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♪ MTV ♪
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00:00:14,383 --> 00:00:16,650
All right. Hold it, fellas,
while we do this.
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00:00:16,650 --> 00:00:18,083
Just a moment.
- Standing by.
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00:00:18,083 --> 00:00:19,450
All right,
places everyone, please.
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00:00:19,450 --> 00:00:20,650
Don't roll tape yet, please.
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00:00:20,650 --> 00:00:22,117
Quiet, please.
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00:00:22,117 --> 00:00:23,249
You wanna get
the slate here?
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00:00:23,249 --> 00:00:24,483
Roll.
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00:00:24,483 --> 00:00:25,650
All right, here we go.
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00:00:36,817 --> 00:00:39,683
Welcome to NBC
13
00:00:39,683 --> 00:00:41,783
and "The Elvis Presley
Special."
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00:00:51,249 --> 00:00:54,850
I've got an audience
now that we put together.
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00:00:54,850 --> 00:00:57,717
I've got my whole
camera crew ready to go.
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00:00:57,717 --> 00:01:00,083
We're getting
ready to roll tape.
17
00:01:00,083 --> 00:01:02,983
We have Bob Finkel,
our executive producer,
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00:01:02,983 --> 00:01:06,517
going to do a warm up
for the audience.
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00:01:06,517 --> 00:01:10,383
Ladies and gentlemen,
Mr. Elvis Presley.
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00:01:12,317 --> 00:01:15,350
And then, next thing I know,
he's announcing Elvis,
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00:01:15,350 --> 00:01:17,683
and there's no Elvis.
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00:01:23,583 --> 00:01:25,617
My stage manager called me
and said,
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00:01:25,617 --> 00:01:27,450
"Uh-oh.
We're in trouble, Steve.
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00:01:27,450 --> 00:01:29,783
You've gotta go see Elvis
in the makeup room."
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00:01:31,750 --> 00:01:35,083
Elvis asked everybody
in the makeup room to leave
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00:01:35,083 --> 00:01:36,650
'cause he has something
really important
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00:01:36,650 --> 00:01:39,450
he wants to talk to me about.
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00:01:39,450 --> 00:01:44,149
He looks at me and he said,
"Steve, I hate to do this,
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00:01:44,149 --> 00:01:47,317
but I'm not going out there.
I can't."
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00:01:47,317 --> 00:01:49,450
And I said,
"What are you talking about?"
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00:01:49,450 --> 00:01:51,583
He said "My mind is a blank.
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00:01:51,583 --> 00:01:55,216
I can't go out there.
I'll embarrass myself."
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00:01:55,317 --> 00:01:57,017
I was stunned.
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00:01:57,017 --> 00:02:00,317
Elvis and I had been working
so closely together.
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00:02:00,317 --> 00:02:04,950
By the late 1960s,
he had become irrelevant.
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00:02:04,950 --> 00:02:07,083
I was hired to
direct and produce
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00:02:07,083 --> 00:02:09,717
a TV special that
would help resurrect
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00:02:09,717 --> 00:02:12,550
his once great career.
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00:02:12,550 --> 00:02:16,116
Along the way, we had
a few obstacles to overcome.
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00:02:16,116 --> 00:02:19,817
Most created by Elvis's
notorious manager,
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00:02:19,817 --> 00:02:22,317
Colonel Tom Parker.
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00:02:22,317 --> 00:02:26,817
Now, everything we were
working so hard to achieve
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00:02:26,817 --> 00:02:29,517
felt like it was
about to fall apart.
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00:02:31,083 --> 00:02:32,917
I said, "Elvis,
I haven't asked you
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00:02:32,917 --> 00:02:36,583
to do anything that you didn't
wanna do on this special.
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00:02:36,583 --> 00:02:38,617
I'm not asking you this time.
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00:02:38,617 --> 00:02:42,550
I'm telling you, you have got
to go out there."
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00:02:42,550 --> 00:02:45,182
I turned my back on him,
I walked out,
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00:02:45,317 --> 00:02:47,483
and I went
to the control room,
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00:02:47,483 --> 00:02:50,650
freaking out, saying,
"He's not going to come."
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00:03:52,983 --> 00:03:57,483
I think all artists go through
a real period of insecurity
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00:03:57,483 --> 00:04:01,317
when they're asked to perform
in front of audiences.
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00:04:01,317 --> 00:04:03,517
I certainly feel that
as a director.
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00:04:03,517 --> 00:04:07,917
Every time I went in to direct
anything, I was wondering,
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00:04:07,917 --> 00:04:09,817
am I a fraud?
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00:04:09,817 --> 00:04:12,149
It's just human nature.
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00:04:13,650 --> 00:04:16,450
This was having
Elvis walk out there cold
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00:04:16,450 --> 00:04:20,550
after not performing for years
in front of a live audience.
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00:04:20,550 --> 00:04:22,317
He was scared to death.
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00:04:23,450 --> 00:04:25,216
And walked up to
the control room
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not knowing if he was
going to actually come out.
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00:04:27,583 --> 00:04:29,650
And then, one of
my cameramen said,
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00:04:29,650 --> 00:04:31,317
"Steve, look at camera four."
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All right.
All righty.
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Here's Elvis.
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Here we go, buddy.
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Come look at this.
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- OK.
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Well, good night.
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And then, it was
that old vaudeville thing
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00:05:01,949 --> 00:05:03,116
of get the hook.
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00:05:03,116 --> 00:05:04,583
I couldn't get him
off the stage.
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♪ You got me peepin'
you got me hiding ♪
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00:05:09,082 --> 00:05:11,383
♪ You got me peep,
hide, hide, peep ♪
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00:05:11,383 --> 00:05:15,016
♪ Any way you wanna roll ♪
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00:05:15,016 --> 00:05:20,317
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
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♪ You got me doin' what you ♪
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♪ Baby, what do you want me
to do? ♪
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♪ We're goin' up, ahh, ahh ♪
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♪ We're goin' down ♪
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00:05:32,317 --> 00:05:34,650
♪ We're goin' up,
down, down, up ♪
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♪ Any way you wanna
let it roll ♪
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♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
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00:05:43,750 --> 00:05:46,350
♪ You got me doin'
what you want me ♪
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00:05:46,350 --> 00:05:48,717
♪ Baby, what do
you want me to do? ♪
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00:05:51,717 --> 00:05:55,650
I think he knew that this
special was going to be
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his make or break special.
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Aw, yeah!
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- All right!
- Yeah!
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00:06:06,783 --> 00:06:09,383
To see Elvis come out
in a leather suit
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looking cooler than anybody's
ever looked, right,
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and singing with such passion,
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it's so cool to see,
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especially in the context
of where he was
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in his career at the time.
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You have Elvis
performing in a way
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that you hadn't seen
him perform in a decade.
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As soon as he starts
singing, he's just,
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right back in the groove.
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And it's a killer performance.
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You could see his
antenna go on--ding--
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and he was just there.
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And after that,
he never looked back.
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For many reasons,
I was really excited
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about this sequence.
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It wasn't easy to get
Elvis or the Colonel
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to agree to even do it.
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In fact, nothing about
this production was easy.
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00:07:02,817 --> 00:07:05,849
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
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00:07:08,550 --> 00:07:10,817
♪ You got me doin' what
you what you want me ♪
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00:07:10,817 --> 00:07:13,849
♪ Baby, what do
you want me to do? ♪
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00:07:16,383 --> 00:07:18,650
♪ You got me doing
what you want me ♪
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00:07:18,650 --> 00:07:21,182
♪ Baby, what do
you want me to do? ♪
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- You got it!
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♪ When I look out my window ♪
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♪ Many sights to see ♪
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00:08:05,317 --> 00:08:10,383
♪ And when I look
in my window ♪
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♪ So many
different people to be ♪
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00:08:13,450 --> 00:08:17,116
In the 1960s, the bigotry
in the South is heinous,
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the politicians are heinous.
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All through the Southern zone,
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00:08:21,016 --> 00:08:24,149
it's still colored-only
restrooms, water fountains,
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00:08:24,149 --> 00:08:26,916
but also, the seeds of the
Civil Rights Movement
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in the air.
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00:08:29,517 --> 00:08:31,350
And then, cities on fire.
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00:08:31,350 --> 00:08:33,517
Riots going on,
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00:08:33,517 --> 00:08:36,849
Vietnam with napalm
and chemicals,
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00:08:36,849 --> 00:08:38,216
wounded soldiers,
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00:08:38,317 --> 00:08:40,782
protesting in the streets.
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00:08:40,782 --> 00:08:44,116
That became the beginning
of this great divide,
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00:08:44,116 --> 00:08:47,216
and that divide kept growing.
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It really tore
the country apart.
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♪ Yeah ♪
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00:08:51,016 --> 00:09:01,006
♪ Must be the season
of the witch ♪
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00:09:08,550 --> 00:09:10,982
When you look at the
Elvis movies of that time
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00:09:10,982 --> 00:09:13,982
and contrast that with what's
going on in the real world,
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00:09:13,982 --> 00:09:17,749
it's almost as if Elvis is
living in a parallel universe.
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00:09:23,317 --> 00:09:25,016
And then The Beatles
came along
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00:09:25,016 --> 00:09:28,583
just at the time the movies
were so dreadful,
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00:09:28,583 --> 00:09:31,982
and all of a sudden,
Elvis looked old hat.
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00:09:31,982 --> 00:09:33,916
What do you think of the
comment that you're nothing,
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00:09:33,916 --> 00:09:35,982
but a bunch of British
Elvis Presleys?
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00:09:35,982 --> 00:09:37,816
It's not true!
It's not true!
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00:09:37,816 --> 00:09:40,816
- Oh!
145
00:09:40,816 --> 00:09:44,317
Part of what's bittersweet
about Elvis in the late '60s
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00:09:44,317 --> 00:09:46,749
is that in
a certain sense, he's--
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00:09:46,749 --> 00:09:48,317
everyone knows who he is
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00:09:48,317 --> 00:09:51,016
and everyone regards him
as a godfather
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00:09:51,016 --> 00:09:52,949
of this rock and roll thing
that's happening,
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00:09:52,949 --> 00:09:54,682
but at the same time,
he's a little bit
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00:09:54,682 --> 00:09:56,016
on the outside looking in.
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And so Elvis is
trying to figure out,
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00:09:57,816 --> 00:10:00,417
like, how do I relate to
this thing that's happening?
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00:10:00,417 --> 00:10:02,149
If The Beatles
are the new thing,
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00:10:02,149 --> 00:10:04,383
does that mean
I'm the old thing?
156
00:10:06,417 --> 00:10:08,949
I think, on some level,
he had to have felt threatened
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00:10:08,949 --> 00:10:10,682
because The Beatles
put out a movie,
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00:10:10,682 --> 00:10:13,949
and it's called "The Citizen
Kane of jukebox musicals."
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00:10:13,949 --> 00:10:16,617
No one was saying that about
any of the Elvis movies.
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00:10:16,617 --> 00:10:20,016
And now, the Spinal Twist.
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00:10:23,417 --> 00:10:25,916
The Spinal Twist!
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00:10:29,816 --> 00:10:33,317
Now, back to the Lotus.
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00:10:35,216 --> 00:10:37,616
Can we go someplace and talk?
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00:10:37,616 --> 00:10:40,649
Sure, come on.
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00:10:40,649 --> 00:10:42,216
And you think of
not just The Beatles,
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00:10:42,216 --> 00:10:44,283
but all the other acts
that came in their wake--
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00:10:44,283 --> 00:10:45,682
the British Invasion,
and Dylan,
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00:10:45,682 --> 00:10:47,550
and the later groups
in the '60s.
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00:10:47,550 --> 00:10:50,016
Elvis was a music fan,
and we know he had records
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00:10:50,016 --> 00:10:51,417
by a lot of those artists.
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00:10:51,417 --> 00:10:53,016
He was listening
to that stuff.
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00:10:53,016 --> 00:10:54,583
And I think
as the decade went on,
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00:10:54,583 --> 00:10:58,350
he could see the music industry
passing him by.
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00:11:15,216 --> 00:11:17,116
Singer presents "Elvis,"
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00:11:17,116 --> 00:11:20,417
starring Elvis Presley
in his first TV special.
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00:11:20,417 --> 00:11:24,949
His first personal performance
on TV in nearly 10 years.
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00:11:24,949 --> 00:11:26,816
There were a lot of
factors that came together
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00:11:26,816 --> 00:11:28,849
in having the special happen.
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00:11:28,849 --> 00:11:32,016
It began when Elvis's manager,
Colonel Parker,
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00:11:32,016 --> 00:11:34,016
is trying to cut
another movie deal.
