Elvis has one of the most obvious presences in film of any of his rocker peers. This all started with the long and slightly questionable movie star portion of his career. As a whole the films are a terrible and disappointing show, both for Elvis and film fans. Blue Hawaii, being one of the more popular Elvis films, especially sticks out as being painfully terrible. These films were music heavy and pumped out quick. They appeased Elvis fans, made a ton of quick bucks, and were easy to make. In class we of course watched Jailhouse Rock, one of the better fare. Of course this is because it displays what Elvis always wanted to do, play a part that James Dean, his acting hero would want to portray. The movie also succeeds where others don't because it accurately echoes events that occurred in Elvis' own life, as stated in the reading.

What I find more interesting about Elvis in films is his presence in them after his death. First off there are the biopics. Kurt Russell played him not long after his death in a TV film that went through a good portion of this life. More recently was Jonathan Rhys Meyers portrayal in a detailed mini-series focusing more on the beginning of his career. There are more homage portrayals in popular films as well which aren't necessarily about the man himself. In True Romance Val Kilmer plays a character known only as the Mentor who is an obvious reference to Elvis. Not only does the main character talk about his hero constantly but Kilmer also does an impression so over the top it could be no one but Elvis. The Disney animated film Lilo & Stitch also has a character obsessed with the musician. His records are played throughout, Stitch proceeds to dress and act like him on several occasions, and his picture appears in quite a few scenes. The film even takes place in Hawaii, a little connection between the film and Elvis' own work. To me the most bizarrely interesting however is Bubba Ho-Tep.

This film from 2002 has Bruce Campbell playing our friend Elvis, fighting the forces of evil with (supposedly) JFK played by Ossie Davis. Everything about the movie is absurd. The premise is that Elvis switched places with an impersonator before his supposed demise. Now he is in a nursing home with a man convinced he is JFK and a mummy is trying to kill everybody. It sounds ridiculous but everything that defines Elvis is present. There is music of course, as well as seeing him on stage. The legend of Elvis is the very foundation on which the film is based, including those rumors that he never died at all. It is also campy fun, a new cheesy Elvis movie for another generation. It may not be the greatest movie in any sense of the word, but it is an Elvis movie, existing to carry on the stories and legends of one of the greatest rockers of his time.

As a fan of rock n' roll I have heard and known about all the great founders from the 50's. Yet before this class I had barely heard a word about Alan Freed. This seems strange, for without him rock wouldn't have gained its popularity among white audiences, this whole class might not exist. According to the readings, he even went as far as trying to trademark the phrase rock and roll. He isn't left out because of his involvement in the payola scandal or his unfortunate end, that is fairly common in rock history. I believe he forgotten in pop culture because he himself did not create music himself.

The general public remember the artists, the producers of artful products. Only people who obsess over rock remember on those who helped the artists succeed. The historians and the knowledgeable remember the agents of Bob Dylan or Elvis. They know the unsung heroes who wrote music for artists who never wrote their own. I see Alan Freed as a member of that camp. After his public life ended, the world forgot him as he had no more to contribute to the world of music in their eyes. People like that stay in their time period and don't move onward in the public eye. He never could have staged a public comeback in the way Elvis did in 68. In no way does this diminish his accomplishments though. I believe we should appreciate Freed's part in rock history and the disk jockeys should be a well known part of the birth of rock and roll music. The musicians may be the face of the industry, but without the lesser known parts there would be nothing to expand on. No industry. No music. No class. The thought is just too terrible to even consider. I appreciate being able to learn about Alan Freed as well as the other unsung heroes of disk jockey-dom, because without them life would be just a little more dull and a lot less rocking.

I love rock n' roll and film. Probably obvious by the nature of the class but I feel it had to be said. I'm taking this class because film (as well as my dad) got me into rock. One of my earliest memories of rock n' roll came at around 8 or 9. My father was showing me all sorts of films that he loved, Back to the Future, Stand By Me, Predator, Christine, etc. All the ones listed have one thing in common: the use of good old fifties rock n' roll. My father had the greatest hits collections of both Chuck Barry and Little Richard and I listened non stop. Going through my iTunes playlist, many of those songs still have a place.

Because of all this I was not surprised to discover my dad indeed owns the complete Hail Hail Rock N' Roll DVD set. Watching the film felt like home to me. The film gave a complete look at Chuck Barry as a performer and what that may me to him and all those performers around him. The beginnings of rock are fascinating when we look at it in the context of the world then. Much has changed in the world but rock has remained constant. Barry had a lot to do with why rock has survived to stay a popular music form almost 70 years on.