Search - Elvis: Love Me Tender - The Love Songs on DVD

+1/2 -- Elvis' career refracted through some of his love son

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 09/13/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This made-for-DVD (and PBS pledge night) special traces a line through Elvis' career by examining the love songs he performed and the reaction they provoked from his fans. Depicted early on as a hip-swiveling instigator, Elvis' balladry, though present at the very start of his hit-making career (e.g., 1956's "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" and "Love Me Tender"), didn't make for sensational headlines. Still, his ballads were hits, regularly evoked shrieks and swoons from his female audience and became an essential part of his television appearances, film soundtracks and live shows. Early clips here feature Elvis crooning on the Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan shows, the latter a sublime version of "Love Me" in which Elvis plays to the girls in the balcony. There's a post army clip of Elvis goofing with Frank Sinatra on a television special, and the '68 comeback special yields Elvis reconnecting with "Are You Lonesome Tonight" and "Can't Help Falling in Love."

Much of Elvis career in the `60s is painted through musical clips drawn from his films. This provides ready-made widescreen color footage, but shortchanges many classic hit ballads in favor of lesser soundtrack material. Luckily, with Elvis' reentry into live performing at the end of the decade, live footage is once again introduced, with Las Vegas performances of "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "The Wonder of You" finding Elvis fit and energized, and Aloha From Hawaii yielding "What Now My Love" and "I'll Remember You." When there are no film or live performances to draw from, the producers switch to photo montages to accompany studio recordings, such as Elvis' take on "For the Good Times." The video closes with a Vegas-era live take of Elvis coming full circle to his early ballad hit, "Love Me Tender." Elvis prowls the stage and kisses women in the audience as he sings.

The special is narrated by Ashley Judd, who provides background on songs, recording sessions, career machinations and a variety of Elvis trivia. There are also interview clips with Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires, Joe Moscheo of the The Imperials, Ed Enoch of the Stamps Quartet, and Myrna Smith of The Sweet Inspirations. Thirty-five minutes of additional interview footage is included as an extra, and the stories from those who knew and worked with Elvis are often more compelling than Judd's scripted narration. Three short commercials for Graceland are also included. Fans will enjoy this 79-minute collection of previously released performances and clips, songs and photos, but if you want deeper analysis, you'll need to read Peter Guralnik's biographies. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]"

Elvis "Love Songs" whether they were good or just ordinary.

Steven I. Ramm | Phila, PA USA | 09/07/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Elvis "Love Songs" whether they were good or just ordinary. FIVE star Bonus interviews.

Looks like I'm the first person not to give this a five star review. Why? Because there are better Elvis Presley documentaries out there (The new "Elvis Returns to Memphis" is one.) Sure every Elvis fan will want this to have "everything Elvis" but they probably already have about 75 percent of the footage in the 85 minute documentary because the performances here are mostly from his films - all on DVD - or the Steve Allen , Frank Sinatra and Ed Sullivan Show performances - all easily available. The only footage new to me was from his Las Vegas shows. The songs are indexed but narrator Ashley Judd often talks over the beginning and end of them. Judd's narration was written by country music writer Chet Flippo, so we get the facts - including the composers names, but Judd is just reading the cue cards. (Believe me, he probably has no idea who Lieber and Stoller are).

The interviews inserted - including one of the Jordanaires, one of the Imperials and one of the Sweet Inspirations - are informative, but of course you won't want to hear them every time you play this DVD. The bonus features include four interviews. While the Sweet Inspiration singer gets only 2 minutes, its information because she discusses the issue of race when the Elvis show played Texas. Gordon from the Jordanaies has 16 minutes to tell his stories and they are insightful and honest. The same goes for Joe of the Imperials (the backup group for the Vegas shows when the Jordanaires couldn't make it because of prior engagements) who has 17 minutes. THIS is the section REAL Elvis fans will want.

You'll hear the DVDs title song "Love Me Tender" at least three times during the show as well as his big hits. But there are also obscure songs that never became hits but appeared in his lesser-known films.

So know what you're getting in this package and you'll be satisfied. And, of course, if you're an "everything Elvis" collector you'll want this too.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"
"

EXCELLENT DVD ABOUT THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL

Anthony Curtiss | NEW YORK | 09/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I JUST BOUGHT THIS AND IT IS AN EXCELLENT DVD ABOUT ELVIS PRESLEY LOVE SONGS THROUGH HIS CAREER FROM LIVE TO MOVIES AND REPRESENTS ELVIS IMAGE VERY WELL, I HAVE BEEN A LONG TIME FAN FOR OVER 36 YEARS AND i HAVE ALMOST EVERY DOCUMENTARY ON ELVIS AND ALL OF HIS FILMS AND THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER SO WELL I RECOMMEND THIS FOR EVERYONE"

A MUST BUY

Ramona F. Fulton | Mississippi | 08/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fantastic! This was put together with loving care for Elvis, his fans and those that are seeing him for the very first time...better than I ever expected!! Ashley Judd narrates, in a new way, the story of Elvis's rise from 1954 to his success in Las Vegas thru the love songs he sang during that time period. It takes the best of Elvis' performances of these songs (both movies and live performances) and combines it with Ashley giving much more background info on these songs and the fans reaction to them. I intend to show this DVD to my grandchildren so they will have a better understanding of why Elvis had such an impact on my generation. The "bonus" part of the DVD is also excellent info on Elvis."