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Elvis Presley - Blue Hawaii
When Elvis came back from the Army, he was immediately pressured back to Hollywood and movies. In 1961, "Blue Hawaii" was made and became one of Elvis' biggest and best-loved movies. It also ushered in the beginning of the "Elvis Movie," the first of the beach-and-bikini-style films; but for all that, it remains the best of those, the most "real," despite the amount of music that was crammed into the film. It's a cute little story with some decent acting on the part of its star and notable supporting cast (including Angela Lansbury). But its music was, on the whole, some of Elvis' more standard movie music, with the lovely title track, the rocking "Rock-A-Hula Baby," the beautiful "Hawaiian Wedding Song," and "Ku-U-I-Po."
This movie formed a bond between "Elvis" and "Hawaii" that never completely went away, a connection as strong as the "Elvis/Las Vegas" and "Elvis/Memphis" bonds; to today, "Elvis" is one of the things people think of when thinking of Hawaii (even Disney acknowledged that with the animated "Lilo and Stitch," which contains much of this music in ITS soundtrack!). With the great there are many tracks that should never have been pressed to vinyl, much less digitally restored onto compact disc (such as the abysmal "Ito Eats"), but perhaps it's simply important to be complete, as well. And "Blue Hawaii" has some truly wonderful songs, such as Elvis' live signature sign-off, "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You," perhaps one of his most exquisite recordings.
Elvis' movies will never be the greatest sources of his music. On the whole, they stand as monuments to Colonel Parker's greed and Elvis' inability to stand up for himself. But "Blue Hawaii" is a pretty little film and it has some pleasant music that captures some of the ambiance
of the gentle, beautiful shores of Hawaii.
Review by Kathy Coleman.
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