Customer Reviews

Paradise, Hawaiian Style

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

A sort of repeat of "Blue Hawaii", but "Paradise, Hawaiian Style" shows more exotic locations. Only this time around Elvis takes you by air. He stars as a handsome unemployed helicopter pilot who decides to open his own helicopter tourist service with his partner. Along the way, Elvis can't keep several beautiful wahinis out of his hair. "Is this any way to run an airline?" You bet! With one look at this movie, you'll see it's not called "Paradise, Hawaiian Style" for nothing. The young child costar Donna Butterworth was a huge Elvis fan before she starred in this picture with Elvis. Why not? A little girl who loved Elvis to death and now she's doing a motion picture with him in person. You could call it a dream come true. Elvis fans, don't delay.

As Red West said in the book, "Elvis, What Happened?" Paradise, Hawaiian Style failed to capture the artistic majesty of Blue Hawaii, but the box office never complained.

After slipping box office returns from Tickle Me, Harum Scarum and other clunkers, Elvis returned to familiar territory in Hawaii.

The movie has a somewhat decent script and songs which are supported by the breathtaking scenery.

I agree with another review that Elvis went through the motions on this one, though. When he sang songs, he didn't have his usual spunk as far as gyrating and reallying putting himself into it. He either just stood in place or slowly walked around, just going through the motions of the songs.

And yes, he was a bit out of shape. In "Elvis What Happened?" it was reported that he showed up on the set 30 pounds overweight. He lived on diet pills for about a week before filming started and gradually got back into shape by the time it was in the can.

With more vigor and vim, some better songs and a stronger script, Paradise, Hawaiian Style could have equalled Blue Hawaii. But, all Colonel Parker was interested in was the bottom line. On that note, many people may not know this, but no Elvis Presley movie ever lost money. Some may have just scraped in over the line, but most of them were huge successes. A lot of his movies were lousy, but Elvis was miserable all the way to the bank.

In this movie, Elvis plays a laid off airline pilot who returns to his home state of Hawaii (he's the descendant of missionaries) and starts a helicopter transportation business with his best friend. The scenery in the movie isn't as breathtaking as in BLUE HAWAII. Nevertheless, the plot of the movie is much more believable and well written than BLUE HAWAII. However, the improvement in the script is dragged down by Elvis' apparent lack of enthusiasm; during the singing sequences he just goes through the motions with no emotion whatsoever. Yet, there is some excitement in the movie found in an unlikely source: the King is stood up in this film by 10 year old Donna Butterworth who steals practically every scene she is a part. Overall, pretty much, just your average Elvis flick.

By reviewing the film Paradise Hawaiian Style , I am definitely giving away my age. To pretend that the film hasn`t aged and that that the plot line isn`t thin would be a lie , however this film , like most of Elvis`s films serves as a platform to showcase Elvis the singer. And that he could. With his warm velvety voice and charm he could win over any female heart , add to that his gyrating pelvis and the ladies was screaming for more. The film might have dated but Elvis is as fresh as the day the film was made. For Elvis and all other movie buffs.

The dogs in this movie seem to have more fun than Elvis.
10 year old Donna Butterworth steals her scenes and it is no wonder as she is a fan living a dream. Making a movie with Elvis would have been great for any fan. Nice songs and good story for the whole family.

An overweight Elvis Presley musters little enthusiasm for producer Hal Wallis' 1966 rehash of "Blue Hawaii." In all fairness, if you were saddled with humiliating numbers such as "Queenie Wahine's Papaya" and "A Dog's Life," you would beat a hasty retreat to Graceland and forget the movie existed. With a better song selection and more commitment from Elvis, "Paradise, Hawaiian Style" might have been pretty good. The scenery is quite impressive and the cast agreeable. Presley even delivers a memorable ballad, "This Is My Heaven," during the lavish finale. However, the ultimate insult occurs when little Donna Butterworth sings "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home" - a jazz standard Elvis never recorded! It is difficult to forgive Wallis and the Colonel for this artistic betrayal.

Breathtaking Hawaiian locations, catchy tunes, and a bevy of beautiful women, this Elvis movie has it all. The show is stolen, however, by cute and cuddly 10-year old Donna Butterworth. She sings and dances with The King, and does a great solo rendition of "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey". You can't help but love this kid.

"Paradise Hawaiian Style" is a somewhat bizarre mix of Guy Lombardo and "Magnum P.I.". Younger viewers seeking an answer to why the British Invasion of the mid-1960's was almost instantly successfully need look no further than this film. By 1966 Elvis Presley had gone from a target audience of teenagers looking to scare their parents with his sensual style of rock and roll, to being the heartthrob of the nursing home circuit; electing to skip entirely the huge demographic between these two groups. The British Invasion was able to hit our beaches almost unopposed.

A rather tired looking Elvis plays Rick Richards, a sweet-talking womanizing airline pilot who finds himself unemployed and back in the islands. Rick teams up with his old island buddy Danny Kohana (James Shigeta of "Flower Drum Song" fame) to open a helicopter charter service. Shigeta is pretty good in this role as a responsible family man who must ride herd on his philandering partner. Rick's female conquests prove useful in drumming up charter customers; while these arrangements can be blamed for the repeatedly lame joke (and song) about "scratching each others back".