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00:11:34,016 --> 00:11:35,982
And he liked to get his
million dollar deal,
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00:11:35,982 --> 00:11:38,616
and he couldn't get one
because no one wanted
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00:11:38,616 --> 00:11:40,450
to put up a million dollars
for an Elvis movie--
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00:11:40,450 --> 00:11:41,649
not anymore.
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00:11:41,649 --> 00:11:43,517
Finally, he gets a deal
with NBC
186
00:11:43,517 --> 00:11:45,116
where they will
put up the money
187
00:11:45,116 --> 00:11:47,350
for a movie and a TV special.
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00:11:47,350 --> 00:11:49,016
So that's why
we have the special
189
00:11:49,016 --> 00:11:52,149
because his film career had
gone so far below the water
190
00:11:52,149 --> 00:11:54,049
that Parker realized,
we need something
191
00:11:54,049 --> 00:11:57,782
so I can save face and get
my million dollar deal.
192
00:12:03,716 --> 00:12:08,582
Welcome to NBC, and
"The Elvis Presley Special."
193
00:12:14,417 --> 00:12:15,582
You can do better than that.
194
00:12:15,582 --> 00:12:16,816
I'm gonna say
it all over again.
195
00:12:16,816 --> 00:12:19,317
I wanna really hear something.
196
00:12:19,317 --> 00:12:20,916
Anybody have to go
to the bathroom?
197
00:12:22,716 --> 00:12:26,016
Welcome to NBC, and
"The Elvis Presley Special!"
198
00:12:29,317 --> 00:12:30,816
My father was Bob Finkel,
199
00:12:30,816 --> 00:12:34,916
and he was reaching
the pinnacle of his career
200
00:12:34,916 --> 00:12:37,749
as a musical variety
special producer.
201
00:12:37,749 --> 00:12:40,516
His style was very hands-on.
202
00:12:40,516 --> 00:12:44,816
He was a classy guy, he was
smart, and he was innovative.
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00:12:44,816 --> 00:12:47,949
Tom Sarnoff, who was the
head of NBC at the time,
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00:12:47,949 --> 00:12:51,317
called in my dad and said,
"I wanna do this show,
205
00:12:51,317 --> 00:12:53,116
and I want you to do it."
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00:12:53,116 --> 00:12:57,682
My father said, "I can't
direct this and produce it,
207
00:12:57,682 --> 00:13:00,317
"but I'll come on as
executive producer,
208
00:13:00,317 --> 00:13:02,049
and let me find somebody."
209
00:13:02,049 --> 00:13:05,749
And he had been noticing
the career of kind of
210
00:13:05,749 --> 00:13:07,116
a young guy in town.
211
00:13:07,116 --> 00:13:08,450
His name was Steve Binder.
212
00:13:16,816 --> 00:13:19,049
I'm in my office,
and the telephone rings.
213
00:13:19,049 --> 00:13:20,582
It's Bob Finkel.
214
00:13:20,582 --> 00:13:22,582
And he said, "Look, Steve,
we may be doing
215
00:13:22,582 --> 00:13:25,682
"an Elvis Presley special,
and I would like you
216
00:13:25,682 --> 00:13:27,616
to produce it and direct it."
217
00:13:27,616 --> 00:13:30,317
I was not a fan
of Elvis Presley.
218
00:13:30,317 --> 00:13:32,616
To tell you the truth,
I was a West Coast guy.
219
00:13:32,616 --> 00:13:35,116
I was into The Beach Boys,
Jan and Dean,
220
00:13:35,116 --> 00:13:38,549
and The Fifth Dimension,
all those West Coast acts.
221
00:13:38,549 --> 00:13:40,949
But what really sold me
222
00:13:40,949 --> 00:13:44,182
was meeting Elvis Presley
in person.
223
00:13:50,982 --> 00:13:54,716
The first time that Elvis
and I met was at my office.
224
00:13:54,716 --> 00:13:57,549
And the first question
out of Elvis's mouth is,
225
00:13:57,549 --> 00:13:59,849
"Steve, what do you
think of my career?"
226
00:13:59,849 --> 00:14:04,016
And I said, "Truthfully, I
think it's in the toilet."
227
00:14:05,449 --> 00:14:07,716
And there was this moment.
228
00:14:09,350 --> 00:14:11,016
Elvis just stared at me.
229
00:14:11,016 --> 00:14:14,549
I couldn't tell
if he was hurt, angry
230
00:14:14,549 --> 00:14:16,916
or how he was going
to respond.
231
00:14:16,916 --> 00:14:19,482
Then Elvis burst out laughing.
232
00:14:19,482 --> 00:14:21,849
And he said,
"Finally, somebody's
233
00:14:21,849 --> 00:14:24,516
talking truth to me."
234
00:14:39,782 --> 00:14:43,716
The 1950s was the
advent of the nuclear age,
235
00:14:43,716 --> 00:14:46,482
and it became a mad race
for nuclear supremacy.
236
00:14:46,482 --> 00:14:48,949
The Cold War dug in quickly.
237
00:14:48,949 --> 00:14:52,317
And this battle between the
United States and the USSR
238
00:14:52,317 --> 00:14:55,049
provided a consensus
here at home.
239
00:14:55,049 --> 00:14:56,949
You might have different
views on different issues,
240
00:14:56,949 --> 00:14:59,182
but we all hated
Russia together.
241
00:15:06,317 --> 00:15:10,616
There was a new consciousness
of a generation in the 1950s.
242
00:15:10,616 --> 00:15:12,317
There's gotta be
more to life than just
243
00:15:12,317 --> 00:15:15,317
wanting to have bigger
bombs than the Russians.
244
00:15:15,317 --> 00:15:18,449
♪ Now, the bellhop's
tears keep flowin' ♪
245
00:15:18,449 --> 00:15:20,949
♪ And the desk clerk's
dressed in black ♪
246
00:15:20,949 --> 00:15:23,816
♪ Well, they've been so
long on Lonely Street ♪
247
00:15:23,816 --> 00:15:26,816
♪ They'll never,
never look back ♪
248
00:15:26,816 --> 00:15:29,649
♪ And they're so lonely, baby ♪
249
00:15:29,649 --> 00:15:32,382
♪ Well, they're so lonely ♪
250
00:15:32,382 --> 00:15:37,649
♪ They're so lonely,
they pray to die ♪
251
00:15:43,382 --> 00:15:46,049
I see him as somebody
who was a pioneer
252
00:15:46,049 --> 00:15:48,416
and smashing up
some of the conformity
253
00:15:48,416 --> 00:15:50,549
of the Eisenhower '50s.
254
00:15:50,549 --> 00:15:51,716
There was something
about him,
255
00:15:51,716 --> 00:15:53,882
an aura, that he created,
256
00:15:53,882 --> 00:15:56,649
and it made him one
of the revolutionary figures
257
00:15:56,649 --> 00:15:58,349
of Cold War America.
258
00:15:58,349 --> 00:16:03,316
♪ If your baby leaves you and
you've got to tale to tell ♪
259
00:16:03,316 --> 00:16:06,416
♪ Well, just take
a walk down Lonely Street ♪
260
00:16:06,416 --> 00:16:08,482
♪ To Heartbreak Hotel ♪
261
00:16:08,482 --> 00:16:12,082
♪ Where you'll be
so lonely, baby ♪
262
00:16:12,082 --> 00:16:14,849
♪ Well, you'll be lonely ♪
263
00:16:14,849 --> 00:16:19,649
♪ You'll be so lonely
you could die ♪
264
00:16:19,649 --> 00:16:21,482
♪ Well ♪
265
00:16:33,316 --> 00:16:36,016
No artist ever exploded
on the national scene
266
00:16:36,016 --> 00:16:39,949
with the volcanic impact
of Elvis Presley.
267
00:16:39,949 --> 00:16:41,816
I always say to people
who weren't alive
268
00:16:41,816 --> 00:16:44,216
when this happened in 1956,
269
00:16:44,316 --> 00:16:47,082
you cannot imagine
the way the world changed.
270
00:16:47,082 --> 00:16:49,949
Changed the way we think,
the way we felt,
271
00:16:49,949 --> 00:16:51,549
changed the youth culture.
272
00:16:51,549 --> 00:16:53,216
It brought about
the whole focus
273
00:16:53,316 --> 00:16:55,816
on teenagers who had music
and films
274
00:16:55,816 --> 00:16:58,349
to separate themselves
from their parents.
275
00:16:58,349 --> 00:17:01,882
It was as if we went from
black and white to Technicolor.
276
00:17:06,316 --> 00:17:08,816
That's where
I actually got my--
277
00:17:08,816 --> 00:17:12,182
my style of singing from,
was rhythm and blues
278
00:17:12,316 --> 00:17:15,516
and gospel mixed
with country and Western.
279
00:17:15,516 --> 00:17:17,016
He had all these influences.
280
00:17:17,016 --> 00:17:20,316
We know he drew on R
and gospel and country,
281
00:17:20,316 --> 00:17:22,716
but he fused them into
something else in a way
282
00:17:22,716 --> 00:17:24,316
that no one had done before.
283
00:17:24,316 --> 00:17:25,849
He was innovative.
284
00:17:25,849 --> 00:17:28,982
Part of what made that
Elvis explosion so influential
285
00:17:28,982 --> 00:17:31,649
is that moment of fusion.
286
00:17:31,649 --> 00:17:34,049
That detonation,
that sense of a Big Bang
287
00:17:34,049 --> 00:17:35,716
of things coming together.
288
00:17:41,149 --> 00:17:43,849
He's a spark that
creates this explosion.
289
00:17:45,916 --> 00:17:48,682
There's a part of Elvis
that gets on stage
290
00:17:48,682 --> 00:17:51,582
and people
go absolutely crazy.
291
00:17:51,582 --> 00:17:54,649
That kind of frenzy is
something that nowadays,
292
00:17:54,649 --> 00:17:56,449
you see in hip-hop.
293
00:17:56,449 --> 00:17:59,416
The idea that there's gonna
be someone who emerges
294
00:17:59,416 --> 00:18:01,316
from youth culture,
who captures
295
00:18:01,316 --> 00:18:04,782
everyone's imagination,
whom parents hate.
296
00:18:04,782 --> 00:18:09,049
Elvis was emerging in
mainstream celebrity culture.
297
00:18:09,049 --> 00:18:12,316
He was an outlaw
hitting the stages.
298
00:18:12,316 --> 00:18:14,482
And yet, nobody knew what
to do with him because
299
00:18:14,482 --> 00:18:16,516
he was so likable
and so lovable.
300
00:18:26,882 --> 00:18:28,782
Not everybody loved
Elvis Presley
301
00:18:28,782 --> 00:18:30,316
when he first
came on the scene.
302
00:18:30,316 --> 00:18:32,849
Some people thought
he really was a threat
303
00:18:32,849 --> 00:18:35,181
to the National Security.
304
00:18:35,316 --> 00:18:38,349
When he played Louisville
in November of 1956,
305
00:18:38,349 --> 00:18:41,482
the police filmed
the show for the FBI.
306
00:18:41,482 --> 00:18:43,616
When he played Jacksonville, Florida,
307
00:18:43,616 --> 00:18:46,016
Judge Marion Gooding
sat in the audience
308
00:18:46,016 --> 00:18:48,349
just daring him
to be lascivious.
309
00:18:48,349 --> 00:18:51,882
The PGA, the YMCA, or
somebody, they thought I was--
310
00:18:55,148 --> 00:18:58,782
And they said, "Man,
he's gotta be crazy."
311
00:18:58,782 --> 00:19:01,616
So, they--
312
00:19:01,616 --> 00:19:04,115
the police came out,
and they filmed the show.
313
00:19:04,115 --> 00:19:06,649
So I couldn't move,
I had to stand still.
314
00:19:06,649 --> 00:19:09,516
The only thing I moved was
my little finger like that.
315
00:19:09,516 --> 00:19:11,882
♪ You ain't nothin'
but a hound dog ♪
316
00:19:11,882 --> 00:19:13,982
♪ Cryin' all the time ♪
317
00:19:13,982 --> 00:19:16,482
You know, for the whole show.
318
00:19:17,882 --> 00:19:19,516
People don't realize that
319
00:19:19,516 --> 00:19:22,181
for a white person
to be singing songs
320
00:19:22,316 --> 00:19:24,516
that were African-American
compositions
321
00:19:24,516 --> 00:19:27,148
that came deep
from Black culture,
322
00:19:27,148 --> 00:19:30,148
Elvis was seen as
betraying the white race
323
00:19:30,148 --> 00:19:32,316
to a lot of bigots
in the South.
