Elvis On Screen: A Dozen Favorites

By Jeremy Richey
Source: Moon In The Gutter.
July 28, 2010

Elvis On Screen: A Dozen Favorites

Roger Ebert wrote in 1968 that 'Speedway is the late show of 20 years from now'. While Ebert meant it in a derogatory way, he did at least hit on one key thing about the films of Elvis Presley, and that is that they have indeed survived. More than survived, they have prospered and despite the suspect quality of some of them, for millions of people all over the world they continue to resonate far more than most 'great' movies you care to name. Kurt Russell, who worked with Elvis in It Happened at the World's Fair and later played him, told Turner Classic Movies a few years back that the reason he loved Elvis movies is because they had Elvis in them. Sometimes the most obvious statements are the most profound ones, and indeed the reason most Elvis movies continue to be watched over and over again are because Elvis is in them.

I would argue though that there are some really good movies, among the 32 that he made, that even films buffs who aren't into Elvis could enjoy. So here is a list of my favorite Elvis movies (excluding documentaries). I seem to remember Roger Ebert also said that Elvis Presley never made a good film. I would offer up any of these thoroughly enjoyable works as a strong counter to that