Setting back women's lib by several years is female pilot Judy Hudson (played by Suzanna Leigh) who is relegated to receptionist duties as the boys do all the flying. Leigh is a staggeringly untalented actress and could be a source of many mockfest moments if that's your idea of a good time.

Marianne Hill (a good actress who a couple years later turned in a memorable guest performance on "Star Trek") plays Rick's main love interest. My guess is that the two female parts were originally combined and that the producers owed some favors; so they split up the character. A disservice to the movie as there is not enough remaining in either part to connect with an already unengaged audience.

A touch of cuteness was added by casting Donna Butterworth as Rick's 10-year old daughter. She and The King have a couple decent numbers together, the only songs worthy of your attention. Unlike the much better "Blue Hawaii", there are island themed musical productions but no actual island songs or music. And the geriatric garbage Elvis sings is surreal in its wholesomeness. Just a few years before, many parents had been reluctant to let the television appearances of this dangerous predator into their living rooms.

One thing to note is the total absence of close-ups. Elvis had gone all Frank Sinatra by this point and was strictly limiting the amount of time he spent on the set. Since he appears in most of the movie this meant that the director had to make do with wide master shots and second unit stuff. A bad thing because point-of-view, acting for the camera, and character identification are all casualties of this Minnelli style of filmmaking. Yet a good thing as the second unit does a great job with the aerial sequences, the scenery, and the natives (all of which is nicely showcased on the DVD which was made from a excellent original).

Also worth watching for from a film school perspective is one of the worst directed sequences you are likely to find in any mainstream production. Midway through the film Elvis and some unknown and eager looking starlet are placed in a scene with about a half dozen dogs. This is supposed to be a comic moment as the misbehaving dogs cause the copter to fly wildly around the island (studio shots of Elvis cut into 2nd unit outdoor flying sequences) and when it finally lands Elvis and the bubbly actress emerge looking completely disheveled. But they can't get much action from the sedated dogs and the director can't get much energy from the bored Elvis. So you have shot after shot of this overeager starlet mugging for the camera and overreacting to the phantom disruptions of the dogs; who were too sleepy to be a factor.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Great Product and Great Service. I got my item in a very timely manner and it was in new condition.

Like the Hope/Crosby "road" pictures, or Abbott and Costello films, Elvis movies fall into a special category, and as such lend themselves to being reviewed against a different standard. In most of Elvis Presley's films, sensible plots typically are secondary to having fun, hanging with gorgeous women, and bursting out in the occasional song. Presley's films might be characterized as formulaic or cookie cutter, but they were also commercially successful, and generated album sales, which was the whole reason for The King doing them.

Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966) features Presley's return to the Aloha State, after having previously shot Blue Hawaii (1961) there. Elvis is Rick Richards, a pilot who has just returned to islands, and immediately forms a partnership with his old buddy Danny Kohana (James Shigeta) in a Danrick Airways, a helicopter tour business. Rick utilizes his many connections among the local ladies employed in the tourist industry, to try and rustle up business for his new venture. Rick's international lineup of lady friends includes Marianna Hill, Irene Tsu, Linda Wong, and Julie Parrish.

There are even more females in the picture, including Danny's daughter Jan (Donna Butterworth) and Danrick Airway's new secretary, Judy Hudson (Suzanna Leigh). Turning on the charm seems to work, as soon business is booming. Rick is a good pilot, but soon runs afoul of the local aviation authority. Then he finds his future further in doubt, when Danny threatens to break up the partnership.

Of course things all work out in the end, with lots of songs with dopey lyrics sprinkled in along the way. A couple numbers are performed in the cockpit of a chopper, including the silly "A Dog's Life" with a cockpit filled with pooches. Donna Butterworth, who's film debut was the year before in Jerry's Lewis' The Family Jewels (1965), also exercises her vocals talents, including a duet with Elvis on "Sand Castles". The film concludes with Presley performing several rousing numbers with the entertainers at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

All in all, Paradise, Hawaiian Style is light and fun affair that features Elvis with a bevy of beauties, in some fantastic looking island settings. The helicopters element provides even more opportunities to showcase some the scenic beauty of the islands, which the producers take advantage of. The acting is pretty much what you would expect from a 60's comedy. Presley has the good chemistry with Marianna Hill and Julie Parrish, but ends up with Suzanna Leigh. After a promising start, this would be the last film for Donna Butterworth, who left acting soon after. Elvis and James Shigeta work together well. In a progressive move for the times, Shigeta's character Danny Kohana, was married to a Caucasian woman played by Jan Shepard.

Paradise, Hawaiian Style has a much lighter tone than Blue Hawaii, and lacks the quality of songs found in that film. It's just a frivolous romp featuring helicopter flights, some very cool scenery, and of course pretty girls. And for anyone with an interest in Hawaii, the film provides some views of the island that no longer exists, except perhaps in episodes of the original Hawaii 5-0. Rated on the "Presley scale": 3.5 stars.