324
00:19:32,316 --> 00:19:34,016
You could burn his records,
325
00:19:34,016 --> 00:19:35,482
you can hang them in effigy,
326
00:19:35,482 --> 00:19:37,049
you could flip him off,
327
00:19:37,049 --> 00:19:38,916
you could say he's a
communist, say he's a radical,
328
00:19:38,916 --> 00:19:40,816
but you still had Elvis.
329
00:19:40,816 --> 00:19:44,482
He was a kind of prince
of that particular moment
330
00:19:44,482 --> 00:19:46,616
in American life.
331
00:19:52,449 --> 00:19:56,316
Elvis matters because he's
the king of rock and roll.
332
00:19:56,316 --> 00:19:58,482
I think the reason
Elvis matters,
333
00:19:58,482 --> 00:20:00,282
there are two sides to this.
334
00:20:00,282 --> 00:20:00,316
there are two sides to this.
One, there's just
Elvis the performer
335
00:20:00,316 --> 00:20:02,081
One, there's just
Elvis the performer
336
00:20:02,081 --> 00:20:04,382
and the great music he did.
337
00:20:04,382 --> 00:20:08,016
But in a sense, now, maybe
even the greater legacy
338
00:20:08,016 --> 00:20:09,316
is the influence he had
339
00:20:09,316 --> 00:20:11,882
because he inspired
so many people
340
00:20:11,882 --> 00:20:14,081
that went on to do
music that inspire
341
00:20:14,081 --> 00:20:15,816
the next generation and so on.
342
00:20:15,816 --> 00:20:18,982
♪ Well, since my baby left ♪
343
00:20:18,982 --> 00:20:21,549
♪ I found a new place
to dwell ♪
344
00:20:21,549 --> 00:20:24,181
♪ It's down at the
end of Lonely Street ♪
345
00:20:24,181 --> 00:20:26,115
♪ It's Heartbreak Hotel ♪
346
00:20:26,115 --> 00:20:30,081
♪ And I'll be, I'll
be so lonely, baby ♪
347
00:20:30,081 --> 00:20:32,849
♪ I'll be so lonely, yeah ♪
348
00:20:32,849 --> 00:20:36,482
♪ I'll be so lonely,
I could die ♪
349
00:20:36,482 --> 00:20:38,782
For me, it was the music
and his voice.
350
00:20:38,782 --> 00:20:40,115
It's just absolutely amazing.
351
00:20:40,115 --> 00:20:42,248
When he opened his mouth
to sing, you know,
352
00:20:42,248 --> 00:20:43,782
all you could say was,
"That's Elvis."
353
00:20:43,782 --> 00:20:45,316
He was original.
354
00:20:45,316 --> 00:20:47,749
I mean, he's one
of those artists
355
00:20:47,749 --> 00:20:49,181
that 100 years from now,
356
00:20:49,181 --> 00:20:50,749
they're still gonna be
talking about Elvis.
357
00:20:50,749 --> 00:20:52,181
He's influenced everybody.
358
00:20:52,181 --> 00:20:53,316
I mean, I'm talking
about rappers,
359
00:20:53,316 --> 00:20:54,649
I'm talking about
country singers,
360
00:20:54,649 --> 00:20:55,816
I'm talking about everybody.
361
00:20:55,816 --> 00:20:57,248
I mean, we're all
influenced by Elvis.
362
00:20:57,248 --> 00:20:59,416
We might not know it,
but we are.
363
00:21:03,349 --> 00:21:05,549
I'm from Dominican Republic,
364
00:21:05,549 --> 00:21:07,882
and I'm supposed to be
listening to salsa,
365
00:21:07,882 --> 00:21:09,316
bachata, merengue, like--
366
00:21:11,316 --> 00:21:13,949
Then, here you go,
I'm introduced to Elvis.
367
00:21:27,682 --> 00:21:32,582
What made Elvis' sound
unique is, it was like,
368
00:21:32,582 --> 00:21:34,816
this is how I see it.
369
00:21:34,816 --> 00:21:37,048
I think he was Dominican
in the other life
370
00:21:37,048 --> 00:21:40,582
because the way he moved
while he was playing his songs
371
00:21:40,582 --> 00:21:46,616
and that African feel, that's
what really resonated to me.
372
00:21:46,616 --> 00:21:49,916
With the soul and the spirit
of what Elvis used to do,
373
00:21:49,916 --> 00:21:56,749
it's like he created
something that never existed.
374
00:21:56,749 --> 00:21:59,616
Elvis's music, I felt it.
375
00:21:59,616 --> 00:22:01,948
I didn't see it.
I felt it.
376
00:22:01,948 --> 00:22:04,849
And that's what I apply
in my music at all times.
377
00:22:04,849 --> 00:22:06,782
When I'm creating,
when I'm songwriting,
378
00:22:06,782 --> 00:22:10,948
when I'm producing, I make sure
that my heart is there, first.
379
00:22:10,948 --> 00:22:13,915
♪ Well, it's one
for the money ♪
380
00:22:13,915 --> 00:22:16,349
♪ Two for show ♪
381
00:22:16,349 --> 00:22:18,782
♪ Three to get ready now,
go, cat, go ♪
382
00:22:18,782 --> 00:22:22,981
♪ But don't you step on
my blue suede shoes ♪
383
00:22:22,981 --> 00:22:25,849
♪ Well, you can do anything but
lay off my blue suede shoes ♪
384
00:22:25,849 --> 00:22:28,682
Most people's idea of Elvis
is the caricature of Elvis.
385
00:22:28,682 --> 00:22:32,148
Right, they know the jumpsuit,
they know the sideburns.
386
00:22:32,148 --> 00:22:34,682
They don't necessarily
know how, I think, great
387
00:22:34,682 --> 00:22:37,316
Elvis was as a performer
and as a singer.
388
00:22:37,316 --> 00:22:39,416
Because I've obviously
borrowed a lot from Elvis.
389
00:22:39,416 --> 00:22:40,882
I've studied him my
whole life, and there's
390
00:22:40,882 --> 00:22:43,382
a lot that I just kind of
instinctually now,
391
00:22:43,382 --> 00:22:45,948
you know, I kinda go back
to some of those Elvis-isms,
392
00:22:45,948 --> 00:22:47,482
you know,
and try to steal some of that.
393
00:22:47,482 --> 00:22:49,048
'Cause it's great.
It was him feeling the music,
394
00:22:49,048 --> 00:22:50,816
and that's how I approach it.
395
00:22:50,816 --> 00:22:53,649
I mean, always, my goal is
to feel music like Elvis did.
396
00:22:53,649 --> 00:22:56,981
♪ Yeah, blue, blue,
the blue suede shoes ♪
397
00:22:56,981 --> 00:22:58,981
♪ Blue, blue,
the blue suede shoes ♪
398
00:22:58,981 --> 00:23:01,148
♪ Blue, blue, the blue
suede shoes ♪
399
00:23:01,148 --> 00:23:02,782
♪ Blue, blue,
the blue suede shoes ♪
400
00:23:02,782 --> 00:23:04,482
♪ Well, you can do anything,
but lay off ♪
401
00:23:04,482 --> 00:23:08,015
♪ Of my blue suede shoes ♪
402
00:23:08,015 --> 00:23:09,616
Oh!
403
00:23:12,382 --> 00:23:13,782
Whoo!
404
00:23:17,948 --> 00:23:19,849
The sensational adventure
405
00:23:19,849 --> 00:23:21,516
of the notorious Reno Brothers
406
00:23:21,516 --> 00:23:23,549
and the girl they fought over.
407
00:23:23,549 --> 00:23:27,215
Starring Richard Egan
as Vance Reno,
408
00:23:27,316 --> 00:23:29,716
Debra Paget as Cathy,
409
00:23:29,716 --> 00:23:33,349
and introducing
Elvis Presley as Clint Reno.
410
00:23:33,349 --> 00:23:35,848
Elvis did four movies
before going in the Army.
411
00:23:35,848 --> 00:23:38,081
The first one, he's really
more of a secondary player.
412
00:23:38,081 --> 00:23:39,616
He's not even the lead.
413
00:23:39,616 --> 00:23:41,516
The other three,
is a lead character.
414
00:23:41,516 --> 00:23:44,382
And they always made
him a singer in those.
415
00:23:44,382 --> 00:23:47,015
His character was a singer,
I mean, a performer.
416
00:23:47,015 --> 00:23:49,349
So they weren't really
trying to push him too much
417
00:23:49,349 --> 00:23:52,516
and have him do something else
outside of that.
418
00:23:52,516 --> 00:23:54,382
As far as favorite
Elvis movies,
419
00:23:54,382 --> 00:23:57,582
I'm always kind of
tied between "Jailhouse Rock"
420
00:23:57,582 --> 00:23:58,815
and "King Creole."
421
00:23:58,815 --> 00:24:00,148
Here we go.
422
00:24:00,316 --> 00:24:01,382
You'll be great tonight.
423
00:24:01,382 --> 00:24:03,215
I heard you rehearsing before.
424
00:24:03,316 --> 00:24:04,716
What kind of songs
are they you're singing?
425
00:24:04,716 --> 00:24:05,915
Folk songs?
426
00:24:05,915 --> 00:24:07,015
I guess so.
427
00:24:07,015 --> 00:24:08,181
That's what I thought.
428
00:24:08,316 --> 00:24:09,549
What planet?
429
00:24:10,948 --> 00:24:12,416
Just laugh it up, kid.
430
00:24:12,416 --> 00:24:13,881
No offense.
431
00:24:16,449 --> 00:24:19,549
"King Creole," it's a fun
movie, but it's also dark.
432
00:24:19,549 --> 00:24:21,316
And that was Elvis's
favorite movie because he was
433
00:24:21,316 --> 00:24:22,915
able to act in that one.
434
00:24:22,915 --> 00:24:26,081
Listen, Mr. Evans, we moved
into this neighborhood
435
00:24:26,081 --> 00:24:27,749
three years ago.
436
00:24:27,749 --> 00:24:29,682
In the three years that I've
been going to school here,
437
00:24:29,682 --> 00:24:32,915
I've shined shoes and dusted
people off in a barber shop.
438
00:24:32,915 --> 00:24:35,881
I've done towel duty in
four different men's rooms.
439
00:24:35,881 --> 00:24:38,449
I've stacked chairs and bottles
and swept the floor up
440
00:24:38,449 --> 00:24:41,115
of every joint
on Bourbon Street.
441
00:24:41,115 --> 00:24:42,649
It's gotten so I
look longer at a dame
442
00:24:42,649 --> 00:24:45,516
with clothes on
than one without.
443
00:24:45,516 --> 00:24:49,015
I'm not a hoodlum,
but I am a hustler.
444
00:24:54,382 --> 00:24:57,048
His lucrative career
as rock and roll king
445
00:24:57,048 --> 00:24:58,649
interrupted for a while.
446
00:24:58,649 --> 00:25:01,181
Elvis Presley begins
his military service
447
00:25:01,316 --> 00:25:03,582
at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas.
448
00:25:03,582 --> 00:25:05,781
Yeah, hurl it--
oh, wait a minute.
449
00:25:05,781 --> 00:25:07,781
Everybody ready?
450
00:25:07,781 --> 00:25:10,948
Rock and roll music, if you
like it and if you feel it,
451
00:25:10,948 --> 00:25:13,015
you can't help, but move to it.
452
00:25:13,015 --> 00:25:15,616
That's what happens to me,
I--
453
00:25:15,616 --> 00:25:16,981
I can't help it.
454
00:25:16,981 --> 00:25:18,349
There's quite a group of
people who don't sort of
455
00:25:18,349 --> 00:25:19,716
approve of the thing you do.
456
00:25:19,716 --> 00:25:21,516
They seem to think
that it contributes
457
00:25:21,516 --> 00:25:24,148
to juvenile delinquency
and all sorts of things.
458
00:25:24,148 --> 00:25:25,748
I've tried to figure it out.
459
00:25:25,748 --> 00:25:27,215
I don't see how they can
think that it would contribute
460
00:25:27,316 --> 00:25:29,316
to juvenile delinquency
461
00:25:29,316 --> 00:25:31,516
if someone
saw me singing and dancing.
462
00:25:31,516 --> 00:25:33,649
I don't--I don't see that.
463
00:25:33,649 --> 00:25:35,748
I think it was important
for Colonel Parker
464
00:25:35,748 --> 00:25:37,616
to get Elvis drafted--
and he did,
465
00:25:37,616 --> 00:25:39,881
he negotiated
the whole thing--
466
00:25:39,881 --> 00:25:41,649
for a couple of reasons.
