Kurt Russell took on more than a role when he signed to portray Elvis Presley in Elvis. To Russell, the role became a responsibility to millions of Elvis Presley fans everywhere. He knwe they would not easily accept any actor portraying their idol, and he set about making his portrayal as believable as was humanly possible.
Learning his lines was only the first step. He took a rigorous "Elvis Presley course" from associate producer Jim Titz, an "Elvis fanatic" since his youth and a collector of anything associated with the late rock star. Utilizing his private collection, Ritz exposed Russell to virtually everything ever done by Elvis. From motion pictures to television appearances (including his historic first appearance on the "Ed Sullivan Show," where cameras caught him from the waist up), to all his recordings. "The purpose of all this," said Ritz, "was for Kurt to be able to get Elvis' every gesture down to perfection."
So immersed did Russell become in his role, that those involved in the production (including
the people who had personally known Elvis), began to forget that it was an actor portraying Elvis, and not the idol himself.
Kurt Russell, in be-jeweled costume and makeup, sometimes drew strange responses from bystanders while filming portions of Elvis In Las Vegas, Nevada.
"I was walking from the dressing room to the set one time," Russell recalled. "A girl driving across the street started gaping at me. She didn't see another coming as she pulled away from the curb. They had an accident. Shelley (Winters) saw the whole thing and yelled to me, "You'd better stay the hell off the street!"
Getting the much-sought-after Elvis role was a real coup for Russell, who, along with hundreds of other actors and many Elvis impersonators, vied for the part. By then, Russell was by no means a newcomer in acting. His first screen break was in 1963, in the Elvis Presley Movie "It happened At The World's Fair." He made the following block-buster hits; Escape From New York, The Thing, Big Touble In Little China, Back Draft, Vanilla Sky and 3000 Miles To Graceland.
Season Hubley, who portrays Priscilla Presley in Elvis, greatly resembles the late rock star's ex-wife. Elvis once made requests to meet Season, because he was attracted to her striking beauty.
Elvis was directed by John Carpenter. By sheer coincidence, "John Carpenter"was a name Elvis Presley often used when secretly checking into hotels and was a name he picked for one of his movie characters.
"This black "Elvis The Movie" script was used by Kurt Russel.
Synopsis; It is 1969. Las Vegas, Nevada. An important time in the life of Elvis Presley (Kurt Russell), as he prepares to appear in front of a live audience for the first time in eight years. Many doubts are running through his mind, not the least of which is the disturbing thought that as a creative force force in music, he is "old news." His associates and particulary his father, Vernon Presley (Bing Russell) are dealing with another more ominous problem...someone has threatened to assassinate Elvis during his opening performance!
Elvis is alone in his hotel suite contemplating the momentous task before him. His thoughts are broken by the entrance of the one person who has been his source of strenght and inspiration for the last ten years...his wife, Priscilla (Season Hubley). Though still very much in love with one another, all is not well between Elvis and Priscilla. They are, sadly, drifting further and further apart. She kisses him, wishes him good luck, and once again Elvis is left alone...
His thoughts go back to the days when his career began..to his beloved mother, Gladys (Shelley Winters), whose love for him also encompassed her love for his twin brother, Jesse Garon, who dies at birth. He thoughts stray to Humes High School in Memphis. It is here he first meets Red West (Robert Gray), who is to remain his friend for life. Elvis, always the rebel, takes to sporting long, meticulously styled hair, and when some of the school football squad decide to give him a more conventional haircut, it is Red who saves him for humiliation.
Also at Humes, Elvis meets Bonnie (Melody Anderson), the beautiful girl he dates during his senior year. This is more than a high school romance for Elvis, for it is Bonnie who encourages him to enter the annual Humes High Talent Contest. Much to his own amazement, Elvis wins with his unique rendition of "Old Shep."
