Category Archives: IMAGES

50th Anniversary Movie Pictorial — It Happened at the World’s Fair, 1963

Posted on April 22, 2013 by | 1 Comment

It Happened at the World’s Fair, Elvis’ twelfth film, opened nationally on April 10, 1963.  By this time, Col. Parker and the producers had given up any pretense of putting Elvis into quality movies, and this one was a real stinkeroo, in my opinion.  The plot was very thin, there was way too much of five-year-old Sue-Lin, and the songs were weak (especially the four Elvis sang to Sue-Lin).  However, this is supposed to be a pictorial, not a review, so let’s look at some pictures.

Movie Posters:

World's Fair 5

World's Fair 6

 

Shots from the Movie:

Water Works Fountain in the Central Courtyard.

The movie could have been a virtual advertisement for the Seattle World’s Fair, because it featured glamorous shots of nine different venues, including the Water Works Fountain in the Central Courtyard shown here.  However, the film premiered several months after the fair closed.

 Space needle 1

Here we have Elvis and co-star Joan O’Brien in the famous Space Needle with its 360 degree rotation that provided stunning views.  Actual filming was done on a set in Hollywood, and the floor didn’t rotate, just the section of windows behind them.  Next time you watch the movie, note how the view never changes.

Singing to Sue-Lin

Elvis spent more time with Sue-Lin than he did with Joan O’Brien, and he sang more songs to the precocious child.  However, the two songs he sang to O’Brien made her melt yieldingly into his arms.

 

Lobby Cards:

Lobby Card 1a

Lobby Card 2

Lobby Card 3

Lobby Card 4

Lobby Card 5

Lobby Card 6 Better

Lobby Card 7

 

The One Scene I Can Watch Over and Over:

First Yvonne Craig Kiss

Early in the movie, there is a short scene that has nothing to do with the plot.  Elvis shows up at the house where Yvonne Craig lives, and in no time they are doing this.  Then, she decides things are getting too hot and pulls away.  Elvis chases her all over the living room like a hound dog on the scent.

Mutting on his Moves

Elvis the Hairdresser

More Moves

Moves 4

Moves 3

Finally

Finally

Believe it or not, Elvis had time to sing a song during all that.  It is said that Elvis dated Yvonne Craig during the filming of the movie.  And, he must have liked her acting skills so much that he elevated her to co-star status a year later in Kissin’ Cousins.

 

Promotional Photos:

Pretty Girls from Hitch Kiking Scene

Elvis and two young girls who had about five seconds of film time in the scene depicted in the first lobby card – but they sure are pretty.

 

Elvis in his pilot outfit

Elvis in his pilot outfit

 

Promo Shot

In the movies, Elvis has sung on trains, trucks, cars, helicopters, and boats.  Why not a rickshaw?

Foreign Posters:

French Poster

French Poster

Italian Poster

Italian Poster

Note what they feature on the Italian poster — Elvis in three fight scenes and putting the make on the girl who is not his co-star.

 

Behind the Scenes Shots:

Elvis the Hairdresser

Elvis the Hairdresser

Poker game. Gary Lockwood, Joan O’Brien, and cousin Billy Smith join in.

Poker game. Gary Lockwood, Joan O’Brien, and cousin Billy Smith join in.

Kissing the Co-Star:

Kiss in Space Needle

Kiss in Space Needle

This is about mid-way through the movie before Elvis messes up and she gets all mad at him.

Kissing at End of Movie

Kissing at end of movie – after he wins her back.

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©  2013    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

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Photos of Elvis Playing Musical Instruments — No Apps Required

Posted on March 22, 2013 by | 3 Comments

It’s been a while, so I thought I’d check out elvis.com/news to see if anything going on would make a good ElvisBlog article.  Most of the ‘news’ stories were uninspiring, but one did catch my eye.

 Elvis.com news

So, now you can watch photos of Elvis playing various musical instruments on your smartphone using Elvis Mobile Apps.  Being an old dinosaur who somehow manages to get by without a smartphone, I could not check out what instruments EPE has selected for this feature.  I wonder if they include any of these.