467
00:25:41,649 --> 00:25:44,482
One, Elvis was still
being seen as kind of
468
00:25:44,482 --> 00:25:47,482
a dangerous hooligan
by one segment of society.
469
00:25:47,482 --> 00:25:49,482
And the Colonel
had plans for him
470
00:25:49,482 --> 00:25:51,948
to assimilate, to be an
establishment figure
471
00:25:51,948 --> 00:25:53,682
when he came back
from the service.
472
00:25:53,682 --> 00:25:54,748
Do you feel that
rock and roll,
473
00:25:54,748 --> 00:25:56,516
the popularity
of rock and roll,
474
00:25:56,516 --> 00:25:58,881
will diminish in any way
while you're in the Army?
475
00:25:58,881 --> 00:26:00,382
That's hard to tell.
476
00:26:00,382 --> 00:26:02,848
The only thing I can
say is I hope not.
477
00:26:02,848 --> 00:26:04,981
Oh, there's no question,
Elvis Presley going
478
00:26:04,981 --> 00:26:08,748
into the military
hurt his musical career,
479
00:26:08,748 --> 00:26:11,549
but it helped
his public persona
480
00:26:11,549 --> 00:26:13,948
because Elvis
was seen as a good boy.
481
00:26:13,948 --> 00:26:17,616
It sent a larger message
that Elvis loved America.
482
00:26:17,616 --> 00:26:19,848
And it seemed like
Uncle Sam
483
00:26:19,848 --> 00:26:21,915
was saving Elvis
from debauchery,
484
00:26:21,915 --> 00:26:25,449
but it robbed us
of great years of Elvis.
485
00:26:27,181 --> 00:26:29,482
Oh, Waihila,
I think I'm scared.
486
00:26:29,482 --> 00:26:32,015
He's been gone for two years.
487
00:26:32,015 --> 00:26:33,316
What if he's changed?
488
00:26:33,316 --> 00:26:34,948
Just be patient with him.
489
00:26:34,948 --> 00:26:39,148
Some boys need time to get
adjusted to being back home.
490
00:26:47,316 --> 00:26:49,316
Some of 'em get the hang
of it right away.
491
00:26:51,648 --> 00:26:54,482
Elvis' going into the Army
basically ended
492
00:26:54,482 --> 00:26:56,115
his career as an innovator.
493
00:26:56,115 --> 00:26:57,582
He never lost his talents,
494
00:26:57,582 --> 00:27:00,148
but he wasn't
doing anything innovative.
495
00:27:00,316 --> 00:27:02,449
And it wasn't taking rock
to the next level,
496
00:27:02,449 --> 00:27:04,015
the next stage.
497
00:27:04,015 --> 00:27:06,915
He became, you know,
just more of an entertainer,
498
00:27:06,915 --> 00:27:09,881
which is fine
if you're happy doing that.
499
00:27:09,881 --> 00:27:11,449
Except, he wasn't happy
doing that.
500
00:27:13,316 --> 00:27:16,015
Elvis made the series of
movies throughout the '60s,
501
00:27:16,015 --> 00:27:18,582
and they just kinda
went downhill.
502
00:27:18,582 --> 00:27:19,715
Now, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
503
00:27:19,715 --> 00:27:21,316
There's something
wrong with my lip.
504
00:27:23,316 --> 00:27:26,715
You remember that, don't you?
505
00:27:32,316 --> 00:27:33,349
I've got news for you, baby.
506
00:27:33,349 --> 00:27:36,781
I did 29 pictures like that, man.
507
00:27:36,781 --> 00:27:39,382
There got to be a sort of
template for what we think of
508
00:27:39,382 --> 00:27:41,048
as the Elvis movie.
509
00:27:41,048 --> 00:27:44,648
Basically, you had Elvis as
an individual character who
510
00:27:44,648 --> 00:27:46,615
very much stands on his own.
511
00:27:46,615 --> 00:27:48,981
And he's in some kind of
rugged, manly profession...
512
00:27:48,981 --> 00:27:51,615
As the explosive ordnance
disposal man.
513
00:27:51,615 --> 00:27:53,449
For the last three days, I've
been a full-fledged employee
514
00:27:53,449 --> 00:27:55,115
of the Hawaiian Tourist
Guide Service.
515
00:27:55,115 --> 00:27:56,349
I'll fill in for El Trovador
516
00:27:56,349 --> 00:27:57,848
if you give me
a job as a lifeguard.
517
00:27:57,848 --> 00:27:59,848
Thanks, Sam.
I'm still a fisherman.
518
00:27:59,848 --> 00:28:01,048
You're a good pilot.
519
00:28:01,048 --> 00:28:02,449
Now you're a roustabout.
520
00:28:02,449 --> 00:28:04,015
Is that good?
521
00:28:04,015 --> 00:28:05,981
And, you know,
a bit of a tough guy.
522
00:28:05,981 --> 00:28:07,148
You better move.
523
00:28:07,148 --> 00:28:09,148
Why don't you move me?
524
00:28:18,482 --> 00:28:20,015
He was always
very much an individual
525
00:28:20,015 --> 00:28:22,015
and needing to
make his own way.
526
00:28:22,015 --> 00:28:26,681
And there's a young woman
who he's interested in
527
00:28:26,681 --> 00:28:27,948
who, in some of these,
they're sort of
528
00:28:27,948 --> 00:28:29,715
confrontational
at the beginning,
529
00:28:29,715 --> 00:28:32,416
but he wins her over at
the end by doing it his way.
530
00:28:37,581 --> 00:28:39,316
Did you ever?
531
00:28:41,981 --> 00:28:45,648
And somehow, he's
a singer on top of that, too.
532
00:28:45,648 --> 00:28:47,615
That's where it
gets a little crazy.
533
00:28:47,615 --> 00:28:49,748
A race car driver
and a singer.
534
00:28:49,748 --> 00:28:53,548
And the Navy frogmen,
oh, and he's a singer.
535
00:28:53,548 --> 00:28:56,848
And a cowboy and, you know,
he's a singer.
536
00:28:56,848 --> 00:28:58,948
They're just silly,
and the scripts aren't good.
537
00:28:58,948 --> 00:29:01,881
- Behave yourself!
538
00:29:04,316 --> 00:29:05,781
Ahh!
539
00:29:05,781 --> 00:29:07,915
You don't eat
out much, do you?
540
00:29:10,081 --> 00:29:12,781
Good afternoon.
This is The Barrow Gang.
541
00:29:13,648 --> 00:29:15,316
Now, if everybody would
just take it easy,
542
00:29:15,316 --> 00:29:17,482
nobody will get hurt.
543
00:29:17,482 --> 00:29:19,848
Well, 1967,
it was one of
544
00:29:19,848 --> 00:29:23,048
the high water marks
in Hollywood history,
545
00:29:23,048 --> 00:29:24,615
when you were
bringing this sort of
546
00:29:24,615 --> 00:29:27,148
gritty social realism
into play.
547
00:29:27,148 --> 00:29:30,548
What we've got here is
548
00:29:30,548 --> 00:29:32,748
failure to communicate.
549
00:29:32,748 --> 00:29:35,048
With movies like
"Cool Hand Luke"
550
00:29:35,048 --> 00:29:36,748
with, you know,
Paul Newman,
551
00:29:36,748 --> 00:29:38,481
or Sidney Poitier, you know,
552
00:29:38,481 --> 00:29:40,048
"Guess Who's Coming
to Dinner,"
553
00:29:40,048 --> 00:29:42,981
you're dealing with race
relations in an intense way.
554
00:29:42,981 --> 00:29:44,781
In "The Graduate,"
you're bringing in
555
00:29:44,781 --> 00:29:46,848
a youth culture story.
556
00:29:46,848 --> 00:29:49,981
These are movies dealing
with societal issues
557
00:29:49,981 --> 00:29:51,181
that are complex.
558
00:29:56,316 --> 00:29:59,181
There's still
something wrong.
559
00:29:59,316 --> 00:30:02,615
I mean, Elvis Presley's
movies of the 1960s,
560
00:30:02,615 --> 00:30:04,248
they were brainless.
561
00:30:04,248 --> 00:30:05,282
That bugs you, doesn't it?
562
00:30:05,282 --> 00:30:06,615
It's just good business.
563
00:30:06,615 --> 00:30:08,815
A single girl
sells more tickets.
564
00:30:08,815 --> 00:30:11,148
- I'll keep it.
- Where?
565
00:30:11,148 --> 00:30:14,248
It's just, he was a much
greater artist than that.
566
00:30:14,248 --> 00:30:16,416
It's a good thing you weren't
wearing a charm bracelet.
567
00:30:16,416 --> 00:30:20,781
The pity, the reason people
laugh or mock Elvis's films
568
00:30:20,781 --> 00:30:23,815
is that we all know
he was better than the movie.
569
00:30:23,815 --> 00:30:25,848
Would you like me any
better if I hated money,
570
00:30:25,848 --> 00:30:27,416
grew a beard,
and stood on my head?
571
00:30:27,416 --> 00:30:29,548
Any change would
be an improvement.
572
00:30:32,681 --> 00:30:36,081
By 1968, Elvis needed
a comeback for many reasons.
573
00:30:36,081 --> 00:30:39,781
One, to regain his footing
in the marketplace,
574
00:30:39,781 --> 00:30:42,048
but also to save his own soul.
575
00:31:01,115 --> 00:31:03,181
I had three meetings
with Colonel Parker,
576
00:31:03,316 --> 00:31:06,015
and Colonel Parker
was an enigma.
577
00:31:06,015 --> 00:31:08,215
He could be charming and kind
578
00:31:08,316 --> 00:31:12,515
or he could be harsh and
dismissive and humiliating,
579
00:31:12,515 --> 00:31:16,015
often within the scope of
a very short period of time.
580
00:31:16,015 --> 00:31:20,515
His personal motto was, "you
either con or you get conned."
581
00:31:20,515 --> 00:31:22,316
So as long as you
kissed the ring,
582
00:31:22,316 --> 00:31:25,481
you got along well with him,
but if you challenged him
583
00:31:25,481 --> 00:31:28,115
or questioned him, look out.
584
00:31:39,948 --> 00:31:43,481
I've learned that nothing in
Elvis' world is too bizarre.
585
00:31:43,481 --> 00:31:44,815
Colonel Tom Parker was not
586
00:31:44,815 --> 00:31:46,815
from Huntington,
West Virginia.
587
00:31:46,815 --> 00:31:49,981
He wasn't a Colonel.
His name wasn't Tom or Parker.
588
00:31:49,981 --> 00:31:55,316
He was born Andreas Cornelis
van Kuijk in Holland in 1909.
589
00:31:55,316 --> 00:31:59,648
Then in 1929, he left under
mysterious circumstances.
590
00:31:59,648 --> 00:32:01,048
He just left in
the dead of night.
591
00:32:01,048 --> 00:32:02,615
He didn't take his clothes.
592
00:32:02,615 --> 00:32:03,815
No money,
no identifying papers.
593
00:32:03,815 --> 00:32:05,748
He left all of it behind.
594
00:32:05,748 --> 00:32:08,316
He cut off all contacts
with his family.
595
00:32:08,316 --> 00:32:11,316
We do know from a very
reliable researcher
596
00:32:11,316 --> 00:32:13,581
that he had a police file.
597
00:32:13,581 --> 00:32:17,948
He has been implicated
in a murder.
598
00:32:17,948 --> 00:32:21,181
A murder of a woman who was
the wife of the greengrocer.
599
00:32:21,315 --> 00:32:23,148
This was a shop
that was on the street
600
00:32:23,148 --> 00:32:25,481
where his mother lived
and that he frequented.
601
00:32:25,481 --> 00:32:28,215
We don't know for sure
that he killed this woman,
602
00:32:28,315 --> 00:32:32,681
but we can say he lived his
life as someone on the lam.
603
00:32:32,681 --> 00:32:34,781
There's almost
no paper trail for him,
604
00:32:34,781 --> 00:32:36,615
not even a marriage license.
605
00:32:36,615 --> 00:32:38,715
He never became
a U.S. citizen.
606
00:32:38,715 --> 00:32:41,315
This is a guy who had
something to hide,
607
00:32:41,315 --> 00:32:43,915
and he disappeared in
the very window of time
608
00:32:43,915 --> 00:32:46,015
that this woman was killed.
609
00:32:46,015 --> 00:32:48,748
He also had a peculiar quirk.
610
00:32:48,748 --> 00:32:52,315
He would take bets about
how much pepper he can eat.
