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Jailhouse Rock (1957)
Released By: MGM Home Entertainment   Rating: Not Rated   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Genre: Musical
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Richard Thorpe
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Dean Jones, Elvis Presley, Jennifer Holden, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy, Vaughn Taylor
Published ID: 257
UPC: 027616661128, 012569506121, 012569797833, 012569798434, 012569798441,
Plot: One of the best of Elvis Presley's pre-Army films, Jailhouse Rock offers us the sensual, dangerous Elvis that had won the hearts of the kids and earned the animosity of their elders. Presley plays a young buck who accidentally kills a man while protecting the honor of a woman. Thrown into prison, Elvis strikes up a friendship with visionary fellow-con Mickey Shaughnessy. Shaughnessy suggests that Elvis perform in the upcoming prison show. Ol' swivel-hips scores a hit, and decides to stay in showbiz after his release. Together with pretty Judy Tyler (the former Princess Summerfall Winterspring on Howdy Doody, who would die in a horrible traffic accident shortly after completing this film), Elvis sets up his own record company. Alas, success goes to his head, and soon Elvis plans to ditch Tyler in favor of signing with a big-time label. Shaughnessy shows up long enough to punch out Elvis for his disloyalty; as a result, Elvis' vocal chords are damaged and he is unable to sing. Deserted by his flunkeys and hangers-on, Elvis learns the value of friendship and fidelity when Tyler and Shaughnessy stay by his side in his darkest hours. His voice restored, Elvis climbs back up the charts--but this time, he's a much nicer fellow, and a lot more committed to Tyler. Usually the musical numbers in a Presley picture (this one has a doozy, complete with chorus boys dressed as convicts!) are more compelling than the plot. Jailhouse Rock is a perfect balance of song and story from beginning to end; seldom would Elvis be so well showcased in the future. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
jailhouse rock colorized?
Added 11/16/2009

well it dont say it has a colorized verion on it so ill wait till they do.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Jailhouse Rock Review
Added 7/6/2009

I'm told this was Elvis' favorite of his films, and it also is one of the critics' favorites. I'm glad they put this out in glorious black & white and didn't mess with it by colorizing it. The acting is very good...some may be surprised that a musician can act as well as Elvis could. The plot is interesting, as are the characters. This is an all-around enjoyable film and I strongly recommend it. Some nice extras on the DVD also.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
The King Of The Hill?
Added 3/28/2009

I am been involved lately, on a blog site that I belong to, in a friendly but spirited "debate" over whether Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis was the real "king of the hill" in the early days of rock & roll. I have argued that, pound for pound, Jerry Lee had more energy, more musical skill, more ..., well, you get the picture, than Elvis could ever dream of. And with some exceptions, noted below, this movie, "Jailhouse Rock" based on the successful recording of one of his most famous early songs only buttresses that argument. Any Elvis aficionado would have to agree that this film is probably Elvis' best cinematic effort (most of the others being merely vehicles for promoting his latest songs of the time). Overall, however, after fifty years it does not stand the test of time.

The premise of the film is not a bad one, paralleling in some senses the real life Elvis' story of a backwoods kid who has two strikes against him trying for the brass ring- and winning. Elvis (Vince), as an ex-con is up against it in trying to crash into the record business. After falling flat on his face trying to get the established record companies to give him a shot he goes on to set up his own record company (not as hard to do in those days as one would think and certainly much easier than trying to do that today, Internet or not). After some frustrations and a few fights, verbal and otherwise, he catches the elusive break. Talent, will out. Oh, did I mention that he has a partner (two, really, but I want to discuss only one)? A young, vibrant and upscale woman who sees potential in a bad boy from across the tracks. She has faith in him. A classic 1950's teen movie cinematic trope. T he class struggle here, oops, the love struggle, forms the backdrop to the action of the film. Naturally after the now cocky Vince gets his comeuppance the couple live happily ever after making platters and making the hearts of teenage girls in the 1950's spin.