On graduation, Elvis attempts to bolster the family economic status by taking a job as a truck driver. He decides that for his mother's birthday, he will surprise her with a recording of his voice singing one of her favorite songs, "My Happiness." At the Sun Record Company, the owner's astute assistant Marion Keisker (Ellen Travolta), hears something special in Elvis. She plays his tape for Sam Phillips (Charles Cyphers), the head of Sun Records, who is looking for a black blues singer. Marion reminds Sam that he has often said if he could find a white singer who could sound black, he might make a million dollars. Elvis, she tells him, has that sound. Sam puts Elvis together with two local up-and-coming musicians, Guitarist Scotty Moore (James Canning) and bassist Bill Black (Elliott Street). During a recording session break, Elvis starts clowning around singing a blues song titled "That's All Right Mama." Phillips likes what he's hearing and tells him to quit clowning and get something down on tape. With this, Elvis' recording career has officially begun.
Same takes a few demos of "That's All Right Mama" to a local Memphis disc jockey, who plays the whole record. The station is flooded with calls. The response is tremendous. Elvis' career is under way. He tours small clubs and jamborees and soon works his way up to am audition with the Grand Ole Opry. Danny (Peter Hobbs), the personal director of the Opry, doesn't think much of Elvis, and, in fact, tells him to go back to driving a truck. Elvis is crushed, but refuse to let this get him down. He continues to make records for Sun, hile starting to attract the attention of a lot of people, including Colonel Tom Parker (Pat Hingle) and RCA Records, which eventually buys Elvis' contract from Sam Phillips for the unheard sum of $35,000.
Elvis appears on coast-to-coast television on the "Ed Sullivan Show," lands a movie contract and begins to sell millions and millions records for RCA. He is making more money than he ever dreamed existed. He showers his mother and father with things he never had: new cars, swimming pools and a beautiful mansion in Memphis he calls Graceland. Gladys Presley, still protective of her son, tries to persuade him to take it easier. She, herself, is showing strain from the years she had to work hard to help support her little family. Her health is beginning to fail her.
Elvis'life is interrupted by his inductment into the U.S. Army. It becomes international news, and soon he becomes Private Elvis Presley. During his Army career, he suffers the greatest personal tragedy of his life, Gladys Presley passes away, and a heartbroken Elvis (still in his early twenties) feels as though he will never recover.
But his life goes on, and he is transferred to Germany. There he meets Priscilla Beaulieu, an officer's daughter. She's only 14 years-old at the time, but Elvis' attachment to her begins immediately. Soon, a romance develops. It transcends his Army Career, and when he is discharged he receives permission from Priscilla's father to have her move to Graceland, under the supervision of Vernon Presley.
After his return from the army, Elvis' career takes a different turn. He becomes Elvis, the movie star. He feels creatively stagnant, however, making a series of formual films. Although financially successful, they are creatively unfulfilling to him. The country is changing. New music is pushing him to the rear of the pop music raks. He decides the time is right for a change.
The changes come in many forms. First, he marries Priscilla in 1967. Professionally, he seeks different directions. He stars in a highly successful television special, hailed as the beginning of his comebck trail. He begins recording songs more in line with his talents, rejecting the movie music.
In 1968, Priscilla gives birth to their daughter, Lisa Marie. But Elvis never forgets his old friends. They are around constantly, and soon the strain of not having a private life with Elvis begins to tax Priscilla's patience. An offer comes from the International Hotel in Las Vegas...Elvis decides to make a comeback appearance at the hotel.
Once again, it is opening night..time for Elvis, the performer, to prove himself. He waits for his music cue. He makes his entrance. The applause is thunderous..and with guitar in hand, he travels back to his roots, singing such legendary songs as "Blue Sued Shoes." He moves and sings like never before. It is evident to everyone, including Elvis, that he once again is "The King."
As he concludes the song, his image is frozen in time.
What the critics said about "Elvis, The Movie;"
The film is an authentic, loving portrait of Elvis' life and times...we see actor Kurt Russell in a portrayal of Elvis that is perfection itself.
Associated Press
A starring performance that is quite literally phenomenal. Russell plunges deeply into Presley's psyche, bringing all the talent and all the obsession right to the surface. It's a good drama and good Rock 'n' Roll.
Time
Elvis: The Movie is perhaps the classiest and most sympathetic project ever associated with the man. The film has a remarkable vitality that washes away the doubts of skeptics.
New York Daily News
