Elvis Presley: Elvis ‘56

Elly Roberts reviews

Elvis Presley: Elvis ‘56Distributed by
Wienerworld

• Cat.no: WNRD7020
• Released: March 2006
• Format: DVD 9
• Rating: 10/10
• Running time: 61 minutes
• Region: 2, PAL
• Fullscreen: 4:3
• Sound: Dolby Stereo 2.0
• Classification: E (Exempt)
• Languages: English
• Retail price: £5.99
• Extras: None

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For those of us unfortunate not to have experienced it the first timearound, we can now relive the most monumental period of popular music.

Nineteen fifty six has to be regarded as the year that popular music, andits culture, truly reached the masses. At its core was non other than truckdriver hillbilly – cat Elvis Presley, who changed the face of popular musicforever: though he did have his ups and downs making the grade. Elvis wasyoung, (21 years of age), and so was Rock’n’Roll.

In that year he became amillionaire, on one TV show alone (Ed Sullivan) he performed to 54 millionpeople – a third of the American population, received three gold records,was issued a restraining order by a Jacksonville judge for making offensivegyrations on stage, and dyed his hair jet black. He also signed a seven yearfilm contract with Paramount Pictures, debuting in Love Me Tender. It wouldalso be the last year he would be able to walk the streets of Americaunnoticed.

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This DVD made in 1987, follows the meteoric rise and theoccasional fall of a singer that that set the benchmark for all pop stars tofollow. Even John Lennon admitted, “Before Elvis there was nothing”. Thisdefinitive visual and musical feast follows almost every footstep to hisrapid rise to superstardom through exclusive concert footage, black andwhite, and colour photographs.

His touring and fame spread throughoutAmerica at breakneck speed, with much of it lovingly compiled here. We seesome incredible early performances both concert and TV shows (Ed Sullivan /Dorsey Brothers’ Stage Show / Steve Allen / Milton Berlle) , with songsgiven a full airing rather than the usual edits. The most bizarre being aclip of Elvis in tuxedo, singing Hound Dog to a dog, poking fun at the TVcritics.

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By carefully blending blues, country and gospel he createdrockabilly which soon morphed into Rock’n’Roll. His music, at a time when‘50s Eisenhower America was conformist, Elvis posed a threat to teenagedelinquency – he looked dangerous with his sideburns, ducktail hair, andsaucy moves. He was constantly defending his stage antics. But even morechallenging was his cross-over appeal for blacks and whites, a cover ofLittle Richard’s Tutti Frutti did the trick. This eclectic approach openedup 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, madethousands out of merchandise and overlooked the King’s career in militaryfashion. A year later he bought Graceland, and lived there for the next 20years, until he died in August 1977.

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

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The full list of tracks included are :

1. My Way
2. Baby What You Want Me To Do
3. Blue Suede Shoes
4. Good Rockin’ Tonight
5. Heartbreak Hotel
6. Shake Rattle And Roll
7. Baby Let’s Play House
8. Tutti Frutti
9. My Baby Left Me
10. Love Me
11. Blue Moon
12. He’s Only A Prayer Away
13. Lawdy Miss Clawdy
14. Don’t Be Cruel
15. Trying To et To You
16. Anyway You Want Me
17. Ready Teddy
18. Love Me Render
19. Peace in The Valley

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