Customer Reviews

Jailhouse Rock

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Slap my hand for being slow to get around to it but I have only recently seen JAILHOUSE ROCK for the first time - in fact at the 25th anniversary of his passing.

Elvis's acting is nothing less than superb in this film. It shows how gifted an actor he REALLY was and how insultingly poor most of the latter scripts were, to effectively lower a talented actor to the level of the writers plots. (The quality of many movie songs is also an insult. I can only have nightmares about any songs that may have not have been good enough to made the cut.)

JAILHOUSE ROCK reminded me what a phenominal "mover" Elvis was, in the league of the finest dancers or athletes. Sadly the memory of his many gifts are often clouded by over the top impressionists and silly glitzy Vegas trinkets. The man was a formidable singing AND acting talent and this film is the proof.

My general feeling is pan and scan stinks and should be avoided at all costs. Enjoy the full width version and see exactly what the director captured as Elvis gave possibly his best film performance ever.

If only we could go back in time...keep Elvis clean of drugs, keep the scripts to this level, and put Col. Parker on a slow boat nowhere.

If I can dream.....

Only a year and 2 films after his first introduction into the film biz(Love Me Tender/1956), Elvis displays his flair for acting as he turns in a captivating performance in "Jailhouse Rock"(1957). The range of emotions as he goes from a happy-go-lucky laborer to a sullen and hardened ex-con(and I haven't even gotten to the musical performances yet) is simply amazing. To the delight of his fans, he would go on to make many more films singing and hip-twisting, over the years, but this one, for me is THE ONE!

He plays, Vince Everett, a nice young man who unintentionally killed someone during a brawl. While in the joint,he learns to play the guitar(after being told he had no talent....HA!), and when he gets out tries to sell himself as a musician, with no luck. He starts his own record label, to get himself out there, and along the way, becomes rich and famous. The problem is that his time in prison has hardened his heart and soul, and a few people get hurt along the way.

Needless to say the musical performances by Elvis are absolutly outstanding. The "Jailhouse Rock" number is so wonderfully choregraphed and filmed, it's a sight to behold. A couple of the other great songs we are treated to in this fabulous musical are, "Young and Beautiful", and "Treat Me Nice".

Directed by Richard Thorpe, the cast includes Mickey Shaughnessy, Dean Jones and Judy Tyler, as Peggy,the girl who hangs in there even after being used and abused by Elvis(can you blame her?)

This film is a cinematic treasure, one that may be enjoyed by film fans and music fans alike. Just try and get "Jailhouse Rock" out of your head after the view!

enjoy..Laurie

also recommended:
Studs Lonigan (1960)
Almost Famous/American Beauty

One of Elvis' very best films ( I know that's not saying much but this IS a good one)...and its been upgraded substantially by Warner Bros from the previous edition.
the bonus featurette is okay...could have been much better with more artists and less "writers" as talking heads...Russ Tamblyn was a nice addition!

an all time Rock movie classic ...and from my standpoint a must own..
black and white and widescreen print.

man this is the dvd to get!!!some genius at mgm decided to let the buyer get a copy of a classic elvis movie in both formats,widescreen (ratio 2:35 to 1) or flipside of the disc in (1:33 to 1),fills the whole screen of your television!!! now youve" got a dvd that is compatible for the future tv"s or the present tv's!!look for the release date of 2000!!!someone out there in distibution is really smart!great classic elvis movie prepared super smart! if you ever wanted a copy of the classic "jailhouse rock" on dvd then grab this one! this is the top of the line way to release a classic. please major studios,give us more of this,sales will definitely increase!!! thank you, thank you, thank you!! danny.

This is definatly Elvis's best movie. He does such a great job and he looks wonderful. Some really good songs, especially the title song, Jailhouse Rock. Really recommend it for those who are and for those who aren't Elvis fans. It's just a great timeless classic.

This was Elvis' finest film although he never would see it during his life due to the terribly tragic death of his co-star Judy Tyler. She recently wed after the film and was killed with her new husband in a car crash very shortly after the film wrap. Elvis, who was very fond of her, (she made only one other film-Bop Girl) vowed never to watch the film as it was too painful to see the late Ms Tyler- so full of life- with so short a time to live. It is sad that one of the few films worth viewing, was never seen by Elvis due to his deep and lifelong pain over Judy Tyler's tragic death. She was 23.

This is Presley's third and best film which was released in 1957 just as he was reaching his peak. It is in ultra-cool black & white which just seems to add to its value. It has great dramatic appeal and is best remembered for its great songs, and for scenes that typify the Presley personality. One song is the incredible Jailhouse Rock musical sequence, with all of the blistering excitement and energetic dancing by the man who did it best.

living fast, dying young, and leaving a good-looking corpse. That is the opening line from 'True Romance,' and I couldn't have put it any better myself. Elvis' best movie and one of the best ever. If you ever wondered why Elvis was so big, watch this movie. He defines cool. I went on an Elvis kick and watched a bunch of them. When I got to this one, I couldn't believe how good it was. It's not cheesy happy-go-lucky like most Elvis movies. It's got heart. The music is great and Elvis' performance combines Michael Jackson's dance moves with James Dean's attitude, only he did it first. He's a rebel who plays by his own rules. This is one of the most underrated movies ever. It's never mentioned when the best movies are discussed, but it definitely should be. If you miss when rock was still rock, you'll love this movie.

A dynamic presentation of Elvis' true acting skills and some great songs. In an ironic reflection of real life, Vince Everett's [Elvis' character] cellmate plays a manipulative con, taking control of Elvis' talent - much like Elvis' real manager - "Colonel" Tom Parker.
Best seen in widescreen mode, the DVD offers both that opportunity, plus the standard full-screen pan & scan version.
A must-see movie, whether or not you are a fan of the King.

most people reading this have probably seen the movie and probably already own it on dvd, and would probably rather me mention if it's worth the blu-ray upgrade, then go on and on about how great and classic this movie is (Elvis at his best) so I will say the sound is great and the picture is too. Since this is a black and white film, the transfer brings to live the contrasts between the shades. Blu-Ray is phenomenal in making dark scenes look as they should, night appears as night and not a washed out blackness. The contrast is great the details are rich. Jailhouse Rock never looked or sounded better. Too bad they couldn't include the little booklet that came with the dvd version. On a side note, for any serious movie collector Jailhouse Rock and King Creole are two Elvis movies that are "must own" both show elvis more as an actor than as a gimmick. and the songs are great too.