611
00:32:52,315 --> 00:32:54,981
He would pour spoonfuls
of pepper into his hand
612
00:32:54,981 --> 00:32:56,881
and then he would eat it all.
613
00:32:56,881 --> 00:32:59,448
And they would take
bets on how many spoonfuls
614
00:32:59,448 --> 00:33:03,315
he could ingest before he just
couldn't do it anymore.
615
00:33:03,315 --> 00:33:06,048
Now, that may just be
some kind of parlor trick
616
00:33:06,048 --> 00:33:08,081
for the Colonel,
but I do find it interesting
617
00:33:08,081 --> 00:33:10,881
that the woman
who was killed in Holland,
618
00:33:10,881 --> 00:33:12,481
whoever killed her--
619
00:33:12,481 --> 00:33:15,081
and I do think that she was
killed in an act of rage
620
00:33:15,081 --> 00:33:17,315
rather than a premeditated situation
621
00:33:17,315 --> 00:33:21,615
because she was beaten
to literally, a pulp--
622
00:33:21,615 --> 00:33:24,381
whoever did that
had presence of mind
623
00:33:24,381 --> 00:33:28,615
before he left to sprinkle
pepper around the apartment.
624
00:33:32,148 --> 00:33:34,415
Why pepper?
625
00:33:34,415 --> 00:33:38,648
Because, perhaps,
the Holland Police Department
626
00:33:38,648 --> 00:33:43,048
used dogs in 1929 who
might have picked up a scent.
627
00:33:43,048 --> 00:33:45,948
Now, who would have
known to do that?
628
00:33:45,948 --> 00:33:49,481
Maybe, somebody who
trained animals, right?
629
00:33:49,481 --> 00:33:50,981
Guess what Colonel
Parker was doing
630
00:33:50,981 --> 00:33:54,815
when he wasn't loading big
rounds of cheese onto ships?
631
00:33:54,815 --> 00:33:56,181
He trained animals.
632
00:33:56,315 --> 00:33:58,915
So there's no real proof,
hard proof,
633
00:33:58,915 --> 00:34:00,481
that he killed that woman,
634
00:34:00,481 --> 00:34:03,081
but there's a lot
of circumstantial evidence.
635
00:34:03,081 --> 00:34:04,581
There were other suspects.
636
00:34:04,581 --> 00:34:07,548
He was never actually named,
except implicated
637
00:34:07,548 --> 00:34:10,348
by a family member
many, many years later.
638
00:34:10,348 --> 00:34:13,315
Something awful had to
have happened over there.
639
00:34:13,315 --> 00:34:16,381
Something he could not fix,
and he could fix anything.
640
00:34:23,915 --> 00:34:28,681
In the beginning, Elvis was
very dependent on the Colonel,
641
00:34:28,681 --> 00:34:30,948
and it was Parker
who turned him
642
00:34:30,948 --> 00:34:32,915
into a national phenomenon.
643
00:34:32,915 --> 00:34:34,581
That much is true.
644
00:34:34,581 --> 00:34:36,881
I've always thought of
Parker as a great promoter,
645
00:34:36,881 --> 00:34:39,081
but not necessarily
the best manager.
646
00:34:39,081 --> 00:34:40,648
The Colonel turned Elvis
into the first
647
00:34:40,648 --> 00:34:41,848
really branded artist.
648
00:34:41,848 --> 00:34:43,515
The first artist that had,
you know,
649
00:34:43,515 --> 00:34:46,781
it was Elvis' name and face
was printed on everything,
650
00:34:46,781 --> 00:34:48,315
and you never had that before.
651
00:34:48,315 --> 00:34:50,315
The Colonel was really
a pioneer in that.
652
00:34:50,315 --> 00:34:54,748
I saw the reaction this
boy received from the people,
653
00:34:54,748 --> 00:34:56,681
and I knew I could help him.
654
00:34:56,681 --> 00:34:59,415
- Well, what has been your--
- I think my experience
655
00:34:59,415 --> 00:35:03,815
and, in a small way,
handling his future
656
00:35:03,815 --> 00:35:06,081
with making contracts
where, perhaps,
657
00:35:06,081 --> 00:35:08,948
someone would offer a certain
amount of the money
658
00:35:08,948 --> 00:35:10,748
and I thought this artist
was worth more,
659
00:35:10,748 --> 00:35:12,515
and I held out for my price.
660
00:35:12,515 --> 00:35:14,348
Colonel Parker prided
himself on getting
661
00:35:14,348 --> 00:35:16,348
the best deal for
his client,
662
00:35:16,348 --> 00:35:18,381
but he didn't have
a lot of vision.
663
00:35:18,381 --> 00:35:21,948
And he didn't seem to know
how to develop Elvis's talent.
664
00:35:21,948 --> 00:35:23,815
It's kind of like,
once he had a good thing,
665
00:35:23,815 --> 00:35:25,315
he was just gonna
keep working it.
666
00:35:25,315 --> 00:35:28,214
He has a tremendous
amount of personality.
667
00:35:28,315 --> 00:35:30,615
They admire him.
They like his singing.
668
00:35:30,615 --> 00:35:34,081
I don't have the answer,
why, and I don't think
669
00:35:34,081 --> 00:35:36,315
I wanna find out
because business is good.
670
00:35:36,315 --> 00:35:39,481
Elvis knew that the Colonel
jump-started his career,
671
00:35:39,481 --> 00:35:41,815
and he knew that he wouldn't
have gotten to
672
00:35:41,815 --> 00:35:44,315
where he ended up
without the Colonel.
673
00:35:44,315 --> 00:35:46,214
And I think Elvis
was loyal to that.
674
00:35:46,315 --> 00:35:48,348
The Colonel knew that
he was loyal to that.
675
00:35:48,348 --> 00:35:50,348
I think the Colonel may
have taken advantage of that
676
00:35:50,348 --> 00:35:52,948
and knew how to push
Elvis's buttons.
677
00:35:54,615 --> 00:35:57,581
In a lot of ways, Elvis
was trapped by his dependency
678
00:35:57,581 --> 00:35:58,981
on Colonel Parker.
679
00:35:58,981 --> 00:36:00,715
He was forever stuck
because he didn't
680
00:36:00,715 --> 00:36:03,481
have the emotional backbone
to buck him.
681
00:36:05,180 --> 00:36:06,180
You know, in the beginning,
the Colonel and Elvis
682
00:36:06,315 --> 00:36:08,848
had a pretty good relationship.
683
00:36:08,848 --> 00:36:11,147
Elvis considered
him a father figure.
684
00:36:11,147 --> 00:36:13,214
And he needed
a strong father figure
685
00:36:13,315 --> 00:36:15,515
because his own father
was weak.
686
00:36:15,515 --> 00:36:17,214
Elvis really thought,
the Colonel could
687
00:36:17,315 --> 00:36:18,815
lift them out of poverty.
688
00:36:18,815 --> 00:36:21,515
Vernon, his father, said,
"Don't screw this up.
689
00:36:21,515 --> 00:36:24,315
Us Presley's have
been poor forever."
690
00:36:24,315 --> 00:36:27,114
And so, Elvis did what
he was told to do.
691
00:36:27,114 --> 00:36:29,315
But if somebody
else actually bucked
692
00:36:29,315 --> 00:36:31,681
the Colonel for him,
like Steve Binder,
693
00:36:31,681 --> 00:36:34,015
he was very happy about it.
694
00:36:34,015 --> 00:36:36,315
I got a phone
call from Bob Finkel
695
00:36:36,315 --> 00:36:40,348
saying, "OK, it's time for
you to meet Colonel Parker."
696
00:36:40,348 --> 00:36:42,715
First thing the Colonel does,
he shakes my hand
697
00:36:42,715 --> 00:36:46,981
and hands me a little
box with Elvis' picture
698
00:36:46,981 --> 00:36:49,481
on the front cover,
and inside is
699
00:36:49,481 --> 00:36:51,515
this 1/4 inch tape
of him singing
700
00:36:51,515 --> 00:36:53,315
about 20 Christmas songs.
701
00:36:53,315 --> 00:36:56,481
He tells me, "This is
our gift to disk jockeys
702
00:36:56,481 --> 00:36:58,381
"all through
the United States,
703
00:36:58,381 --> 00:37:02,348
and this is what Tom Sarnoff
and I want you to do."
704
00:37:02,348 --> 00:37:03,915
The Colonel wasn't
interested in doing
705
00:37:03,915 --> 00:37:07,948
anything imaginative in
a Christmas special at all.
706
00:37:07,948 --> 00:37:10,114
He just wanted your
typical Christmas special
707
00:37:10,114 --> 00:37:12,515
like you could have seen
from anyone else at that era--
708
00:37:12,515 --> 00:37:14,715
You know, with Andy Williams
or Perry Como--
709
00:37:14,715 --> 00:37:16,147
nice and comfortable.
710
00:37:16,147 --> 00:37:17,715
And Steve thought to do
a show like that would
711
00:37:17,715 --> 00:37:19,147
be squandering Elvis' talent.
712
00:37:19,147 --> 00:37:20,681
If you have
a performer like Elvis,
713
00:37:20,681 --> 00:37:22,548
don't you want to do
something better with him
714
00:37:22,548 --> 00:37:24,147
than put him
in a fuzzy sweater
715
00:37:24,147 --> 00:37:26,147
and sing the Christmas songs?
716
00:37:26,147 --> 00:37:29,481
From the first minute of
meeting Parker, in my head,
717
00:37:29,481 --> 00:37:32,648
I'm saying,
"I'm not doing this."
718
00:37:32,648 --> 00:37:36,114
After that meeting,
I go back to my office
719
00:37:36,114 --> 00:37:38,581
and my secretary says,
"There's a message
720
00:37:38,581 --> 00:37:40,515
for you from Bob Finkel."
721
00:37:40,515 --> 00:37:43,348
I called Finkel up
at NBC and Finkel says,
722
00:37:43,348 --> 00:37:44,915
"I don't know what
you did to charm him,
723
00:37:44,915 --> 00:37:46,681
"but the Colonel loves you.
724
00:37:46,681 --> 00:37:47,881
"He's approving you.
725
00:37:47,881 --> 00:37:49,214
"Elvis will be at
your office tomorrow
726
00:37:49,315 --> 00:37:50,980
at 4:30 in the afternoon."
727
00:37:52,915 --> 00:37:54,980
The first thing
he told me was
728
00:37:54,980 --> 00:37:56,681
he didn't wanna do television.
729
00:37:56,681 --> 00:37:58,348
It wasn't his turf.
730
00:37:58,348 --> 00:38:00,648
And I said,
"Elvis, what's your turf?"
731
00:38:00,648 --> 00:38:04,114
He said, "My turf
is making records."
732
00:38:04,114 --> 00:38:07,748
And I said, "Great,
then you make a record
733
00:38:07,748 --> 00:38:09,581
and I'll put pictures to it."
734
00:38:09,581 --> 00:38:13,415
That's the very line that made
him feel comfortable,
735
00:38:13,415 --> 00:38:15,915
aside from seeing
our offices with all
736
00:38:15,915 --> 00:38:17,681
the gold records on the walls.
737
00:38:17,681 --> 00:38:20,515
At the time, I had
partnered up with a very
738
00:38:20,515 --> 00:38:24,448
talented, successful record
producer named Bones Howe.
739
00:38:24,448 --> 00:38:27,947
So Elvis felt comfortable that
he was in hands with people
740
00:38:27,947 --> 00:38:30,047
who spoke his language.
741
00:38:30,047 --> 00:38:33,014
Years later, Priscilla Presley
said to me,
742
00:38:33,014 --> 00:38:34,915
"You know, Steve, I don't know
if you ever knew this,
743
00:38:34,915 --> 00:38:38,315
"but when Elvis came home from
your first meeting with him,
744
00:38:38,315 --> 00:38:40,047
"he told me, 'You know, I had
this meeting
745
00:38:40,047 --> 00:38:41,548
"'with this young guy, Binder,
746
00:38:41,548 --> 00:38:44,080
"'and I don't care what
the Colonel says,
747
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:45,681
"'I'm gonna go with Binder.
748
00:38:45,681 --> 00:38:47,681
I'm gonna do whatever
he asked me to do.'"
749
00:38:47,681 --> 00:38:51,047
It was really, the first
time that Elvis had an ally.
750
00:38:51,047 --> 00:38:53,581
Somebody who really
understood him
751
00:38:53,581 --> 00:38:56,415
and could move mountains
to help him achieve
752
00:38:56,415 --> 00:38:58,315
what he wanted artistically.
753
00:38:58,315 --> 00:39:02,881
And who had the cojones
to face the Colonel.