 

 Bass Guitar

The picture on the webpage shows Elvis in Loving You costume playing a guitar.  It’s a fairly common photo.  But, have you ever see the one above of him playing an electric bass guitar.  This looks to be young Elvis, so the picture could be from the 1957 recording session for  “(You’re so Square) Baby, I Don’t Care.”  Remember how Bill Black was having trouble getting the bass intro straight, and Elvis had to step in and play the licks.

 

Twelve string guitar

I think this shot of Elvis with a double neck guitar came from the publicity photos for one of his movies, but I can’t remember which one.

 

   Love Me Tender recording session

Here is another instrument that Elvis could actually play – the piano.  This shot was snapped during the recording session for “Love Me Tender.”

 

Piano 4

Elvis played the piano before rehearsals for the Steve Allen Show.   (Thanks Al.  www.alfredwertheimer.com)

 

Piano on U.S.S. Randall

The website where I found this one said it was taken aboard the USS Randall, which was the troop ship that took Elvis to Germany.  That looks like his medals for sharp-shooting hanging from his chest.  I didn’t realize he got them during basic training, not active duty.  I also didn’t know that troop ships had pianos.  That white streak pointing to the guy’s chin is a drumstick.

 

Drums 4

Speaking of drumsticks, look what Elvis is doing here.  I’ve never read that he had any particular skill as a drummer, but he must have found it fun to play around with them.

 

Drums 3

It certainly looks like he was enjoying it here.

 

Drums with Boots

That’s Boots Randolph in this shot with Elvis.  Boots was a music legend on the sax, so maybe Elvis did have enough skill on the drums to accompany him.

 

 1961 Uke

I guess if you can play guitar, then a ukulele would be no big challenge.  This photo was taken in 1961.

 

Elvis Playing Ukelele

The most famous examples of Elvis playing the ukulele are shots from Blue Hawaii.

Accordian

The fact that there are at least two photos on the internet of Elvis playing the accordion indicates that maybe he actually knew how to.

 

Playing Accordian

Here’s another shot of him in his Army uniform playing an instrument.  Do you think he was actually playing the accordion or just goofing around?

 

Trumpet 2

We know Elvis was goofing around with this trumpet.

 

Trumpet Chet Baker

He may actually have been trying to play the trumpet here under the tutelage of professional trumpeter Chet Baker.

 

 Clarinet - Loving You

This shot on the set of Loving You shows Elvis playing(?) the clarinet.

 

Flute

I found this picture on the internet twice.  One site called it a clarinet, and the other called it a flute.  I think it’s a flute.

 

Pan Flute

And this is a pan-flute.  Well, if Cartman and the guys on South Park can play the pan-flute, why not Elvis.

 

 Tamborine

And finally, we have Elvis playing the tambourine.  You probably recognize this shot from the ’68 Comeback Special.

If any readers have the Elvis Mobile Apps and access their photos of Elvis playing musical instruments, could you please advise on ‘Comments’ what they actually show.  I’d like to see how the it compares.

 

©  2013    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

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Merry Christmas, Elvis — 2012

Posted on December 22, 2012 by | 6 Comments

 

Each year since 2008, ElvisBlog has presented a pictorial salute to Elvis and Christmas.  As I reviewed the many interesting pictures accumulated this past year, a theme emerged.  People seem to love connecting Elvis with Christmas in all sorts of imaginative ways.

 

Elvis as Santa:

How cool is this Photoshop effort?  Elvis looks a little young to be Jolly Old St. Nick, but otherwise he makes a great Santa.

This is a nice job, too.  Wish it was in color.

This looks more like Santa being Elvis than the reverse.  I like the jumpsuit elements incorporated into the Santa suit.

 

Elvis as Reindeer:

What in the world motivates someone to create a Gold Lamé or Jailhouse Rock reindeer?  Strange, but I like them.

Here is an animated reindeer Elvis and his background singers.

The shot comes from a very funny video titled Follow That Sleigh, and in the film the reindeer’s name actually is Elvis.  I bought the VCR tape many years ago and watched it every Christmas season.  Them I switched to DVD and haven’t been able to watch it since.  I miss it.

 

This picture has nothing to do with Elvis, but I found it during my Google search for Reindeer Elvis.  For some reason, this Retro-Rudolph really tickles me.

