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Roustabout [1964]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

The Elvis formula was well in place by the time of 1964's Roustabout, a concoction of undistinguished songs (anyone remember "Poison Ivy League"?), pretty girls, tight pants, a colourful setting and a little bit of karate to prove that Elvis really had been studying his martial arts. With that understood, Roustabout is a better-than-average work-out for the King--not as peppy as Viva Las Vegas, but a good deal livelier than the sleepwalking It Happened at the World's Fair. Elvis plays a bad-boy singer roaming the highways on his Japanese motorcycle; laid up after an accident, he joins a carnival owned by the feisty Barbara Stanwyck. ("This is not a circus, it's a carnival. There's a big difference.") The cast goes from high to low: both giant-sized future James Bond villain Richard Kiel and tiny Billy Barty are carny regulars, and Raquel Welch has a small role in the opening scene. Teri Garr is one of the carnival dancers behind Elvis. The legendary costume designer Edith Head puts Elvis in a series of snappy windbreakers, but thank goodness he's also in black leather a lot. As if that weren't enough to recommend it, the movie has a sequence involving Elvis riding a cycle inside the "Wall of Death", a huge wooden cylinder with high walls. This bit actually inspired an entire Irish film in 1986, Eat the Peach, in which friends build a similar contraption after they watch Roustabout on tape. --Robert Horton


Jailhouse Rock part2
Review date: 2008-10-08 Rating: 8 out of 10

This isn't a bad film at all. Elvis' character, Charlie Rogers, is very much like Vince Everitt. 7 years older and grown a tad world weary. You could almost imagine Vince having fallen on hard times having to work carnies to make a living. He is given excellent support by the older Barbara Stanwyck and Lief Ericsson. Some of the songs are very good indeed eg "Poison Ivy League", "Little Egypt" and "Big Love Big Heartache". Others are awful noteably "It's Carnival Time" and "Carny Town" (which are far too short). "There's a Brand New Day on the Horizon" is in the "Old Macdonald" league. Surprisingly the album got to number 1 in the US despite its incredibly short running time.

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Reviews


Better than average
Review date: 2003-07-22 Rating: 6 out of 10

It shouldn't work. A daft script, dafter songs and all cobbled together in a few weeks. But Elvis is back being surly again, even if his character is devoid of any depth or complexity; and the Carnival background is well observed; and then there is Barbara Stanwick. All in all it is a watchable, even enjoyable film if you don't set your sights too high (the producers certainly didn't.)
As for the songs, they are best forgotten - and luckily enough they are forgettable. I can't help thinking though that the chip-on-the-shoulder ballad 'Poison Ivy League' could have been developed into an enjoyable piece of vitriol - but I suppose no-one could be bothered.
Despite that this is one of the best of the 60's bunch.

Good Guy Rebel
Review date: 2002-02-26 Rating: 10 out of 10

Roustabout is a very good film, with a stellar cast including Elvis and Barbara Stanwick.

When Elvis is let out of prison for a fight with some college students, he hits the road; but is sideswiped by an angry father (Leif Ericsson), when Elvis tries to impress his daughter on his motorbike.

His bike is ruined, with no sympathy from Joe (Ericsson) although his wife Maggie (Stanwick) and his daughter invite Elvis back to the nearby carnival that they run.

Elvis is hired part time whilst his bike is being mended. He eventually becomes a singing sensation (Thats new!!!!) in a bid to save the carnival from bankrupcy, but a constant fued with Joe and a misunderstanding over a missing wallet promts Elvis to join a rival carni' business.

Songs aside, this is a good film, even though the album topped the US charts. There are some cracking scenes: e.g. the opening fight where Elvis takes vicious kick for real in a stunt that he performed himslef (Look out for the band-aid he wears throughout) but is viciously kicked in the head; also the motorbike 'Wall of Death' and small parts from Raquel Welch and Richard Kiel (Jaws from the Bond films).

Throughout the film Elvis character seems to be tusseling between rebellious characters before in films like Jailhouse Rock, Wild In The Country and King Creole and softy everyman characters in films to come like Paradise Hawaiin Style, Frankie and Johnny and Clambake.

Anyhow, this is good, I love it and after Roustabout (1964) Elvis never made a good film until 1968s Live a Little Love a Little; although 1965s Frankie and Johnny was aslo good.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Elvis Presley
Joan Freeman
Barbara Stanwyck
Sue Ane Langdon
Leif Erickson

Creators:
Elvis Presley (Primary Contributor)
Barbara Stanwyck (Primary Contributor)
Lucien Ballard (Cinematographer)
Hal B. Wallis (Producer)
Joseph H. Hazen (Producer)
Paul Nathan (Producer)
Allan Weiss (Writer)
Anthony Lawrence (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Paramount Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
EAN: 5014437814234
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL,
Release date: 2002-03-18
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 95 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1964-11-11
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