754
00:39:02,881 --> 00:39:04,815
Elvis could not do that.
755
00:39:04,815 --> 00:39:08,980
And so the Colonel was greatly
threatened by Steve Binder,
756
00:39:08,980 --> 00:39:11,047
who not only had Elvis's
trust,
757
00:39:11,047 --> 00:39:13,980
but knew how to take him in
new creative ways of thinking
758
00:39:13,980 --> 00:39:15,914
that would rejuvenate him.
759
00:39:15,914 --> 00:39:17,715
But then, of course,
that meant that the Colonel
760
00:39:17,715 --> 00:39:19,848
would lose control,
and the Colonel
761
00:39:19,848 --> 00:39:22,047
could not take that risk.
762
00:39:34,914 --> 00:39:38,615
Well, Steve Binder had
a long career in television.
763
00:39:38,615 --> 00:39:42,315
He knew music and
he knew entertainment.
764
00:39:42,315 --> 00:39:44,114
He had his own way
of doing things.
765
00:39:44,114 --> 00:39:47,681
He'd established himself,
and because the work was good,
766
00:39:47,681 --> 00:39:50,515
he was allowed to do things
the way he saw fit.
767
00:39:50,515 --> 00:39:57,515
Steve was one of those
directors that cared.
768
00:39:58,914 --> 00:40:02,281
A lot of directors,
they're on a clock.
769
00:40:02,281 --> 00:40:04,348
They just want you
to do your thing.
770
00:40:04,348 --> 00:40:09,815
And if they don't hate it, they
just flip you off
771
00:40:09,815 --> 00:40:11,147
and move on, you know?
772
00:40:11,147 --> 00:40:13,515
Whereas,
Steve did not do that.
773
00:40:13,515 --> 00:40:15,880
I watched him.
He was very patient.
774
00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,880
He would talk to the talent.
775
00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:21,581
I was impressed by Steve.
776
00:40:21,581 --> 00:40:27,080
Steve had such a way
of communicating calmness
777
00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:28,548
and confidence.
778
00:40:28,548 --> 00:40:30,548
In whatever you
were doing,
779
00:40:30,548 --> 00:40:33,980
you felt that
it was gonna be good.
780
00:40:33,980 --> 00:40:37,180
He never yelled at people.
781
00:40:37,180 --> 00:40:43,080
He just did his
job so beautifully.
782
00:40:45,114 --> 00:40:46,814
Oh, yes.
783
00:40:46,814 --> 00:40:50,247
There are so many things I
like in this big, huge world.
784
00:40:50,247 --> 00:40:52,715
I like blue oceans
and dark green woods,
785
00:40:52,715 --> 00:40:56,281
crashing waves
and swaying branches.
786
00:40:56,281 --> 00:40:57,980
I like orange
and red lollipops
787
00:40:57,980 --> 00:40:59,381
and spinning carousels,
788
00:40:59,381 --> 00:41:01,381
wooden horses and puppy dogs.
789
00:41:01,381 --> 00:41:04,214
I like milk white clouds
and falling rain,
790
00:41:04,315 --> 00:41:06,615
babbling brooks
and baseball games.
791
00:41:06,615 --> 00:41:09,548
I like to run and jump,
laugh and cry.
792
00:41:09,548 --> 00:41:13,615
I like the sky above,
the Earth below, and God.
793
00:41:16,914 --> 00:41:21,748
I wonder why some
people don't like me?
794
00:41:24,147 --> 00:41:25,880
Three gentlemen
approached me
795
00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:30,448
about producing and directing
a one-hour Freedom Spectacular
796
00:41:30,448 --> 00:41:33,515
celebrating the integration
797
00:41:33,515 --> 00:41:36,581
of white schools
with Black students.
798
00:41:36,581 --> 00:41:39,748
I would have total creative
free hand to do anything
799
00:41:39,748 --> 00:41:41,581
I wanna do for an hour.
800
00:41:41,581 --> 00:41:44,681
And the vision these guys had
was to project them
801
00:41:44,681 --> 00:41:46,880
not on television,
not in theaters,
802
00:41:46,880 --> 00:41:50,180
but in arenas
all across the country
803
00:41:50,315 --> 00:41:53,847
to raise money for the NAACP.
804
00:41:53,847 --> 00:41:56,947
Up to this point, the Freedom Spectacular
805
00:41:56,947 --> 00:41:59,947
was the biggest production
of my career.
806
00:41:59,947 --> 00:42:03,615
One of the producers of the
Spectacular, Bill Sargent,
807
00:42:03,615 --> 00:42:06,515
hired me to direct
his next production,
808
00:42:06,515 --> 00:42:09,648
the first rock and roll
feature film,
809
00:42:09,648 --> 00:42:12,814
which came to be known
as the "T.A.M.I. Show."
810
00:42:20,681 --> 00:42:22,747
It was
an incredible opportunity
811
00:42:22,747 --> 00:42:26,180
for me to experiment
812
00:42:26,315 --> 00:42:29,780
and also to direct
some of the top rock and roll
813
00:42:29,780 --> 00:42:30,780
talent of the day.
814
00:42:38,114 --> 00:42:39,315
It was historical.
815
00:42:45,615 --> 00:42:50,315
♪ Feel that beat
coming strong ♪
816
00:42:50,315 --> 00:42:56,114
♪ Feel the beat
wanna tap along ♪
817
00:42:56,114 --> 00:42:57,415
♪ Jump for joy ♪
818
00:42:57,415 --> 00:43:01,648
♪ We're telling you,
it's Hullabaloo ♪
819
00:43:01,648 --> 00:43:03,548
I went to New York
to direct a show
820
00:43:03,548 --> 00:43:06,315
called "Hullabaloo" for NBC.
821
00:43:06,315 --> 00:43:08,780
It was one of the
first prime time
822
00:43:08,780 --> 00:43:11,880
rock and roll shows
on network television.
823
00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,780
It was kind of the opening
of my idea of saying,
824
00:43:15,780 --> 00:43:18,648
I would really
like to specialize
825
00:43:18,648 --> 00:43:22,114
in specials so the
word means something
826
00:43:22,114 --> 00:43:24,080
and it just isn't a gimmick.
827
00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:27,548
I want to take one
artist at a time
828
00:43:27,548 --> 00:43:30,714
and create a show for them
that nobody else could do.
829
00:43:30,714 --> 00:43:33,415
It would be built
around their music
830
00:43:33,415 --> 00:43:36,548
and their personal experiences.
831
00:43:36,548 --> 00:43:38,814
The first one was
Leslie Uggams,
832
00:43:38,814 --> 00:43:41,047
who was on Broadway at the
time while I was doing
833
00:43:41,047 --> 00:43:43,581
"Hullabaloo,"
starring in a Broadway hit
834
00:43:43,581 --> 00:43:46,348
called "Hallelujah, Baby!"
835
00:43:46,348 --> 00:43:48,980
When I started
directing in television,
836
00:43:48,980 --> 00:43:51,515
there was a real segregation
837
00:43:51,515 --> 00:43:53,980
in media in general,
even films.
838
00:43:53,980 --> 00:43:57,348
There were stories of
Southern theater owners
839
00:43:57,348 --> 00:43:59,980
cutting out Black artists.
840
00:43:59,980 --> 00:44:02,947
I didn't intentionally
set out to make
841
00:44:02,947 --> 00:44:07,614
any noise in terms of wanting
to integrate my casts.
842
00:44:07,614 --> 00:44:10,515
It all seemed to just,
happen organically.
843
00:44:18,980 --> 00:44:23,348
I'm making this tailor-made
special for Petula Clark.
844
00:44:23,348 --> 00:44:28,080
And we build a segment for her
guest star, Harry Belafonte,
845
00:44:28,080 --> 00:44:30,315
where he sings and dances
846
00:44:30,315 --> 00:44:33,080
and then Petula coming in
to finish the segment,
847
00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:38,047
singing a song she wrote,
which is an anti-war song.
848
00:44:38,047 --> 00:44:41,914
I told Petula just, when you
come out, just go up to Harry,
849
00:44:41,914 --> 00:44:45,548
stand shoulder to shoulder
with him, and see what happens.
850
00:44:45,548 --> 00:44:49,348
♪ They will die
for their country ♪
851
00:44:49,348 --> 00:44:52,814
♪ They will die
for you and me ♪
852
00:44:52,814 --> 00:44:55,448
♪ Amid the pungent
smell of death ♪
853
00:44:55,448 --> 00:45:02,147
♪ That's on the path of glory ♪
854
00:45:02,147 --> 00:45:04,714
Once Petula
was alongside of Harry
855
00:45:04,714 --> 00:45:07,847
and the chemistry was starting
to boil between the two
856
00:45:07,847 --> 00:45:12,080
of them, Petula is the one
who reached out to Harry,
857
00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:15,080
touched his forearm.
858
00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:18,515
Now, I hear a commotion
in the sponsor's room.
859
00:45:18,515 --> 00:45:20,315
He evidently is going nuts.
860
00:45:20,315 --> 00:45:22,680
Saying, "They'll never
use that on the air.
861
00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:24,580
We're gonna use
one of the other takes."
862
00:45:24,580 --> 00:45:27,547
And storms out of
the sponsor's room.
863
00:45:27,547 --> 00:45:29,980
Now we finish the segment.
864
00:45:29,980 --> 00:45:33,647
Claude Wolff, Petula's
husband, says, "Come on, Steve.
865
00:45:33,647 --> 00:45:35,747
We're going down to
the editing room."
866
00:45:35,747 --> 00:45:37,980
He was behind me 100%.
867
00:45:37,980 --> 00:45:41,348
So we go down the NBC
corridor to the editing room
868
00:45:41,348 --> 00:45:45,448
and I order the editor
to erase all the other takes.
869
00:45:45,448 --> 00:45:47,147
And the editor was shaking.
870
00:45:47,147 --> 00:45:50,214
He had me sign a release saying
that I gave him permission
871
00:45:50,315 --> 00:45:52,047
to erase the masters.
872
00:45:52,047 --> 00:45:53,980
But thank God
we made the decision
873
00:45:53,980 --> 00:45:56,448
to do that or for sure,
they would have aired
874
00:45:56,448 --> 00:45:59,481
one of the non-touching takes.
875
00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:05,614
And all hell broke loose.
876
00:46:05,614 --> 00:46:09,147
It became an
international incident.
877
00:46:09,147 --> 00:46:13,080
It was really hard for
me to imagine in 1968
878
00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:15,315
that the audience
or the sponsor
879
00:46:15,315 --> 00:46:19,914
would be offended by seeing a
white woman touch a Black man.
880
00:46:19,914 --> 00:46:24,614
I didn't realize, at the time,
that the real impact that
881
00:46:24,614 --> 00:46:27,814
that moment would have.
882
00:46:27,814 --> 00:46:30,180
When Bob Finkel hired me to
direct and produce
883
00:46:30,315 --> 00:46:32,047
the Elvis special,
884
00:46:32,047 --> 00:46:35,014
he said, "I saw your
Petula Clark special
885
00:46:35,014 --> 00:46:37,747
"and loved it
and the controversy
886
00:46:37,747 --> 00:46:39,448
"that it stirred up.
887
00:46:39,448 --> 00:46:42,914
"That and your reputation in
the business as a young rebel,
888
00:46:42,914 --> 00:46:46,080
"the fact that you're around
the same age as Elvis,
889
00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:49,547
makes me think you guys would
make a perfect combination."
890
00:46:56,348 --> 00:46:59,180
To me, the importance
of the entire special
891
00:46:59,315 --> 00:47:02,980
was Elvis Presley
rediscovering Elvis Presley.
892
00:47:02,980 --> 00:47:06,547
I think he had lost
confidence in himself.
893
00:47:06,547 --> 00:47:08,381
Well, I gotta do
this sooner or later,
894
00:47:08,381 --> 00:47:10,480
so I might as well
do it now, baby.
895
00:47:21,580 --> 00:47:25,980
♪ Since my baby left me, I
found a new place to dwell ♪
896
00:47:25,980 --> 00:47:28,680
♪ And it's down on
the end of Lonely Street ♪
897
00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:30,780
♪ At Heartbreak Hotel ♪
898
00:47:30,780 --> 00:47:32,147
He walked up there
and he started singing,
899
00:47:32,147 --> 00:47:34,914
and it was just--
the air came out of the room
900
00:47:34,914 --> 00:47:37,315
because everybody was
just flabbergasted
901
00:47:37,315 --> 00:47:39,914
that this was Elvis.
902
00:47:39,914 --> 00:47:43,315
Elvis the way Elvis should be.