 

Elvis as a Snowman:

Although this snowman has no accessories, its hair, sideburns, big collar and mic all say Elvis.

Okay, the sunglasses aren’t close to Elvis’ style, but they got the jumpsuit and belt look right with all those beads imbedded in the snow.

 

Lots of accessories on this Elvis snowman.  But, isn’t that cone with flowers in it what they use in cemeteries?

I don’t know about this Elvis snowman.  Kind of has a demented look.  Good hair, though.

 

Elvis as an Elf:

How about these cute little guys?

Bigger and badder.  Do you think the EE on his hat stands for Elvis the Elf?

 

Well, that’s ElvisBlog’s 2012 Elvis Christmas pictorial review.  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.  Maybe as good as the one Elvis had in this picture.

 

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

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A Tribute to Bernard Lansky

Posted on December 1, 2012 by | 5 Comments

On November 15, we lost another charter member of Elvis’ close circle of friends – Bernard Lansky.  All knowledgeable fans know that Elvis bought much of his 50s wardrobe from Lansky Brothers Clothing on Beale Street.  Most of the clothing was flashy and unconventional, perfect for a young singer making his mark.

 

Other Elvis websites have recounted details of the connection between Bernard Lansky and Elvis, so I wanted to do something different.  Let’s take a look at some of the clothing Elvis bought at Lansky Brothers and that has sold at auctions presented by Heritage Auctions and Gotta-Have-It Auctions the past few years.

 

“Super Fly” Style Leather Trench Coat Trimmed in Coyote Fur:

Sold for $4,608 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in July 2012.

Elvis took to wearing this type of coat after viewing the cult film, “Shaft.”

 

Light Blue Shirt and Dark Blue Corduroy Vest:

Sold for $5,156 at the Heritage Elvis Memorabilia Signature Auction in Memphis on August 14, 2012.

 

Black Velvet Shirt with Silver-and-Onyx Buttons:

Sold for $2,270 at the Heritage Signature Entertainment/Music Memorabilia Auction in April 2007.

Note the initials “EP” monogrammed on the cuffs.

 

Shirt, Pants and Jacket Combo:

Sold for $25,725 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Auction in July 2011

This picture of Elvis wearing the outfit is on the back of his first RCA album, Elvis Presley.

 

Brown Suede Jacket with Tie Belt:

Sold for $4,182 at the Heritage Signature Music & Entertainment Memorabilia Auction in October 2008.

 

Black Short Sleeved Shirt:

Sold for $4,719 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in December 2011.

 

Light Brown Leather Jacket with Coyote Trim:

Sold for $3,808 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in March 2011.

 

Tan Suede Jacket:

Sold for $16,500 at the Gotta-Have-it Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in October 2010.

Elvis Presley wore this jacket in the famous December 4, 1956 photo of the “Million Dollar Quartet.”

 

Long Grey Trench Coat:

Sold for $6,283 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Art Auction in August 2009

Also sold for $12,187 at the Heritage Elvis Memorabilia Signature Auction in August 2012 in Memphis

 

Pink Shirt with Black Trim:

Sold for at the $2,662 at the Gotta-have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in October 2010.

Also sold for $14,340 at the Heritage Music & Entertainment Signature Auction In December 2011.

Amazingly, Vernon Presley donated the shirt to the Salvation Army in 1974.

 

Pink Shirt, Black Pants with Pink Accents, and Black and White Shoes:

Sold for $4,000 at the Gotta-Have-it Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in October 2010.

Also sold for $19,717 at the Heritage Music & Entertainment Signature Auction in December 2011.

(Seems like if you have some cool Elvis clothes to sell, Heritage Auctions is the place to go.  On the other hand, if you’d like to buy some Elvis clothes at reasonable prices, check out Gotta-Have-It)

 

Custom Made Blue Leather Coat:

Currently at auction at the Heritage Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction.

Estimate: $5000 – $7000.  My bet is that it goes for lots more.

 

We’ll end with some more photos of Elvis and Bernard Lansky.

Hey, that’s not Elvis!

