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Viva Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Too Hot To Handle
Review: THTH might be the title for this movie. As we all know, these two stars were hot on and off screen. Great songs and dance have continued to inspire others even today.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Elvis at his cinematic best
Review: I'd give it a higher rating if this movie wasn't entirely missing something some people would consider important, namely a plot. It's the usual Elvis-meets-girl, Elvis-sings-to-girl, Elvis-gets-girl flick, and with that, there's nothing new under the sun. But above any other Elvis musical, this one defines Elvis the movie star. If plot is not important, than this one is the cinematic definition of Elvis the movie start.

What makes it click is the fiery chemistry between Elvis and Ann Margaret. Not the acting, mind you. Remember, this is not a plot movie. It's each one taking turns doing what they do best. With Elvis, of course, it's singing and swiveling, and this film has a decent collection of songs, topped by, of course, with the immortal title number.

When it comes to the lady, though, Ann Margaret matches him stride for stride. She starts off mild with a cute duet which ends up with her gently pushing him off a high dive into a hotel pool, but heats up from there. When they meet at the local university, she demonstrates some dance moves that sizzle up the screen. This gets followed up with each doing their respective contributions in a talent show, and based on each one's performance, I'm not sure the final winner was correct.

Finally, you get these priceless shots of Las Vegas from a bygone era. You see downtown before the Fremont Street canopy. In fact, there don't seem to be any exterior shots of any of the Strip hotels, which really puts it in a time capsule. Throw in some shots of the Hoover Dam and Mount Charleston, and you've got a movie that can work as a tourist film, and probably came out a higher quality product than the Elvis-factory movie makers thought possible.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: VIVA LAS VEGAS!
Review: "Viva Las Vegas" wins hands down as Elvis' best '60s musical comedy. Elvis singing the title tune which is my favorite sequence in the picture along with "I Need Somebody To Lean On", "If You Think I Don't Need You" and more. Ann-Margret is so good-looking in this picture. She and Elvis should have made more pictures together and sooner, too. A treat for every Elvis fan everywhere and great addition to one's Elvis movie library!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A disappointment
Review: I got this movie hoping for fun. And who could blame me it had all the ingredients for a great Saturday afternoon flick. Elvis and Ann Margret in Las Vegas.
I already had the movie planned in my mind. Elvis would meet Ann Margret as a cocktail waitress at a casino (my second option was a chorus girl). When not proving to be the best gambler and not competiting too well against Ann's macho boyfriend, Elvis would rock his stuff at the club's casino. He would win first prize and off in the sunset he would go with Ann Margret.
I wish. The movie was boring! It took itself way too seriously and was very slow. Elvis should have realized his potential for cheesy movies.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A perfect match.
Review: I used to not be a big fan of Elvis movies. For all of his talent with a song, his films (with a few exceptions) were basically all the same formula- where he's croonin' and shakin' in beautiful exotic locations, with his pick of any young woman waiting in the wings. But in "VLV" he has a more independent-than-usual female co-star (Ann-Margret), who not only matches him in sex appeal, but who forces him to fight for her affection. It's a wonderful match of wits, from the first number, "The Lady/Gentlemen Loves Me." They are each baiting the other, right up until he takes a header into the pool. Later, when they both compete in the same talent show, A-M gives Elvis a run for his money with her hotter-than-hot dance number. It's perfect that the final shot in the movie is a split-screen of the title song being sung (by him) and danced (by her). If no one knew that they were having a romance in real life; they'd figure it out from the screen chemistry generated here. This one and "G.I. Blues" (which features another independent co-star) are my favorites.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: remembering the King
Review: On the 25th anniversay of Elvis' passing, I thought I'd watch one of his films...this is perhaps his best, and in pairing him with Ann-Margret, he met his match. She sizzles in the musical numbers, and sometimes outshines the King when they're on-screen together.

Don't expect a plot or much in the way of dialogue, as everything revolves around the songs. The standouts are the title song, "Come On, Everybody", "What'd I Say", and "Appreciation"...but all of them are good, and the other numbers are: "The Lady Loves Me", "I Need Someone to Lean On", "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever", "My Rival", and "If You Think I Don't Need You".

The choreography by David Winters (who played A-Rab in the "West Side Story" film) is quite difficult, and almost awkward, with many direction changes, in Ann-Margret's "Appreciation" number (if you watch closely, you'll notice there's a switch to ballet slippers instead of high heels for a short time), but she manages all the dance numbers well, with sparkle and pizazz, and her singing is excellent.
The costume department did a good job, putting Elvis into a lot of very becoming red and black togs, and Ann-Margret's 101 outfits cling to every curve.
The car race footage in the finale is outstanding, and car aficionados will find a lot to like in this film as well as the music.

