Stone Cold Natural Freak: A Personal Look At Elvis Presley

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED

Jeremy Richey — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:10:37 +0000

I have moved this blog to a much more user friendly and attractive site. So for a much better and up to date Elvis experience featuring my own articles, memories of past Elvis Weeks and more please visit:

http://howthewebwaswoven.blogspot.com/

Thanks.

KING CREOLE TRIBUTE POSTED

Jeremy Richey — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 22:15:45 +0000

My tribute to the King Creole album has been posted at Moon In The Gutter, and my tribute to the film will appear later this evening. Please stop by and give them a look. Thanks and here is the link.

http://mooninthegutter.blogspot.com/

Hard Headed Woman Tribute Posted

Jeremy Richey — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:14:42 +0000

To kick off my week long tribute to KING CREOLE, I have posted a tribute to the HARD HEADED WOMAN/DON’T ASK ME WHY single at Moon In The Gutter. More articles are coming and don’t forget to vote in my Elvis Poll over there.

Here is the link:

http://mooninthegutter.blogspot.com

Please Take My Elvis Film Poll

Jeremy Richey — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:44:22 +0000

I am hosting an Elvis Film Poll at my Moon In The Gutter Blog and I invite everyone to participate. The poll is on the right side of that page, and it is focusing on Elvis’ leading ladies.

Here is the link:

http://mooninthegutter.blogspot.com/

Also keep a look out here for a special announcement concerning some articles that I will be writing over there this week as well. Thanks for participating.

Elvis Watching Over The Meditation Garden 2007

Jeremy Richey — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:34:12 +0000

From The Elvis Insiders Forum…look under the 2007.

http://mooninthegutter.blogspot.com/

Thanks For The Support

Jeremy Richey — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 15:45:44 +0000

Greetings all,

Thanks for continuing to visit here. I apologize for the lack of regular updates. I have a main blog that I post on daily called Moon In The Gutter that I invite everyone to visit. My Elvis articles that I have posted here come originally from there, and you can see what some of my other tastes in film and music are.

I also have a blog entitled Nostalgia Kinky which focuses on the career of Nastassja Kinski.

There will be future posts appearing here at Stone Cold Natural Freaks so keep checking. January will be particularly busy with the Elvis Birthday celebration, and I will be posting many more photos and write ups.

Thanks for the support, and I invite everyone to visit my main blogs.

Images From The Floral Arrangements 08-17-07

Jeremy Richey — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:48:27 +0000

Images From Outside Graceland 08-17-07

Jeremy Richey — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:42:26 +0000

A Different Kind Of Role

Jeremy Richey — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:35:24 +0000

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AT MY MOON IN THE GUTTER BLOG.

Recently I was re-reminded of how important the DVD format is. Since its brief 1969 release the Elvis Presley film CHARRO has only been available in one of the most horrendous pan and scans jobs I have ever seen, and typically in a cut tv print. Partially because of this, the film has long been thought of as one of Presley’s weakest, a final nail in the coffin of his film career if you will. The striking new Widescreen transfer that has just recently released on disc shows a film much better than anyone, even a die hard Elvis fan like me, would have ever thought.
One of the great unspoken truths about the film career of Elvis Presley is that the formula trap that he found himself in by the mid sixties had been escaped from with the 1968 film LIVE A LITTLE LOVE AT LITTLE. The relative disappointing showing of SPEEDWAY, a film which had been hoped to bring in the kind of numbers VIVA LAS VEGAS had, caused the studio and Presley’s manager to finally release their tight grip a bit, and in his final few films Elvis Presley was given a small chance to shine again as an actor.
The four films in question, all released in 68 and 69, that fell very much out of the formula Presley films were the aforementioned comedy LIVE A LITTLE LOVE A LITTLE, THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS, CHANGE OF HABIT and CHARRO. There were still some songs, there were still some girls but all four of these films differed greatly from the poor quality productions Presley had been given just a couple of years earlier in films like DOUBLE TROUBLE and EASY COME EASY GO.
CHARRO isn’t a great film by any means. It suffers from a lazy script by director Charles Marquis Warren, under-developed characters and a couple of notably poor supporting performances. These flaws have been apparent since it first came out but what hasn’t been apparent is just how striking looking the film is, how amazing the Hugo Montenegro score sounds and just how good Elvis Presley is as the reformed outlaw Jess Wade.
Warren’s film is one of many Hollywood productions in the Late sixties that was very deliberately copying the Italian Western that had become such a big industry. Elvis, who counted Clint Eastwood as one of his favorite actors, plays a ‘man with no name’ like character who has been falsely accused of stealing a canon by a group of outlaws he used to run with. The plot of CHARRO has been seen in hundreds of Westerns so going into detail on it is a bit useless. The things about the film that should be noted is the look, sound and Presley’s surprising turn as the bearded outlaw trying to make right.
One thing I noticed upon viewing this dvd is how sharp, at times, the veteran Warren’s direction is. CHARRO would be the final feature from the, at the time, near sixty year old Warren. His career wasn’t overwhelming distinguished as it was mostly made up of tv work and B westerns but his underrated work on films like ARROWHEAD (1953), SEVEN ANGRY MEN (1955)and the strange BACK FROM THE DEAD (1957) are all worth a second look. Warren’s direction of CHARRO is quite nice, the framing of certain shots stand out and seem well organized and carefully considered. Often having three or more characters in the frame with Presley seemingly trapped in the middle is a nice touch and he handles the film’s exciting action scenes very well.