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

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Romney and Obama Election Images — Elvis Style

Posted on November 1, 2012 by | 5 Comments

Election Day is just about here, and we have all seen about as much of the two candidates as we can handle.  Sorry, but ElvisBlog has some images you may not have seen yet — Romney and Obama in Elvis gear.  They are offered here without partisan comment.

 

 

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The practice of morphing President’s (or Presidential candidate’s) heads on the jumpsuited pictures of Elvis didn’t start with Romney and Obama.  Here are three good ones of earlier chief executives.

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Be sure to vote.  Hope your candidate wins.

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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The Elvis Pumpkin Carving Contest

Posted on October 25, 2012 by | 1 Comment

If you are a member of Elvis Insiders or have recently checked the news on Elvis.com, you know that EPE is sponsoring an Elvis-themed pumpkin carving contest.  You can carve your pumpkin, post a photo of it on the Elvis Facebook page, and maybe you’ll win $250 worth of merchandise from ShopElvis.com.

You may be surprised to know how popular Elvis pumpkin carving has been even prior to Graceland getting involved.  Elvisblog did a Halloween photo essay of Elvis pumpkins back in 2009.  I didn’t pick a winner at the time, but probably the best of the bunch was this:

You will notice a big difference between these two styles.  The pumpkin on the contest image is what I guess we would call the old-style carving where the knife cuts go all the way through and light from a candle shines out.  The other seems to be the popular style now where only darker, outer skin is carved out to create detailed designs.

 

Here’s an Elvis pumpkin we featured in 2010 that is a terrific example of a carved-through design.  This is impressive.

 

And here is a more recent discovery that shows an unmistakable image of Elvis using the outer skin cut out style.

 

Now, it seems we have reached a new level in pumpkin-carving technology or skill, or both.  It’s hard to believe the vivid images on these next two were achieved by just cutting away the orange outer skin.  Their creators are real artists.

 

And check out the level of detail on these three.  How do the carvers do it?  I would love to see these pumpkins in person.

 

And, finally, here is an Elvis pumpkin using another unique technique – carving away all the outer skin and using what’s left as an artist’s medium to create a sculpture with depth as well as detail.

 This one gets the ElvisBlog award for the best Elvis pumpkin of 2012.

 

Now, just for fun, here is a four-way tie for the worst.

 

I can’t resist showing the strangest picture that comes up when you Google Elvis pumpkin — some jerk in an ill-fitting Elvis jumpsuit cutting a pumpkin with a chain saw.

 

Check out the belly showing below the too-small shirt.  And the pumpkin is lop-sided and discolored.  This is just wrong in so many ways.

 

Here’s something that’s just right.

NEWS FLASH:   Here is the winner of the EPE Elvis Pumpkin Carving Contest:

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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Elvis T-Shirt Review — The $5 Closeouts

Posted on September 29, 2012 by | 1 Comment

For the first time I’m aware of, ShopElvis.com has thrown in the towel and marked prices down to $5 on ten slow-moving T-shirts.  We can assume the plan is to get rid of remaining supplies of these shirts and drop them from the catalogue.

ElvisBlog has done yearly T-shirt reviews since 2008, so let’s take a look at these heavily discounted models and have some fun figuring out what was wrong with the designs.

 

Totally Stupid Idea:

This so-called Army Jacket Replica T-shirt didn’t sell well at $24, and I’m not so sure many folks will snap them up for $5.  We fans are proud of Elvis for serving his country in the Army, but this is just not the kind of shirt we want to wear around.

 

How Come This Great Design Didn’t Sell?:

Okay, this is a women’s tank top, not a T-shirt, but they are all lumped together on the ShopElvis website pages.  There are three women’s tank tops in the $5 group, so maybe the problem with them is the type of shirt, not the designs.  Frankly, I think this one called Blue Mic is pretty good.  No text except for Elvis, and cool image of young Elvis, and lots of color.  If it were a men’s Tee with this design for $5, count me in as a buyer.

 

Way Out of Date:

 

I’m sorry to see this shirt in the discount bin, because I’ve actually had the image taped on the wall behind the computer for the last four years.  Each time I look at it, I wish I could change the year from ’08 to ’12.  And that is of course why this shirt is not selling.