This was a much appreciated gift, and one I watch when I need some brain candy. Though it's got its flaws, I'm giving it 5 stars for being pure, undiluted entertainment, served up by the Kitten and the King, both in top form, with the glitter and glitz of Las Vegas as their backdrop.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Viva Las Vegas
Review: Perhaps his best musical comedy, in Viva Las Vegas Elvis was finally teamed with a co-star whose talent matched the intensity of his own style. Ann Margret plays Rusty Martin who perfectly compliments Elvis's character of Lucky Jackson. Lucky is a race car driver who is in desperate need of a new engine for his car. He arrives in Las Vegas for the Vegas Grand Prix and runs into Count Elmo Mancini (Cesare Danova) who is his rival on and off the track and are both competing for the affection of Rusty. Rusty works at the same hotel as Lucky, who throughout the film is trying to raise money to repair his car. Rusty is reluctant to become seriously involved with Lucky because of the dangers of his occupation. Eventually, she changes her mind and assists him in his last-minute efforts to complete his repairs. Lucky lives up to his name and wins the Grand Prix.

Viva Las Vegas is perhaps best remembered for the romance between Elvis Presley and Ann Margret. The romance was played out on front pages of the newpapers after the two were noticed attending restaurants and nightclubs together in Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, the romance between these two high-profile stars
did not survive the production of the film. Rumours about as to what split them up, ranging from Elvis's relationship with Priscilla Beaulieu to Ann Margret's hasty confession to the press that she and Elvis were engaged. Though the relationship did not work out in the long term, Elvis and Ann Margret remained friends for the rest of his life. According to Ann Margret, Elvis sent her flowers in the shape of a guitar on the opening night of every one of her Las Vegas engagements.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Cute film, er, musical...
Review: I'm guessing this is the typical style of movies back then in the 60s which propel music stars into showbiz. I must say, for a film done during that period, this was particularly well made. Elvis Presley actually wasn't too bad. Ann Margaret is definitely talented (can sing, dance and act). It's even more entertaining to see that this film is a blatant excuse to sing a few songs and dance a few sequences. But I am a sucker for love stories, but it wasn't a bad use of an hour and twenty minutes of my time.

The only thing I must confess to not liking what eventually happened to the Italian guy. How much more unapologetic can you get?

LEAP rating (each out of 5):
============================
L (Language) - 4 (everything's in verse or song - mostly. pretty cleverly done)
E (Erotica) - 0 (n/a)
A (Action) - 2 (car race at the end was pretty interesting)
P (Plot) - 3 (there's the requisite love triangle and a horrible ending for one suitor)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Elvis + Ann-Margret = Hot.
Review: Elvis was always underrated as an actor and he was never given very many opportunities to display his talents and grow. He is most remembered in movieland for all the fluffy films he made, co-starring with some beautiful girl or girls, that had very little plot surrounded by at least half a dozen Elvis tunes.

VIVA LAS VEGAS is such a movie. Elvis plays Lucky, a race car drive who has come to Las Vegas for the Grand Prix. However, his car needs a new engine and he looses all his cash. So, to earn some dough he starts working at the hotel he's staying at as a waiter. In the process, he meets a beautiful hotel swimming instructor named Rusty (Ann-Margret) and the two our swept up in a speedy courtship.

Now, with that said, VIVA LAS VEGAS, like many of Elvis films, is entertaining. They are the equivalant to the special effects mind candy movies that are made today. Besides seeing The King in his prime there are four other reasons for watching VIVA LAS VEGAS: 1. Ann-Margret 2. Ann-Margret 3. The car race near the end of the film and 4. Ann-Margret. I know that lady was way before my time, but she could dance better than most other actresses I've ever seen and she was hot. The chemistry between her and Elvis is the best of any other Elvis pairing. They made quite a pair and it would have been interesting to see the two star in more than one movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Roll Over Wayne Newton, Tell Tom Jones The News!
Review: Elvis was, is and always will be the king - especially the king of Las Vegas! The song "Viva Las Vegas" kicks off the movie as the camera pans down Fremont Street and the Vegas strip, ending as Elvis drives up to the Flamingo hotel. This gives the movie a dated look, since Vegas has changed so much since 1963, the year this movie was filmed. Elvis adds to this feeling of nostalgia, looking as we best remember him - strong, healthy and at the top of his form. Of all his leading ladies, only Ann-Margret can match his screen presence with her beauty, sex appeal and talent. The heat they give off in their scenes together almost melts the cameras! Say what you will about Elvis Presley's movies, they were always entertaining. This is the most thoroughly enjoyable of all of his films, and the one that bests stands up to the test of time.


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