Elvis Presley Musicals: 4 Film Favorites (Kissin' Cousins / Live a Little Love a Little / Girl Happy / Tickle Me)

Elvis Presley Musicals: 4 Film Favorites (Kissin' Cousins / Live a Little Love a Little / Girl Happy / Tickle Me) Review

A fun collection with excellent audio-video. This is a blast for those baby-boomers who saw these Presleys in the movies in the 1960s, then watched facsimilies on TV (bad reception, tinny sound) in the 1970s; then passable dubs on VHS in the 1980s. You know the storylines and the songtitles.

Best: LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE. Must be surmised that the powers-that-be finally decided to make a contemporary vehicle for the star: although production values approximate a Made-For-TV in 1968, we have an adult movie with adult themes, and just three songs in the course of the story. The only fantasy part is a production number of a dream scenario. Although Elvis could have cut loose a bit more, he looks fantastic, hair in a '50s pompador, trimmed way down. No "Do The Clam" here! His acting at times is surprisingly strong - he must have appreciated the change, the maturation of his screen character. His comic timing and body English surely evaded those lazy critics at the time. I doubt Brando or Cary Grant fans would find any issue with what Elvis accomplished here.
An interesting aspect is in the location shots, I surmise, in and around Beverly Hills. Gives one a chance to imagine what an Elvis TV series might have looked like! We see Elvis driving down a real street, running on a real beach. It's different!

Worst: GIRL HAPPY. As a Beach Movie, it's one of the best, but for a star seriously near age 30, and for his co-star, an excellent actress, Shelley Fabares, also past the age to play a 20 year old, it's pretty embarrassing. A plus, however, are some production numbers with real '50s Rock and Roll - when the camera decides to focus on Elvis for more than two seconds, it's pandemonium. But Gary Crosby faking bass and the other band guys mugging it up are too much.

Funniest: TICKLE ME features Elvis in great form, doing physical comedy as well as anyone, then or now. A curious mix of slapstick and adult situations but the thing hangs together. Although it's been said he had to be dragged onto the set, something kicked in, and we have a pretty solid comedy.
(For those who analyze in depth, that risque line Lonnie says to Mrs. Radford in the jeep is cut).

Grooviest: KISSIN' COUSINS, another non-favorite amongst the literary elites, has a great soundtrack and a funky, off-kilter feel about it; a decent script, though things go a little haywire in the last 10 minute or so; strong performances by Jack Albertson, as Elvis' Military superior, also Cynthia Pepper Typist sent from the Pentagon to keep records - turns out she becomes the only one to keep a semblance of order, as the mission to secure a military site on a Mountain inhabited by reluctant mountaineers constantly veers off course; only about *one* too many songs.
Though it's apparent Elvis is not as engaged as he could be - but it's not surprising, as this was the first official "quickie" in his career - involved Elvis playing his own cousin and wearing a blonde wig. Producer Sam Katzman, known as "The King of the 'Quickies'", did his thing: this film was reportedly completed in 18 days.
For those who study the music, "Smokey Mountain Boy" is on the soundtrcak - was not on a VHS edition; and, disappointingly enough, a great meium soul rocker, "Catchin' On Fast", shows up in the *record album* version! (The movie version is heard in the "Extras", featuring original movie trailors).

Elvis Presley Musicals: 4 Film Favorites (Kissin' Cousins / Live a Little Love a Little / Girl Happy / Tickle Me) Overview

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/11/2008 Run time: 382 minutes

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