I hope they get rid of them all now, because the shirt won’t be getting any easier to sell down the road.   Someday they should reuse the title Elvis for King and come up with a good design.

 

Fire the Graphic Designer:

 

If the plan was to obscure half of Elvis’ face, this design accomplished it with that large prominent mic.  They even call this design Elvis Microphone.  What were they thinking?  Get rid of the mic and you’ve got a great design.  Just stupid.

 

The Result from a Lazy Designer:

This one looks pretty good at first glance, but read all the text.  The image is nothing more than the Jailhouse Rock album cover (Actually a five-song EP cover).  Still, for five bucks, it seems like this one would be worth snapping up.

 

Another Tank — Nearly Invisible Design:

 

Can you make out the design on this one?  Not too well?  Maybe that’s why it has been selling poorly.

Here it is blown-up and darkened.  Why not do ELVIS and the flourishes in a bright color?  And why is this called Guitar Scroll?  Where’s the guitar?

 

Why Hasn’t One Been Selling?:

 

As far as I’m concerned, this one called Black Signature is a pretty good shirt.  Simple, yet distinctive.  I prefer black shirts without a lot of text, so this fits the bill. The B&W profile silhouette is excellent.  This is one to snap up for just $5.

 

Bringing Back an Elvis Image Used 56 years ago:

 

A month ago, ElvisBlog covered a number of 1956 Elvis memorabilia items featuring this image.  One was a girl’s long-sleeve Tee that went for $625 at a recent auction.  Now, you can get this one called Spinnin’ Records for $5.  Maybe the design is too old-fashioned for today’s taste.  It might have sold better on a black T-shirt.

 

Get a Better Gold Lamé Picture:

 

This picture has been used to death.  Elvis thought the pants look baggy, and they do.  Plus, he’s just standing there.  Why doesn’t EPE use one of the better shots of Elvis in his gold lamé?  Like these:

Still Baggy, But at Least He’s Moving

Really Moving. Is the Guitar Strap in His Mouth?

 

Deal of the Day:

 

Uh, oh, it’s that fifties image again — in silhouette.  But this is a combination deal.  You get the black signature hat and the grey signature shirt for just five bucks.  Although it has a boring name, Signature Black Cap and Grey T-Shirt Combo, it could be the best deal you will ever see from ShopElvis.com.

 

To see earlier Elvis T-shirt reviews, click here, here, here, and here.

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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Elvis Has Left the Building

Posted on September 22, 2012 by | 3 Comments

The other day as I surfed the internet, I discovered that Frank Zappa once recorded a song titled “Elvis Has Just Left the Building.”  What a bizarre combination – Zappa and Elvis.  So I Googled it to see if I could find the lyrics, or even better, the paper jacket for the 45 record if it had been released as a single.

My search found the lyrics (nothing special) but no picture sleeve, because it was not a single, but an album cut from Broadway the Hard Way, a live Zappa album from his 1988 world tour.  However, my search did bring up numerous links to things connected to the classic phrase, “Elvis Has Left the Building.”  Here is a brief history of this iconic five-word phrase and some of the more interesting ways it has been used.

“Elvis has left the building” originated at the Louisiana Hayride on December 15, 1956.

Elvis on stage at the Louisiana Hayride, Decmber 15, 1956

Between October 1954 and April 1956, Elvis performed forty-nine times on the Louisiana Hayride.  He was contractually obliged to make more appearances there throughout 1956, but his soaring popularity put Elvis in much so demand nationally that Col. Parker worked out a way for Elvis to skip those shows.  Parker cut a deal to pay the Louisiana Hayride $10,000, roughly $400 for each missed appearance.  Plus, Elvis would do one last grand performance on December 15, 1956.

To accommodate the expected large crowd for this event, the venue was switched from the usual Shreveport Municipal Auditorium to the much bigger Hirsch Youth Center at the Louisiana Fairgrounds.  Ten thousand kids jammed the Youth Building and screamed at the top of their lungs for the duration of the King’s 45-minute show.  After Elvis had given his final encore and left the stage, the crowd headed for the exits, even though many other acts were still waiting to perform.  Hayride founder and producer Horace Lee Logan took the microphone and made a plea to the audience just after Elvis walked off stage.

