Elvis Presley died in 1977, yet his estate continues to rake in millions of dollars each year.
Graceland, his home in Memphis, is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Tennessee. Thousands of fans will descend on Graceland starting Thursday to celebrate what would have been The King’s 75th birthday.
If you go ...
For a complete list of events, and hotel and ticket information for The King's 75th birthday bash at Graceland, visit www.elvis.com
Elvis was first and foremost a singer. He won a couple of Grammy Awards for gospel singing. The walls at Graceland are lined with gold records for hit songs such as “Heartbreak Hotel.”
But Elvis also wanted to be a movie star. He made 31 movies from his debut in 1956 in “Love Me Tender” until his final role in “Change of Habit” in 1969. His roles ranged from a young soldier in West Germany in “G.I. Blues” to a boxer in “Kid Galahad” to a racecar driver in “Speedway.” Many critics dismiss his films as fluff, but almost all are entertaining. This isn’t Shakespeare, after all.
Elvis has had perhaps an even bigger impact as a character in dozens of movies.
Elvis has been featured in most movies about the early days of rock ’n’ roll including “Walk the Line” about Johnny Cash, “Great Balls of Fire” about Jerry Lee Lewis and even “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.”
His ghost has been present in “Luckytown” and “Mystery Train.”
He learned how to shake his groove thing by watching a young boy dance with braces in “Forrest Gump.”
He is even taken to task for refusing to stay out of sight after faking his death in “Death Becomes Her.”
Stars that have portrayed him on the silver screen include Don Johnson, Harvey Keitel, Michael St. Gerard, Bruce Campbell, David Keith and Kurt Russell, who not only portrayed The King in “Elvis” but also was his illegitimate son in “3000 Miles to Graceland.”
In honor of his 75th birthday, here are six films available on video and DVD that feature Elvis the man and the legend.
“Bubba Ho-tep” (2002) – Bruce Campbell stars as Elvis in this film that explains how he winds up in a ramshackle Texas nursing home with JFK (Ossie Davis) fighting an ancient Egyptian mummy for the souls of his fellow residents. I never pictured Campbell as Elvis, but he carries it off wonderfully.
“Elvis” (1979) – Kurt Russell stars as The King in this made-for-television film that follows his life from a young boy in Mississippi. Season Hubley co-stars as Priscilla, Shelley Winters portrays his mother and Pat Hingle is Elvis’ manager Col. Tom Parker.
“Heartbreak Hotel” (1988) – David Keith stars as Elvis who is kidnapped by a boy (Charlie Schlatter) to help his mother (Tuesday Weld) recover from a car accident in this Chris Columbus comedy.
“Elvis Meets Nixon” (1997) – Rick Peters stars as Elvis in this film based on The King’s real-life attempts to persuade President Nixon (Bob Gunton) to make him a federal agent for the DEA. Alyson Court co-stars as Priscilla.
“Finding Graceland” (1998) – Harvey Keitel stars as a drifter claiming to be Elvis. He catches a ride with a young man (Johnathon Schaech) heading from New Mexico to see Graceland. Along the way they find a Marilyn Monroe impersonator (Bridget Fonda). Gretchen Mol co-stars as the young man’s dead wife.
“Elvis” (2005) – Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as Elvis in this made-for-television film that paints Col. Tom Parker (Randy Quaid) as the villain who helps bring about Elvis’ untimely demise. Rose McGowan co-stars as Ann-Margret.
