Product Description

"Viva Las Vegas Pony" is a tribute to the Showgirl. No other icon epitomizes Las Vegas like the Showgirl, known for her incredibly elaborate, baroque but brief costumes, her ability to sing, dance and sashay across a stage in sky-high stilettos, while balancing a feathered headdress atop her head. T...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19740 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-08-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 85 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
It's pretty tough to beat Jailhouse Rock in terms of sheer entertainment, but Elvis lovers are particularly fond of this 1964 hit. The Big E plays race-car driver Lucky Jackson, who arrives in Las Vegas for an upcoming Grand Prix race. Lucky's car needs a new engine, so he gets a waiter job at a casino and starts working his crooning charms on Rusty Martin (Ann-Margret). It's their on-screen chemistry that makes this flick a lot of fun; Presley never had a better costar than Ann-Margret, and their race-car romance is quintessential 1960s fluff. Then there are the songs, of course, including the snappy title tune, a rockin' rendition of Ray Charles's "What'd I Say?," and "The Yellow Rose of Texas." Viva Las Vegas is one of the Elvis movies that stands the test of time, when the legend was still at his peak. And if you're wondering if the King gets his car fixed in time to win the race, well, check out the movie to find out. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

remembering the King
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.

Widescreen Delight
After years of second-generation VHS releases, "Viva Las Vegas" (1964) finally can be seen in a widescreen format. This Elvis Presley-Ann Margret musical looks and sounds great on DVD - and you also get the original trailer. With director George Sidney at the helm, it's easy to see why "Viva Las Vegas" is considered one of Presley's best films.

I should have been born 60 years ago...
I'm all about Elvis. I'm 24 and my room is covered in his pictures. I LOVE this movie. I think personally that it's one of his best. I could sit here and watch him sing and move and never get tired of him. My favorite scenes are 1. when he's singing "The Lady Loves Me". And 2. when he's on her dance stage singing "My Baby Loves Me". Of course also when he performs the title song. I hope all avid Elvis fans have this movie in their collection.