“Please, young people . . . Elvis has left the building. He has gotten in his car and driven away. . . . Please take your seats.”

Apparently, the fans’ screaming had made it useless to try and record the show, so there is some disagreement about what Logan actually said that night.  Here is another version from Wikipedia.

“Alright, alright, Elvis has left the building. I’ve told you absolutely straight up to this point, you know that he has left the building; he left the stage and went out the back with the policeman and he is now gone from the building.”

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Elvis and Al Dvorin

The man usually associated with the phrase is Al Dvorin.   He first met Elvis in 1955 and worked with him for 22 years, helping to organize his tours and personal appearances. It was in the early 1970s that Col. Parker asked Dvorin to inform fans after a concert that Elvis would not be coming back for an encore. Dvorin took the stage and made his now legendary announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building. Thank you and goodnight.”

“Elvis has left the building” continued as a staple at Elvis concerts and has become part of the Elvis legend.  It has lived on long past his death.  Now the catchphrase has universal meaning that is clear to all:  the show’s over, the curtain has fallen, the sun has set, that’s all she wrote, the fat lady has sung, our work here is done, end of story.

Now for some of the stuff this famous phrase has inspired.

 

This crudely drawn cartoon was inspired by the phrase’s origin, but the artist felt it necessary to ridicule the announcer’s Southern accent and Elvis’ hair.

 

This is much better.  Elvis’ friend and the leader of the back-up group The Stamps released a tribute album after Elvis passed away.

 

Of course, EPE never misses a chance for a marketing opportunity and came up with this keychain for $9.

 

This 4” x 3” belt buckle appears on a Australian website, so it may have been made without any licensing from EPE (or copyright payment to Al Wertheimer for his photographic image).

 

 

This is one of several T-shirts bearing the phrase “Elvis has left the building.”

 

This is a tribute album that I wasn’t aware off.   I’d like to get a copy.  Check out this tracklist:

 

This is the artwork for an article in the Westbourne Academy on-line newsletter.  “Elvis has left the building” was selected as their English Idiom of the Month.  I wish they had selected a better picture.

 

This is a play that has appeared in local theaters around the country.  We looked at it in an ElvisBlog article two months ago.

 

This is a pretty clever movie from 2004 starring Kim Basinger and John Corbett.  ElvisBlog covered it six years ago.

 

This is from the opening credits of the movie.  The pink lipstick is part of the storyline because Kim Basinger is a cosmetic saleslady who wears pink clothing and drives a pink Caddy convertible.

 

We could go on and on with examples of how “Elvis has left the building” has been used, but we’ll end here.  This phrase makes the perfect title for a picture of Elvis and a collage of newspaper headlines from the day he died.

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

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Variations on the Iconic Jailhouse Rock Image

Posted on June 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Below are four images from Jailhouse Rock.  It appears that EPE has decided these are the definitive shots from the movie, and they have been used in various promotional efforts, especially the one on the right.

 

 

In last week’s article, we saw a popular T-shirt design that used a colorized version of this particular image.

 

In the article I mentioned I have a growing file of Photoshopped pictures that inserted this iconic Elvis pose into all sorts of different contexts.  Here are twelve good ones.

 

Elvis on a Horse 

 

This is pretty clever, but Elvis looks a little too big compared to the horse or the woman.

 

Elvis and the Peace Sign

Several of these new composite pictures have colorized the original black-and-white Elvis image.  Here, the coat and pants went from black to blue, and the stripes changed to red.  It all works very well with the American flag colors on the peace sign.  Good concept and good design.

 

Elvis Riding a Frog

This is really cute.  How do people come up with these ideas?

 

Elvis Spinning on a Turntable

Now this makes sense.  What would be more natural than Elvis on a 33 LP album?  The only thing wrong is that the record doesn’t look like one of his.

 

At the Door of a 50s Style Diner

This one is kind of weird.  Nothing looks right.  The only parts that look even close are the legs and shoes.  The arm positions have been changed, the jacket doesn’t hang like the original, and Elvis’ face has been changed.  Sorry, this doesn’t work for me.  I hope whoever made it, didn’t waste a whole lot of time on it.  Not worth the effort.

