Contemporary music fans may be surprised to hear it, but there was a time in the middle of the 20th century when the world’s biggest music stars were pushed to make seemingly as many movies as albums. Landon Palmer’s book Rock Star/Movie Star examines the cultural impact of this phenomenon. And at the center of this tactic was the King, himself, Elvis Presley.
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While Presley released dozens of movies in his career with varying outcomes, there are several that are certainly worth watching, especially for any fan of the performer. We dive into three such films below.
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1. King Creole (1958)
This musical drama stars Presley as a young man in the middle of criminal activity and a love triangle. For The King, whose music career had only just started in the early half of the 1950s, this marked his fourth movie (the first being Love Me Tender in 1956). But Presley took to this movie like a fish in water, later saying that his portrayal of the character Danny Fisher was his favorite role of his career. Check out a trailer for the film below.
2. Viva Las Vegas (1964)
This 1964 musical starred two giants, Elvis and actress Ann-Margret (known for her work in the famed film, Bye Bye Birdie). It also cemented the singer’s relationship with Sin City, something he (and his many impersonators) keep sacred today. This movie is noted as one of the best to feature the snarling singer, thanks largely to his flirtatious chemistry with his co-star, Ann-Margret. As for the plot, this movie centers on a race car competition.
3. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
This movie stars Elvis as Vince Everett, a former construction worker who kills a man in a barroom brawl by accident. Everett is then sent to prison where he is taken under the ring of country singer Hunk Houghton, played by Joseph C. Shaughnessy, who teaches the young man some guitar chords. Then musical madness ensues, including a national TV broadcast that showcases Everett’s talent. Of course, the famed Presley song of the same name is part of the show.
Photo by Steve Morley/Redferns