Even more striking than Warren’s direction is the cinematography by Ellsworth Fredericks. The photographer of Kazan’s masterful WILD RIVER (1960) really brings a lot to CHARRO and it is lit and shot very memorably with special mention going to the colorful interior work in Ina Balin’s brothel. Also worth noting is the film’s set decoration by Charles S. Thompson who had just finished up some really delightful work on the charming DON’T MAKE WAVES just a year before.
Composer Hugo Montenagro’s western work is often thought of as basically Morricone Lite but his work on CHARRO is splendidly inventive and at times very eerie. The film’s one song is also fantastic and is sung by Presley over the main credits. I would love to see a full soundtrack release for this film as it is one of the elements of the newly re-mastered dvd that really stuck with me.
The supporting cast is mostly good with a couple of exceptions. Lovely Ina Balin really stands out as Wade’s former girl Tracey and Victor French is always solid. His ruthless Vince Hackett is particularly strong. The film belongs to the 33 year old Presley though and he comes through with a solid and intense performance as the damaged Jess Wade.
Presley was never more beautiful than he was in 1969. I would argue that there has never been a better looking man than Elvis in this period and he is really breathtaking to watch in CHARRO. He is at his best when the script calls for him to just be silent, Presley from some of his earliest roles like LOVE ME TENDER (1956) and KING CREOLE (1958) was always good at portraying a silent internal turmoil and he was never better at it than in CHARRO. Unfortunately the script’s dialogue often lets him down and it is a shame that the studio didn’t give it a thorough rewrite as this could have been something really splendid. Still, there are certain moments in this film where you can really see the actor Presley could have easily become and CHARRO (along with CHANGE OF HABIT) is a sad little postscript to one of the most ‘if only’ film careers in Hollywood history.

CHARRO opened in the spring of 1969 to lukewarm business and weak reviews for the few critics who bothered to watch it. It made its way to television in the seventies losing some of its violence and an Ina Balin nude scene before hitting the dreaded public domain market in the eighties. The new DVD is unfortunately still trimmed of some of the violence (the film is quite brutal at times and it should be noted that Presley performed many of his own stunts) and Balin’s nude shot is also still not here, but otherwise the DVD is incredible in how great it looks. Outside of some trailers and collectible cards, no extras have been given the release which is a shame.

The two songs recorded for CHARRO (one, LET’S FORGET ABOUT THE STARS was never used) are both fine, still available and recommended. The brooding and haunting title track is particularly memorable and is one of the more underrated sixties tracks from Elvis.
Apparently among the many films that Colonel Tom Parker stopped Elvis Presley from doing over the years was MIDNIGHT COWBOY in 1969. One can only imagine what the role of Joe Buck would have done for not only Elvis Presley’s career but also his spirit. CHARRO, outside of two spellbinding concert films, was along with CHANGE OF HABIT the last time audience’s would see ELvis Presley on the big screen. Thanks to the greed and short sightedness of a artistically challenged manager, he would never work as an actor again.
CHARRO is among the most surprising dvd releases of the year. Despite some noticeable flaws, I highly recommend it it to anyone who might have seen one of those washed out pan and scan transfers years ago, or to anyone with even a passing interest in being reminded of how good Elvis Presley the actor could have been.

My Thoughts On Elvis Week 07

Jeremy Richey — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 23:21:33 +0000

I have been attending Elvis Week now for more than five years and I must say that this one was among the very best so far. Although the temperature in Memphis was unbearably hot and kept me feeling exhausted, the events the EPE staff came up with were extremely exciting. Here is a rundown of some of the events I attended, a few honest criticisms and a few random thoughts.

One of the first things my Mom and I always do upon arriving is to peruse all of the shops around Graceland to see the new merchandise, and to just begin to soak up the atmosphere in general. The newer products this year were for the most part well done. The T-Shirt designs are typically pretty superb and I try to overlook certain things that have been licensed that I don’t find all that appealing. There wasn’t anything overtly offensive that I saw this year, such as the dreaded Elvis Duck heads that have popped up in the past few trips.

I am continually disapointed by what is happening to Elvis’ music selection in the shops. The "Good Rockin Tonight" music shop should be just that, and there is no excuse for it to not be fully stocked with all of the FTDs as well as all of the currently available BMG products. T-Shirts and souvenirs are fine but in the end it should be about the music and a new fan walking into this store would have trouble knowing what to get. I think a total overhaul of the store is in order, with not only getting all the music in stock but also some sort of interactive guide (and a knowledgable staff) that could help newcomers with their collection. Each year Elvis’ cds seem to be pushed further and further back which is a real disservice to the man and his legacy.

Our first big event this year was the annual A CELEBRATION OF FANS and that was a very well organized and fun time. It is always a pleasure to see and hear Jerry Schilling and his presence along with the wonderful display of charity made by the fan club presidents was inspiring.

