Product Details

• Actors: Elvis Presley, Mary Ann Mobley, Fran Jeffries, Michael Ansara, Jay Novello
• Directors: Gene Nelson
• Writers: Gerald Drayson Adams
• Producers: Sam Katzman
• Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: July 8, 1997
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304479743
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #309,854 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Say this for Harum Scarum: At least it has the virtue of boasting one of the strangest settings of any Elvis Presley vehicle. Elvis plays an action-movie star on a goodwill tour of the Middle East who's kidnapped in a remote country that has turned its back on modernity. Vilified as an "American unbeliever," he is enlisted by the Lord of the Assassins in a plot to kill a monarch (they've mistaken his filmic kung fu fighting skills for the real thing). And this is an Elvis picture? The soundtrack has a particularly mad selection of faux-"Kismet" numbers relating to the setting, with lyrics such as "I'm gonna go where the desert sun is/I'm gonna go where I know the fun is." Hints that the whole thing is a Rudolph Valentino spoof help the early going, but it gets pretty draggy. Elvis looks liveliest in a Vegas sequence... a bit of foreshadowing. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Elvis' B Movie Classic, August 28, 2004

By 

James - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harum Scarum (DVD)

I avoided this film for years, mainly because it simply looked too embarrassing to sit through as a fan of the King. Since it was included among the newest wave of Elvis dvds, I finally decided to give it a chance.

It didn't surprise me to find that, as a meaningful film, it is arguably among Elvis' worst. The premise is silly, the leading lady (Mary Ann Mobley) has little to do (and little screentime with the King), and the whole thing is pretty hard to take seriously. But then, considering that much of Elvis' film canon was pretty lightweight anyway, it's hard to imagine anyone going into this expecting a meaningful film.

What is left is an Elvis movie that works surprisingly well as a campy B movie. In fact, if it had been released as an MGM dvd, it would've fit well into their (highly entertaining) Midnite Movies line. For starters, while shot using some of the old King of Kings sets, you almost expect to see Kirk and Spock beam in at any moment. There's also a surprising amount of humor in it (both unintentional AND intentional), with Elvis getting off quite a few good one-liners early on. Also good is Jay Novello as that rare comic relief that is actually funny. As the film progresses, you can almost sense Elvis' waning interest, but the rest of the cast puts in a fine effort. And where else can you see Billy Barty bellydancing or Elvis bringing a bullwhip to a fight?

Ironically, Elvis was actually very eager to make this film. He saw it as a chance to create a meaningful character and drew inspiration from Rudolph Valentino in The Sheik. According to Priscilla Presley's Elvis and Me, Elvis was so into the character that he would come home still in costume and keep it on until he went to bed. However, as the film progressed, he quickly lost interest as he realized the direction the film was heading.

Overall, despite its secure position at the bottom of the barrel, it's not as dull to sit through as some of Elvis' other lesser efforts. Many fans even consider the soundtrack to be underrated, and it does feature one really great standout, So Close, Yet So Far. It's quite a hidden gem among Elvis' movie songs, and I was suprised to find anything like it in this film. Elvis probably could have incorporated it into his later live shows without anyone batting an eye.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Elvis VS Ali Baba, February 12, 2008

By 

Kaoru Hiratsuka "Linguist" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harum Scarum (DVD)

Ok, this is definitely NOT one of "the King's" better films, but I still enjoyed it. I originally saw it when I saw six years old and loved it because Elvis was fighting with a sword...and frankly that's probably still the best aspect of this movie. Elvis demonstrates some of his modest Karate talents as well. He was a Black Belt believe it or not but in reality Bruce Lee would probably have cleaned his clock. Before you buy "Harum (sic) Scarum" be warned that this is also one of the two WEIRDEST Elvis movies ever made (the other one being "Easy Come Easy Go" where he plays a frogman and sings about Yoga.) The songs in "Harum Scarum" are not among his best...however if you watch carefully it looks like Elvis was having fun in this movie. He probably had a blast running around this old C.B.deMille movie set killing assassins with karate and saber. So, if you buy "Harum Scarum" remember...the movie is pretty bad, the songs mediocre, but the fun level is pretty darned high especially if you like watching Elvis kick assassin butt.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Elvis Presley Comedy Spoof Classic, June 26, 2005

By 

CD King (Asia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harum Scarum (DVD)

To me HARUM SCARUM is an excellent comedy spoof. I've enjoyed this great wonder musical classic ever since I saw it in the cinema in the mid-60s when I was a kid. So happy own it now on DVD. It's still as enjoyavle as ever! Many nice songs with an Eastern magic flavor as only Elvis can sings them. I love this movie!