Viva Las Vegas [Blu-ray]

Director: George Sidney George Sidney

Overview

Viva Las Vegas, one of Elvis Presley's most popular vehicles, adheres as rigidly to formula as a Kabuki dance. Elvis plays a race-car driver competing in the Las Vegas Grand Prix opposite his principal rival, Cesare Danova. To finance his entry, Elvis takes a job as a casino waiter. Naturally, he is occasionally prevailed upon to sing, making one wonder why he didn't choose this talent as a means of making some quick cash. As always, Elvis chases all the wrong girls, only to ignore the "right" one, portrayed by Ann-Margret in her considerable youthful prime (We're supposed to believe that A-M is the daughter of irascible William Demarest. So much for the reliability of gene pools). With a pre-fat Presley, an indescribably gorgeous Ann-Margret, and no fewer than 12 songs on the soundtrack, how could Viva Las Vegas help but reap a fortune at the box office?

Product Details

Release Date:	09/18/2007
UPC:	0012569798465
Original Release:	1964
Rating:	NR
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:25:00
Sales rank:	15,900

Special Features

Commentary by Steve Pond, Author of Elvis in Hollywood ; New Featurette Kingdom: Elvis in Vegas; Soundtrack Remastered in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 as Well as Original Mono ; Theatrical Trailer.

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Elvis Presley	Lucky Jackson
Ann-Margret	Rusty Martin
Cesare Danova	Count Elmo Mancini
William Demarest	Mr. Martin
Nicky Blair	Shorty Fansworth
Jack Carter	Himself
Robert B. Williams	Mr. Swanson
Bob Nash	Big Gus Olson
Roy Engel	Mr Baker
Barnaby Hale	Mechanic
Ford Dunhill	Driver
Eddie Quillan	Master of Ceremonies
George Cisar	Manager of Swingers
Ivan Triesault	Head Captain
Francis Ravel	Actor
Holly Bane	Casino Patron
Robert Aiken	un chauffeur
Larry Barton	Son of Lone Star State
John Burnside	Son of Lone Star State
Howard Curtis	Statler
Henry Fleer	Son of Lone Star State
Alan Fordney	Race Announcer
Claude Hall	Son of Lone Star State
Pete Kellett	Ad-Lib
Larry Kent	Race Official
Lance LeGault	Son of Lone Star State
Rick Murray	Delivery Boy
Teri Garr	Showgirl
Laura Lamb	Actor
George Stoll	Composer

Technical Credits

Sally Benson

George Sidney	Director,Producer
Sally Benson	Screenwriter
Jack Cummings	Producer

Editorial Reviews

One of the tiny handful of post-Army Elvis Presley vehicles which can be enjoyed on a non-ironic level, Viva Las Vegas stacks up as one of the King's best movies largely because for a change he has a co-star who can match him for onscreen charisma -- Ann-Margret. If Ann-Margret can't equal Elvis for essential rock & roll cool, she has great comic timing, can actually sing, and still knows how to make the sparks fly onscreen, and together they display an easygoing but potent chemistry that Elvis rarely managed with his other leading ladies. While the story is pretty typical stuff (the Big E is a race driver trying to raise money to put his car back on the track), George Sidney keeps things light and lively and knows enough to stay out of the way of his stars. Elvis even gets a few decent songs this time out, including the classic title tune (written by Doc Pomus) and a fiery take of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say." Add a stronger-than-average supporting cast (including William Demarest, Nicky Blair, Jack Carter, and a blink-and-you'll-miss-her bit part from Teri Garr) and you get an Elvis Presley movie you actually don't have to suffer through; if all of his pictures had displayed this level of competence, he wouldn't have had to apologize to his fans for his career in Hollywood.

All Movie Guide - Mark Deming