Elvis ‘56 - Elvis DVD Review

DVD Review

For those of us unfortunate not to have experienced it the first time around, we can now relive the most monumental period of popular music. Nineteen fifty six has to be regarded as the year that popular music, and its culture, truly reached the masses. At its core was none other than truck driver hillbilly - cat Elvis Presley, who changed the face of popular music forever: though he did have his ups and downs making the grade. Elvis was young, (21 years of age), and so was Rock’n’Roll. In that year he became a millionaire, on one TV show alone ( Ed Sullivan ) he performed to 54 million people – a third of the American population, received three gold records, was issued a restraining order by a Jacksonville judge for making offensive gyrations on stage, and dyed his hair jet black. He also signed a seven year film contract with Paramount Pictures, debuting in Love Me Tender. It would also be the last year he would be able to walk the streets of America unnoticed. This DVD made in 1987, follows the meteoric rise and the occasional fall of a singer that that set the benchmark for all pop stars to follow. Even John Lennon admitted, “Before Elvis there was nothing”. This definitive visual and musical feast follows almost every footstep to his rapid rise to superstardom through exclusive concert footage, black and white, and colour photographs. His touring and fame spread throughout America at breakneck speed, with much of it lovingly compiled here. We see some incredible early performances both concert and TV shows (Ed Sullivan / Dorsey Brothers’ Stage Show / Steve Allen / Milton Berlle) , with songs given a full airing rather than the usual edits. The most bizarre being a clip of Elvis in tuxedo, singing Hound Dog to a dog, poking fun at the TV critics. By carefully blending blues, country and gospel he created rockabilly which soon morphed into Rock’n’Roll. His music, at a time when ‘50s Eisenhower America was conformist, Elvis posed a threat to teenage delinquency – he looked dangerous with his sideburns, ducktail hair, and saucy moves. He was constantly defending his stage antics. But even more challenging was his cross-over appeal for blacks and whites, a cover of Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti did the trick. This eclectic approach opened up the floodgates for others to follow. It was also the time of ‘Colonel’ Parker, who knew a good buck when he saw one. He set up new deals, made thousands out of merchandise and overlooked the King’s career in military fashion. A year later he bought Graceland, and lived there for the next 20 years, until he died in August 1977.

A must for music lovers of all ages – worth EVERY penny !

Elly Roberts