 

Donald Rumsfeld Elvis

The list of political figures morphed into Elvis images is very long – Reagan, Schwartzenegger, Bush, Nixon and more.  Here we have Donald Rumsfeld, but I have no idea why.

 

Tom Delay Elvis

Do you remember Tom Delay, the former Texas Congressman and House Majority Leader?  The Jailhouse Rock connection is a good one, because he was sentenced to three years in prison for illegally plotting to funnel corporate contributions to legislative candidates.

 

Blago Elvis

I’ve used this one before on ElvisBlog, maybe twice before.  But Rod Blagojevich was a genuine Elvis fan, and he is doing the jailhouse rock at this very moment.

 

Bill Clinton Elvis

It really isn’t fair to show Bill Clinton in front of a prison, because he never went to jail for impeachment.  I wonder why the Photoshop jockey decided to switch the Elvis image around and face the other direction.

 

J-Lo and Elvis

That’s enough politicians.  How about a hot young Jennifer Lopez dancing with Elvis?  He wouldn’t have minded that at all.  I just wish somebody had done one like this with an Ann-Margret image.

 

Elvis and Elvis

This is my favorite, so we will end here.  I like the colorized image that changes the shirt stripes to a solid red.  And I love the juxtaposition of dancing Elvis over a blow-up of his eyes transfixed in a serious stare.  Even the lighting effect is cool.  Just an excellent image.

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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2012 Elvis T-Shirt Review

Posted on June 23, 2012 by | 1 Comment

For several years, ElvisBlog has celebrated the start of summer with an annual Elvis T-shirt review.  Dozens of new designs show up each year at ShopElvis.com, so I would study the new ones and pick my favorite top 10 or 12.  I was getting ready to start my 2012 research when an e-mail came in from Ashly at T-Shirts.com.  They too, offer a nice selection of Elvis T-shirts.

 

Ashly suggested they could pick a Top Ten from the Elvis T-shirts they offer and volunteered to write about them following the pattern used here in previous years.  I said, “Sure, why not.  Let’s see what you’ve got.”  So, here are T-Shirts.com’s selections, five in men’s shirts and five in woman’s shirts.  I couldn’t help myself from adding little comments under their narrative for each one.

 

Top 5 Elvis Shirts for Men

1. Black Leather

T-Shirts.com:  When we visual Elvis, it’s almost impossible not to picture him in tight black leather from head to foot. This T-shirt displays one of the most famous images of the singer, which was on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1969. The shirt features him playing in front of a small audience at NBC’s ’68 Comeback Special.

ElvisBlog:  I’ve got no problem with this pick as the best men’s shirt.  I favor black T-shirts, Elvis looks so baaaad in his black leather, and the shirt isn’t cluttered up with a lot of text.

 

2. Cash and the King

T-Shirts.com:  You may have thought it was impossible to bring two legends back to life for the price of one, but this t-shirt makes it happen.  Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley shared a love for rock n’ roll, blues, country and gospel music. The two took part in an impromptu gospel jam session in 1956.

ElvisBlog:  Another good black T-shirt.  Notice that Elvis is wearing a tux.  The picture was taken on December 21, 1957 when Elvis visited (but did not perform at) The Grand ‘Ole Opry.  He went backstage and had his picture taken with Johnny Cash and other Opry performers Hank Snow, Ray Price, Ferlin Husky, and Faron Young..  Legend has it that Elvis changed to street clothes afterward and threw the tux in the trash.

 

3. American Eagle Jumpsuit

T-Shirts.com:  Besides tight black leather, what comes to mind when you picture Elvis performing?  If his studded white American Eagle jumpsuit, bedazzled belt buckle and manly chest come to mind, you’ll be taking care of business with this American Eagle jumpsuit T-shirt.

ElvisBlog:  That’s a great promo, but I’m not so sure about this design inspired by the jumpsuit Elvis wore on the Aloha from Hawaii TV special.  I think I would feel a little goofy wearing it.  However, Ashly at T-Shirts.com says it’s a great seller, so it certainly appeals to other folks.  Maybe it should be offered as a women’s T, as well.