903
00:47:43,315 --> 00:47:46,348
I wanted to get
back to raw, wild,
904
00:47:46,348 --> 00:47:50,315
the guy who was chased by
the vice squad
905
00:47:50,315 --> 00:47:53,847
whenever he appeared for fear
that he would totally destroy
906
00:47:53,847 --> 00:47:57,315
the youth of America
with his obscene gestures.
907
00:47:57,315 --> 00:47:59,047
♪ Well, you ain't
never caught a rabbit ♪
908
00:47:59,047 --> 00:48:02,114
♪ And you ain't no friend--
ohh ♪
909
00:48:02,114 --> 00:48:04,847
♪ You ain't nothin'
but a hound dog ♪
910
00:48:04,847 --> 00:48:07,114
♪ Cryin' all the time ♪
911
00:48:07,114 --> 00:48:09,880
♪ You ain't nothin'
but a hound dog ♪
912
00:48:09,880 --> 00:48:12,080
♪ Crying all the time ♪
913
00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:14,147
♪ Well, you ain't never
caught a rabbit ♪
914
00:48:14,147 --> 00:48:17,680
♪ And you ain't
no friend of mine ♪
915
00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:19,180
♪ Right, go, baby ♪
916
00:48:19,315 --> 00:48:21,947
I called Allan Blye and
Chris Beard, my writers.
917
00:48:21,947 --> 00:48:24,847
Allan and Chris
really came up with
918
00:48:24,847 --> 00:48:27,347
the entire concept
for the show.
919
00:48:27,347 --> 00:48:30,680
We spoke to Elvis for weeks.
920
00:48:30,680 --> 00:48:33,214
He came down to Steve's office.
921
00:48:33,315 --> 00:48:34,614
It was exciting as hell.
922
00:48:34,614 --> 00:48:37,847
He understood himself
very well.
923
00:48:37,847 --> 00:48:40,780
He had a great sense of humor
about himself.
924
00:48:40,780 --> 00:48:42,747
We wrote the show about him,
925
00:48:42,747 --> 00:48:44,514
the great reflection
of Elvis's life
926
00:48:44,514 --> 00:48:46,315
at this point in his career.
927
00:48:46,315 --> 00:48:48,814
They definitely said we
wanna do a gospel segment
928
00:48:48,814 --> 00:48:50,480
with a lot of gospel songs.
929
00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:54,614
We wanna do a guitar man
segment of a boy who comes
930
00:48:54,614 --> 00:48:56,314
from nowhere and nothing,
931
00:48:56,314 --> 00:49:00,347
gets all his fame and fortune
playing the big arenas
932
00:49:00,347 --> 00:49:03,147
and making the big bucks
and realizes
933
00:49:03,147 --> 00:49:05,314
he wants nothing
in life more
934
00:49:05,314 --> 00:49:09,947
than to be home playing on his
old guitar just having fun.
935
00:49:09,947 --> 00:49:13,347
We'd written a script based
on what Elvis had said to us.
936
00:49:13,347 --> 00:49:15,914
We pitched him the idea
that we wanted to do
937
00:49:15,914 --> 00:49:17,947
and he loved them.
938
00:49:17,947 --> 00:49:20,114
His reaction was,
"I love it.
939
00:49:20,114 --> 00:49:21,847
I love everything you've done."
940
00:49:21,847 --> 00:49:24,514
And I said, "Elvis, I've
never done a show with a star
941
00:49:24,514 --> 00:49:28,414
"who didn't comment
something about the concept
942
00:49:28,414 --> 00:49:29,914
"or the rundown.
943
00:49:29,914 --> 00:49:32,314
Isn't there anything
you wanna add or change?"
944
00:49:32,314 --> 00:49:34,114
He said, "Nope,
let's just do it."
945
00:49:35,614 --> 00:49:38,447
♪ If you're looking
for trouble ♪
946
00:49:38,447 --> 00:49:41,180
♪ You came to the right place ♪
947
00:49:41,314 --> 00:49:44,047
♪ If you're looking
for trouble ♪
948
00:49:44,047 --> 00:49:46,947
♪ Just look right in my face ♪
949
00:49:46,947 --> 00:49:49,980
♪ I was born standin' up ♪
950
00:49:49,980 --> 00:49:52,047
♪ And talkin' back ♪
951
00:49:52,047 --> 00:49:57,547
♪ My daddy was
a green-eyed mountain jack ♪
952
00:49:57,547 --> 00:50:01,114
♪ Because I'm evil ♪
953
00:50:01,114 --> 00:50:05,414
♪ My middle name is misery ♪
954
00:50:05,414 --> 00:50:09,214
♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa ♪
955
00:50:09,214 --> 00:50:13,314
♪ Well, I'm evil ♪
956
00:50:13,314 --> 00:50:17,280
♪ So don't you mess around
with me ♪
957
00:50:33,080 --> 00:50:36,014
When you see all these
other Elvises in silhouette
958
00:50:36,014 --> 00:50:38,547
behind him,
my first thought was,
959
00:50:38,547 --> 00:50:39,847
is this like
an intimidation thing?
960
00:50:39,847 --> 00:50:41,747
Being like, Elvis is back.
961
00:50:41,747 --> 00:50:44,213
He's got an army.
He's got a crew.
962
00:50:44,213 --> 00:50:47,447
Like, don't mess with
Elvis and the Elvises.
963
00:50:47,447 --> 00:50:49,780
♪ Well, I quit my job
down at the car wash ♪
964
00:50:49,780 --> 00:50:52,246
♪ I left my mama
a goodbye note ♪
965
00:50:52,246 --> 00:50:56,114
♪ By sundown I'd left Kingston
with my guitar under my coat ♪
966
00:50:56,114 --> 00:50:58,047
♪ I hitchhiked
all the way down to Memphis ♪
967
00:50:58,047 --> 00:51:00,380
♪ Got a room at the YMCA ♪
968
00:51:00,380 --> 00:51:02,314
♪ And for the next
three weeks, I went ♪
969
00:51:02,314 --> 00:51:04,580
♪ Hunting them nights just
looking for a place to play ♪
970
00:51:04,580 --> 00:51:06,914
♪ Well, I thought my picking
would set them on fire,
971
00:51:06,914 --> 00:51:09,914
♪ But nobody wanted to hire
a guitar man ♪
972
00:51:09,914 --> 00:51:15,314
He's just--he's on fire
from start to finish.
973
00:51:15,314 --> 00:51:17,814
♪ And if you ever take
a trip down to the ocean ♪
974
00:51:17,814 --> 00:51:20,014
♪ Find yourself down
around Mobile ♪
975
00:51:20,014 --> 00:51:22,147
♪ Make it on out to
a club called Jack's ♪
976
00:51:22,147 --> 00:51:24,047
♪ If you got
a little time to kill ♪
977
00:51:24,047 --> 00:51:26,514
♪ Just follow that crowd
of people, you'll wind up ♪
978
00:51:26,514 --> 00:51:28,314
♪ Out on his dance floor ♪
979
00:51:28,314 --> 00:51:30,114
♪ Digging the finest
little five piece group ♪
980
00:51:30,114 --> 00:51:32,114
♪ Up and down
the Gulf of Mexico ♪
981
00:51:32,114 --> 00:51:34,080
♪ Guess who's leading
that five piece band ♪
982
00:51:34,080 --> 00:51:35,647
♪ Well, wouldn't
you know, it's that ♪
983
00:51:35,647 --> 00:51:37,414
♪ Swingin' little guitar man ♪
984
00:51:56,480 --> 00:51:59,080
One day I was in my office
prepping for the work
985
00:51:59,080 --> 00:52:00,847
we were
going to do that evening
986
00:52:00,847 --> 00:52:03,447
when Elvis
arrived with his entourage.
987
00:52:03,447 --> 00:52:06,447
And I noticed he was staring
out the window
988
00:52:06,447 --> 00:52:08,514
looking down
on Sunset Boulevard.
989
00:52:08,514 --> 00:52:10,847
And I was curious
what was going on
990
00:52:10,847 --> 00:52:12,914
in his mind at the time.
991
00:52:12,914 --> 00:52:17,080
I said, "Elvis, what do you
think would happen
992
00:52:17,080 --> 00:52:19,847
"if you and I walked out
on Sunset Boulevard--"
993
00:52:19,847 --> 00:52:22,714
which was directly
in front of our front door
994
00:52:22,714 --> 00:52:25,080
of the office building--
995
00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:26,614
"What do you think
would happen?"
996
00:52:26,614 --> 00:52:29,980
And he looked at me
and he said, "Why?"
997
00:52:29,980 --> 00:52:31,947
I said, "I'm just curious.
998
00:52:31,947 --> 00:52:33,480
"Do you think they'd rip
your clothes off,
999
00:52:33,480 --> 00:52:35,179
"or do you think they'd
attack you,
1000
00:52:35,314 --> 00:52:37,380
or do you think
they would ignore you?"
1001
00:52:37,380 --> 00:52:40,080
About two or three days later,
he comes in the office.
1002
00:52:40,080 --> 00:52:42,814
He says, "We're going down
on Sunset Boulevard,
1003
00:52:42,814 --> 00:52:46,480
and we're gonna test your
question from the other day."
1004
00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:49,347
And it's now, maybe,
5:00 in the evening
1005
00:52:49,347 --> 00:52:51,614
and the traffic's
starting to build up.
1006
00:52:51,614 --> 00:52:55,213
We're out doing small talk
on the curb.
1007
00:52:55,314 --> 00:52:57,179
After a little while,
he's starting
1008
00:52:57,314 --> 00:53:00,347
to get impatient and nervous,
I can tell.
1009
00:53:00,347 --> 00:53:04,314
He's starting now to focus his
attention on cars driving by.
1010
00:53:04,314 --> 00:53:06,447
Every once in a while, there'd
be a pretty girl sitting
1011
00:53:06,447 --> 00:53:10,179
on the passenger side and
he'd try to get her attention
1012
00:53:10,314 --> 00:53:13,480
and so forth, and nothing--
and I mean, nothing.
1013
00:53:13,480 --> 00:53:16,814
And finally, Elvis said,
"OK, you proved your point."
1014
00:53:16,814 --> 00:53:20,113
We went back upstairs
and I sensed
1015
00:53:20,113 --> 00:53:25,514
a sort of air of trusting me
more coming from him.
1016
00:53:25,514 --> 00:53:28,947
I can't put my finger on it,
but it just seemed,
1017
00:53:28,947 --> 00:53:31,314
we got closer after that.
1018
00:53:31,314 --> 00:53:33,113
We're supposed to do
a little thing right now
1019
00:53:33,113 --> 00:53:36,113
and it's supposed to
fit into the show,
1020
00:53:36,113 --> 00:53:38,046
just a part of a song.
1021
00:53:38,046 --> 00:53:39,314
It cuts some of the show.
1022
00:53:39,314 --> 00:53:40,213
So if you'll just
bear with us until we
1023
00:53:40,314 --> 00:53:45,314
get this thing out of the way.
1024
00:53:45,314 --> 00:53:46,780
You ready, Steve?
1025
00:53:46,780 --> 00:53:48,447
I think over the course
of their relationship,
1026
00:53:48,447 --> 00:53:51,714
there certainly was a bonding
between Steve and Elvis.
1027
00:53:51,714 --> 00:53:54,414
When he saw the depth
of what they were
1028
00:53:54,414 --> 00:53:56,514
gonna do on the special,
that he was involved
1029
00:53:56,514 --> 00:53:59,580
in the creative process and
that what he was being given
1030
00:53:59,580 --> 00:54:01,580
to do was good and compelling
1031
00:54:01,580 --> 00:54:03,880
and something
he enjoyed doing.
1032
00:54:03,880 --> 00:54:06,113
I think Elvis knew
he could relax
1033
00:54:06,113 --> 00:54:07,580
and be comfortable with Steve.
1034
00:54:09,013 --> 00:54:10,814
Steve, you wanna
the other thing?
1035
00:54:10,814 --> 00:54:11,814
It'll just be
one second, Elvis.
1036
00:54:11,814 --> 00:54:12,980
All right.
1037
00:54:12,980 --> 00:54:14,414
Ready when you are, Steve B.
1038
00:54:14,414 --> 00:54:16,747
I think he just,
trusted Steve
1039
00:54:16,747 --> 00:54:18,747
to make all those decisions.
1040
00:54:18,747 --> 00:54:22,113
And I think Steve
was the middle man
1041
00:54:22,113 --> 00:54:24,046
between him and the Colonel.