Now one and all will agree that the movie script deserves no Academy Award nomination. Moreover, these kinds of movies were made to cash in on Elvis' sex appeal and to promote his songs. However, except for the classic "Jailhouse Rock" scene where we get high swiveling Elvis at his best the rest of the songs are sleepers. His acting, as the alienated youth trying to find his own way in a hard world that he didn't make, rings false. The alienated youth image was done better, a million times better, by James Dean who made an art form out of that alienation. On Elvis it seems contrived. In any case, I will give Elvis his big moment in that "Jailhouse Rock" scene. But if you have one scene to think about musically from the 1950's doesn't Jerry Lee Lewis playing like a crazy man on "High School Confidential" on the back of a flat top truck on the way to the local high school really represent a better iconic image of what early rock & and roll was about in the late 1950's. Case closed.


0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Elvis!
Added 1/12/2009

Im a huge elvis fan and what better way to watch than in blu-ray! It brings Elvis and his music alive once more.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Jailhouse Rock - Blu-ray Info
Added 1/10/2009

Version: U.S.A / Region A, B, C
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
VC-1 BD-25 / Advanced Profile 3
Running time: 1:36:37
Feature size: 17,79 GB
Disc size: 18,64 GB
Total bit rate: 24.56 Mbps
Average video bit rate: 19.16 Mbps

Dolby TrueHD Audio English 1216 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1216 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio French 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles: English / English SDH / French / Spanish
Number of chapters: 26

#Audio Commentary
#The Scene that Stole Jailhouse Rock (SD - 16 minutes)
#Vintage Theatrical Trailer (SD - 2 minutes)

5 out of 5 people found this helpful.
jailhouse rock colorized?
Added 11/16/2009

well it dont say it has a colorized verion on it so ill wait till they do.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Jailhouse Rock Review
Added 7/6/2009

I'm told this was Elvis' favorite of his films, and it also is one of the critics' favorites. I'm glad they put this out in glorious black & white and didn't mess with it by colorizing it. The acting is very good...some may be surprised that a musician can act as well as Elvis could. The plot is interesting, as are the characters. This is an all-around enjoyable film and I strongly recommend it. Some nice extras on the DVD also.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
The King Of The Hill?
Added 3/28/2009

I am been involved lately, on a blog site that I belong to, in a friendly but spirited "debate" over whether Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis was the real "king of the hill" in the early days of rock & roll. I have argued that, pound for pound, Jerry Lee had more energy, more musical skill, more ..., well, you get the picture, than Elvis could ever dream of. And with some exceptions, noted below, this movie, "Jailhouse Rock" based on the successful recording of one of his most famous early songs only buttresses that argument. Any Elvis aficionado would have to agree that this film is probably Elvis' best cinematic effort (most of the others being merely vehicles for promoting his latest songs of the time). Overall, however, after fifty years it does not stand the test of time.

The premise of the film is not a bad one, paralleling in some senses the real life Elvis' story of a backwoods kid who has two strikes against him trying for the brass ring- and winning. Elvis (Vince), as an ex-con is up against it in trying to crash into the record business. After falling flat on his face trying to get the established record companies to give him a shot he goes on to set up his own record company (not as hard to do in those days as one would think and certainly much easier than trying to do that today, Internet or not). After some frustrations and a few fights, verbal and otherwise, he catches the elusive break. Talent, will out. Oh, did I mention that he has a partner (two, really, but I want to discuss only one)? A young, vibrant and upscale woman who sees potential in a bad boy from across the tracks. She has faith in him. A classic 1950's teen movie cinematic trope. T he class struggle here, oops, the love struggle, forms the backdrop to the action of the film. Naturally after the now cocky Vince gets his comeuppance the couple live happily ever after making platters and making the hearts of teenage girls in the 1950's spin.

Now one and all will agree that the movie script deserves no Academy Award nomination. Moreover, these kinds of movies were made to cash in on Elvis' sex appeal and to promote his songs. However, except for the classic "Jailhouse Rock" scene where we get high swiveling Elvis at his best the rest of the songs are sleepers. His acting, as the alienated youth trying to find his own way in a hard world that he didn't make, rings false. The alienated youth image was done better, a million times better, by James Dean who made an art form out of that alienation. On Elvis it seems contrived. In any case, I will give Elvis his big moment in that "Jailhouse Rock" scene. But if you have one scene to think about musically from the 1950's doesn't Jerry Lee Lewis playing like a crazy man on "High School Confidential" on the back of a flat top truck on the way to the local high school really represent a better iconic image of what early rock & and roll was about in the late 1950's. Case closed.


0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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