has starred in many films and on television. He is known in the horror movie community for his work in the films of John Carpenter, especially his role as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in Carpenter's 1978 hit horror movie Halloween. He reprised this role in the...
- Sam PhillipsSam PhillipsSamuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s... - Ellen TravoltaEllen TravoltaEllen Travolta is an American actress, the eldest sibling of John Travolta. She is probably best known for her portrayal of Louisa Arcola Delvecchio, the mother of Chachi Arcola in the 1950s-based sitcom Happy Days, and its unsuccessful spinoff, Joanie Loves Chachi...
- Marion KeiskerMarion KeiskerMarion Keisker MacInnes , born in Memphis, Tennessee, was a radio show host, station manager, U.S. Air Force officer, and assistant to Sam Phillips at Sun Records... - Charlie HodgeCharlie Hodge (guitarist)Charles Franklin Hodge , better known as Charlie Hodge, was an American singer, vocal coach and musician who was a confidant and associate of Elvis Presley.- Early music career :...
- Himself - Larry Geller - Himself