 

4. Jailhouse Rock  

T-Shirts.com:  This T-shirt pours with Elvis’ musical passion and original spirit which coincided with Presley’s motion picture and is said to inspire the first ever music video. This T-shirt emits an emotional grandeur for true Elvis fans.

ElvisBlog:  I have a growing file of Photoshopped images that insert this Elvis pose into all sorts of different contexts.  Well, it might as well be inserted into a T-shirt design, too, and this one is pretty good.  Count all the colors: gray, yellow, black, white, red, and skintone.  “Jailhouse Rock” should be higher than # 4.

 

5. Badge

T-Shirts.com:  This one is only for the manliest of men. This t-shirt sports guns and the narcotics badge Elvis personally requested from President Nixon. It also gives you a lovely angle of his devastatingly good looks. Sideburns and all.

ElvisBlog:  I’m not too sure about this design which is a cut-and-paste collage of three unrelated photos.  There is no real connection between Elvis’ guns and the DEA badge he got when he visited Nixon in the White House.  Less informed fans may not know the history of that badge and have no idea what they are seeing.

 

Top 5 Elvis Shirts for Women

1. Star

T-Shirts.com:  Leather and guitars … what more could a woman ask for? This unique tee is beautifully detailed and captures the essence of the talented Elvis exquisitely. This T-shirt features a different design in the front and back.

ElvisBlog:  This shirt has more going for it than you would know by reading the promo above.  That’s not an Elvis photograph; it’s original Joe Petruccio artwork.  Elvis fans know about all his outstanding paintings of Elvis, and they would be more inclined to buy this shirt because of it, so tell them.  Great choice for # 1.

 

2. Blue Suede Shoes

T-Shirts.com:  You can knock me down, step in my face, slander my name all over the place.  Do anything you want to do but lay off them shoes!  This T-shirt features Elvis with the title of the famous song “Blue Suede Shoes” originally written and recorded by Carl Perkins.

ElvisBlog:  I like the shirt, but I can’t figure out why it is called “Blue Suede Shoes.”   There should be more than just those words printed across Elvis’ motorcycle hat.  A better name would be “Biker Elvis.”

 

3. Smooches

T-Shirts.com:  Fall in love with Elvis all over again in this smooches tee. Nothing says Love Me Tender more than a heart embroidered Elvis with lips puckered and ready to plant a big wet one.

ElvisBlog:  Some Elvis designs work well for both men’s and women’s T-shirts, but not this one.  Strictly for the gals.  I really like the design, so I’d move “Smootches” up to # 2 on the women’s list.

 

4. Blue Suede Shoes … (Again!)

 

T-Shirts.com:  Express your love for blue suede shoes and the young dashing Elvis with this T-shirt. The graphics are in a lovely blue color featuring Mr. Presley himself strumming those beautiful fingers on the guitar.

ElvisBlog:  Now I’m more confused.  Why are there two T-shirts both named “Blue Suede Shoes,” and neither has an image of any shoes?  I don’t mean to quibble with T-Shirts.com.  They don’t name them, just sell them.  Not a bad design, though.  I like the other design a little bit better.

 

5.  Mug Shot

T-Shirts.com:  Whether they admit it or not, all women love bad boys. Especially a bad boy with sideburns, sweet shades and the ability to gyrate his hips in a motion that will make you swoon without warning. This is a mug shot you can’t help but display proudly.

ElvisBlog:  This is an interesting T-shirt, but the image deserves some explanation.  According to Wikipedia, this mug shot was taken in 1970, probably when Elvis was in Washington D.C. visiting the FBI headquarters.

 

So, there it is, ElvisBlog’s  “2012 Elvis T-Shirt Review.”   Many thanks to the folks at T-Shirts.com for making their top 10 picks from the Elvis shirts they offer.  I’ve always just looked at his shirts as something fun to wear, but T-Shirts.com sees something deeper.

“These Elvis T-shirt treasures give you a chance to hold on to memories tangibly or simply express your love for an artist who left a significant footprint on American culture.  These shirts keep the King of Rock N’ Roll close to your heart.”

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©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

.

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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