The ELVIS EXPO that ran for three days was also fairly well organized. Most of the booths set up were very respectful and the people for the most part were extremely friendly. It was difficult to get the Insider’s guests autographs during the conference due to time and the crowds but I think EPE handled this as well as they possibly could.

August 12th brought the beginning of THE ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST CONTEST. We did not attend this and I find EPE’s embrace of this to be the most disappointing decision they have ever made. While some of these ‘artists’ are talented and love the man, overall they have done more to hurt the legacy of Elvis Presley more than anyone else. I refuse to have anything to do with this and I am really saddened by EPEs sanctioning of such an event. That said, outside of the usual jump suited idiots walking around Graceland, we were free of having to see any of this.

The Sunday night scavenger hunt was a serious blast as always and this is a great event that the staff of EPE obviously work extremely hard on. It is a great way to see the mansion, have fun, learn about Elvis and maybe even win some prizes.

Monday was Day One of The Insider’s Conference and it was pretty solid although it wasn’t as memorable as some past Insider’s Conferences. The highlight of the day was the spirited Mary Ann Mobely who seemed very friendly and obviously happy to be there. The Maxine Brown-Joanne Cash segment would have been in serious trouble had the always reliabe and personable Host Tom Brown not have been there to come between the two of them. The co-stars talk between Darlene Tompkins, Chris Noel and Cynthia Pepper was okay but they had such limited time with him that I kind of wished for something a little more substantial for the thirtieth anniversary. I won’t say much on the Colonel Parker segment. I appreciate that Loanna Parker is looking out for her late husband’s best interests but no amount of revisionism will make me forget many of the things Elvis sacrificed artistically because of his very greedy manager.

The first ever concert on Graceland’s lawn was held that night and while I had mixed feelings about it, it turned out okay. It started late and not being a Nascar Fan I was a bit baffled by the whole Dale vibe, but a lot of people really got into it. The Dempsey’s performed a fairly spirited set and Andy Childs group did a solid, if not totally memorable, job. The restored print of "Viva Las Vegas" was then shown and it looked fantastic.

Day Two of The Insider’s Conference was a real triumpth and was easily one of the highlights of the whole week. We were treated to fascinating conversations by the TCB Band, The Sweet Inspirations and The famed American Studio Memphis Boys Band. All of these segments were fascinating and everyone was obviously very excited to be there and their passion for Elvis was infectious. The real highlight was Jerry Schilling’s talk with Priscilla. She is so much more personable, friendly and open in person. At one point Jerry tried to stop and she asked to continue. She was obviously enjoying being there and her talk was a really special thing to see.

Night Two on the lawn was also much better than night one. We were treated to a very fitting gospel show featuring The Stamps, The Imperials and The Sweets and then were shown "That’s The Way It Is." Hearing this wonderful music in front of Graceland as the sun went down was really special and it seemed like everyone there felt it. I still have mixed feelings about so many people about being on the lawn, drinking, eating and most likely littering but it was still a nice event.

Wednesday the 15th was of course The Vigil. There isn’t too much I can say about that. It was moving, it was hot, it was packed. The floral displays this year were really incredible. We attended three film showings at the Malco Theatre earlier that day and that was loads of fun. Seeing "Girl Happy", "Charro" and "Live A Little, Love A Little" on the big screen was amazing. "Charro" especially was spellbinding and the staff of the Malco is always great. It is a fine event and I can’t understand why more fans don’t go. There has been a misprint two years running in the Elvis Week newspaper guide regarding the directions to the Theater and I wonder if that has caused some to miss the event.

We slept in on Thursday after the Vigil, missing both the Jerry Osbourne talk and George Klein memorial, in preparation for the two concerts. The Fed-Ex concerts were incredible, mind-blowing events and were both unforgettable. The TCB band as well as the backing groups were all smoking (particularly in the much looser second show) and the filmed opening was chillingly great. I can’t imagine how emotional it must have been for Jerry, Joe and George to film that. Lisa-Marie’s duet on "In The Ghetto" and seeing her get down with Myrna Smith on stage was worth the ticket price. I have a few reservations about the video but I realized that it was done in a rush, and the song was so great that I can forgive any shortcomings. Highlights of the first concert, outside of the opening and the duet, was the second half where the band really locked into gear and by the time "An American Trilogy" started everyone was on their feet. The second show was perhaps even better. Starting out with a killer orchestrated version of Bill Conti’s "Gonna Fly Now" from "Rocky" and then brief opening sets from The Sweets and Imperials; the TCB band hit the stage roaring. "Pola Sald Annie" was especially jaw dropping with Jerry Scheff doing some of the most intense and dirty bass work I have heard in a long time. Both shows were stunning.

We spent our last day touring the mansion and I must say the heat and the crowds finally got to us and I think we were both suitably exhausted by the time we got ready to go.

Depite the heat, this was one of the best Elvis Weeks ever. Thanks to all the EPE staff, especially Scott and Angie who are always so incredibly friendly, for putting so much work into making the week special. It was an amazing trip I will never forget.

Let’s get January here now!