1042
00:54:24,046 --> 00:54:26,747
That Steve was the person
1043
00:54:26,747 --> 00:54:31,046
that could relate
to what Elvis wanted
1044
00:54:31,046 --> 00:54:33,146
and work with the Colonel
1045
00:54:33,146 --> 00:54:35,780
to get that
fabulous end result.
1046
00:54:44,780 --> 00:54:49,547
♪ I get up on mountain and
I call my bear cat back ♪
1047
00:54:51,447 --> 00:54:54,046
♪ Well, I get up
on the mountain ♪
1048
00:54:54,046 --> 00:54:58,547
♪ And I call
my bear cat back ♪
1049
00:54:58,547 --> 00:55:02,079
♪ My bear cat comes
running and the hound dogs ♪
1050
00:55:02,079 --> 00:55:03,380
♪ They stay way back ♪
1051
00:55:03,380 --> 00:55:05,614
♪ Way back, way back,
way back ♪
1052
00:55:05,614 --> 00:55:07,480
♪ Ain't no end
to the song, baby ♪
1053
00:55:11,680 --> 00:55:16,314
I'm a great believer
in luck and timing.
1054
00:55:16,314 --> 00:55:19,213
I couldn't have been luckier
than when I took Elvis
1055
00:55:19,314 --> 00:55:22,213
out to NBC for the first time.
1056
00:55:22,314 --> 00:55:23,780
He asked me,
"Steve, do you think
1057
00:55:23,780 --> 00:55:25,946
"it would be possible
for me to live
1058
00:55:25,946 --> 00:55:28,314
out here when we do the show?"
1059
00:55:28,314 --> 00:55:29,979
And I said,
"What do you mean?"
1060
00:55:29,979 --> 00:55:32,314
He said, "Well, you know, I've
rented a home for Priscilla
1061
00:55:32,314 --> 00:55:35,179
"and the new baby
in Beverly Hills.
1062
00:55:35,314 --> 00:55:37,714
"It's going to take me
at least 40 minutes
1063
00:55:37,714 --> 00:55:41,447
"going each way back
and forth every day.
1064
00:55:41,447 --> 00:55:45,213
"And I could save so much
time and be so much
1065
00:55:45,314 --> 00:55:47,614
more relaxed
if I lived out here."
1066
00:55:49,113 --> 00:55:52,347
I said, "Yeah, I don't think
there would be a problem."
1067
00:55:52,347 --> 00:55:54,647
We offered Elvis
the dressing room
1068
00:55:54,647 --> 00:55:56,380
right next to Stage 4
1069
00:55:56,380 --> 00:55:59,314
where we'd be taping
the entire production.
1070
00:55:59,314 --> 00:56:01,946
I called up the person
in charge at NBC
1071
00:56:01,946 --> 00:56:04,046
and I said, "Do you think
it's possible we could get
1072
00:56:04,046 --> 00:56:06,314
a bed in that dressing room?"
1073
00:56:06,314 --> 00:56:08,847
He arranged it,
and we had two pianos.
1074
00:56:08,847 --> 00:56:12,614
We had an upright and we
had a baby grand in there.
1075
00:56:12,614 --> 00:56:15,547
We would finish
rehearsals early
1076
00:56:15,547 --> 00:56:19,879
in the evening around 6:00 or
7:00 probably, at the latest.
1077
00:56:19,879 --> 00:56:22,414
He had the rest of the
evening to himself.
1078
00:56:22,414 --> 00:56:24,380
So he'd go into
his dressing room
1079
00:56:24,380 --> 00:56:27,714
and his entourage was there,
and they would jam
1080
00:56:27,714 --> 00:56:29,879
until 2:00,
3:00 in the morning.
1081
00:56:29,879 --> 00:56:32,547
It was like looking through
a keyhole and saying,
1082
00:56:32,547 --> 00:56:35,079
"I'm not supposed to be
seeing what I'm looking at."
1083
00:56:35,079 --> 00:56:36,113
One more time, Johnny.
1084
00:56:36,113 --> 00:56:37,414
- One more time.
- Ahh!
1085
00:56:37,414 --> 00:56:38,547
We got it.
1086
00:56:38,547 --> 00:56:40,480
- Oh, yeah.
- You got it.
1087
00:56:43,580 --> 00:56:45,146
You had it.
1088
00:56:47,314 --> 00:56:49,614
I remember how much
joy it brought to Elvis.
1089
00:56:49,614 --> 00:56:53,514
Elvis on his own was wonderful,
but when he most came alive
1090
00:56:53,514 --> 00:56:56,480
is when he
had the guys around.
1091
00:56:56,480 --> 00:57:00,347
♪ The bell hop's-- ♪
1092
00:57:00,347 --> 00:57:01,580
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
1093
00:57:01,580 --> 00:57:03,979
Wait a minute.
I forgot the lyrics.
1094
00:57:03,979 --> 00:57:05,614
Wait a minute,
wait a minute.
1095
00:57:05,614 --> 00:57:07,480
I forgot the lyrics.
1096
00:57:07,480 --> 00:57:10,213
Uh--
1097
00:57:10,314 --> 00:57:12,113
♪ The-- ♪
1098
00:57:12,113 --> 00:57:13,813
It was magical.
1099
00:57:13,813 --> 00:57:16,213
And I said, this is more
important than all the money
1100
00:57:16,314 --> 00:57:20,514
we're spending on all these
extras, dancers, singers,
1101
00:57:20,514 --> 00:57:23,013
costumes, sets, et cetera.
1102
00:57:23,013 --> 00:57:24,846
This is the magic.
1103
00:57:24,846 --> 00:57:27,347
I've gotta capture that
in the dressing room,
1104
00:57:27,347 --> 00:57:28,979
but the Colonel
wouldn't let me.
1105
00:57:28,979 --> 00:57:32,813
He was adamant that nobody
go into the dressing room,
1106
00:57:32,813 --> 00:57:34,514
let alone with a camera.
1107
00:57:34,514 --> 00:57:36,813
I think Parker was always
trying to convey the message
1108
00:57:36,813 --> 00:57:39,347
that, "However well you
think you know Elvis,
1109
00:57:39,347 --> 00:57:41,514
I'm the one that
really has control."
1110
00:57:41,514 --> 00:57:43,547
But I knew I had to do it.
1111
00:57:43,547 --> 00:57:45,647
I mean, there was no special
without that.
1112
00:57:45,647 --> 00:57:47,514
So I kept hounding
him and finally,
1113
00:57:47,514 --> 00:57:49,480
I guess, I hounded
him enough where
1114
00:57:49,480 --> 00:57:51,447
he finally, out of
aggravation, said,
1115
00:57:51,447 --> 00:57:52,979
"Steve,
I'll tell you what.
1116
00:57:52,979 --> 00:57:54,347
"I won't promise
I'll let you use it,
1117
00:57:54,347 --> 00:57:56,779
"but I'll let you
recreate it on stage
1118
00:57:56,779 --> 00:57:59,680
if you're that passionate
about having him do it."
1119
00:58:02,079 --> 00:58:03,747
The Colonel emphasized
1120
00:58:03,747 --> 00:58:06,414
that it would be
would be a waste of my time.
1121
00:58:06,414 --> 00:58:09,013
"Remember," he said,
"This is only
1122
00:58:09,013 --> 00:58:12,380
"a one-hour Christmas special,
and there's
1123
00:58:12,380 --> 00:58:15,480
no time to put this crap in."
1124
00:58:15,480 --> 00:58:17,779
♪ You got me doing
what you want me ♪
1125
00:58:17,779 --> 00:58:19,846
♪ Baby, what do
you want me to do? ♪
1126
00:58:19,846 --> 00:58:23,079
The minute that I
locked in to recreating
1127
00:58:23,079 --> 00:58:27,680
the improvisation segment
on stage, Elvis asked me,
1128
00:58:27,680 --> 00:58:31,380
"Do you think I could bring
my drummer and guitarist
1129
00:58:31,380 --> 00:58:33,213
in to do it with me?"
1130
00:58:33,314 --> 00:58:38,813
This guy over here has played
guitar for me for 104 years.
1131
00:58:40,879 --> 00:58:42,946
For the last 14 years.
1132
00:58:42,946 --> 00:58:44,480
His name is Scotty Moore.
1133
00:58:44,480 --> 00:58:48,447
Scotty.
1134
00:58:53,514 --> 00:58:56,514
And the loudmouthed guy
over here--
1135
00:58:58,314 --> 00:59:00,046
he's been my drummer
for a long time.
1136
00:59:00,046 --> 00:59:01,347
His name is D.J. Fontana.
1137
00:59:07,380 --> 00:59:08,746
He's been a friend of
mine for something like
1138
00:59:08,746 --> 00:59:09,779
10 or 12 years.
1139
00:59:09,779 --> 00:59:11,879
Alan Ford is with
his back to you.
1140
00:59:16,380 --> 00:59:20,946
Uh, this is old,
what's his name here.
1141
00:59:20,946 --> 00:59:22,647
- You know.
1142
00:59:22,647 --> 00:59:25,514
This is Charlie Hodge.
1143
00:59:25,514 --> 00:59:28,314
That was brilliant
because it immediately
1144
00:59:28,314 --> 00:59:30,079
put him in a relaxed position.
1145
00:59:30,079 --> 00:59:32,580
And he's going to
sing songs that he sang
1146
00:59:32,580 --> 00:59:34,580
when they started out.
1147
00:59:38,314 --> 00:59:41,079
♪ Well, that's all right,
mama ♪
1148
00:59:41,079 --> 00:59:42,979
♪ That's all right with you ♪
1149
00:59:42,979 --> 00:59:46,347
♪ That's all right, mama,
just anyway you do ♪
1150
00:59:46,347 --> 00:59:50,514
♪ That's all right ♪
1151
00:59:50,514 --> 00:59:56,614
♪ That's all right, now,
mama, anyway you do ♪
1152
00:59:58,946 --> 01:00:01,246
♪ Well, Mama,
she done told me ♪
1153
01:00:01,246 --> 01:00:03,213
♪ Papa done told me, too ♪
1154
01:00:03,213 --> 01:00:05,347
♪ Son, that girl
you're fooling with ♪
1155
01:00:05,347 --> 01:00:06,580
♪ She ain't no good for you ♪
1156
01:00:06,580 --> 01:00:08,913
♪ But that's all right ♪
1157
01:00:08,913 --> 01:00:10,679
♪ That's all right ♪
1158
01:00:10,679 --> 01:00:15,879
♪ That's all right, now,
mama, anyway you do ♪
1159
01:00:15,879 --> 01:00:18,314
When I see Elvis
doing unplugged,
1160
01:00:18,314 --> 01:00:21,314
it's like, wow, he's brave,
you know.
1161
01:00:21,314 --> 01:00:23,347
And it's like you're naked.
1162
01:00:23,347 --> 01:00:25,280
You're naked to the world.
1163
01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:27,480
It's just that soul,
that roughness,
1164
01:00:27,480 --> 01:00:30,246
of singing with your heart
and giving it all.
1165
01:00:30,246 --> 01:00:32,913
And Steve, coming up with
that idea,
1166
01:00:32,913 --> 01:00:34,447
I think it was just, genius.
1167
01:00:34,447 --> 01:00:35,846
♪ Anyway you do ♪
1168
01:00:35,846 --> 01:00:37,580
Take it, boys.
1169
01:00:40,113 --> 01:00:44,146
The Elvis that I knew was
happy when he was singing.
1170
01:00:44,146 --> 01:00:47,480
I know in the "Comeback
Special," I saw so much joy.
1171
01:00:47,480 --> 01:00:51,679
I finally saw pure joy
1172
01:00:51,679 --> 01:00:55,613
when he was sitting around
with the guys.
1173
01:00:55,613 --> 01:01:00,079
We might do one
more song for you
1174
01:01:00,079 --> 01:01:02,913
because we have another
audience waiting to come in.
1175
01:01:05,946 --> 01:01:07,314
Man, I just work here.
1176
01:01:11,846 --> 01:01:14,746
Most of the special
would be shot movie-style--
1177
01:01:14,746 --> 01:01:17,946
scene by scene,
one or two cameras,
1178
01:01:17,946 --> 01:01:20,347
and without an audience.
1179
01:01:20,347 --> 01:01:21,946
But for the improv segment,
1180
01:01:21,946 --> 01:01:25,314
I felt it was critical
to inspire Elvis
1181
01:01:25,314 --> 01:01:27,113
with the kind of
excitement and energy
1182
01:01:27,113 --> 01:01:30,547
that only a live
studio audience can bring.
1183
01:01:31,913 --> 01:01:33,480
I went over to
Colonel Parker
1184
01:01:33,480 --> 01:01:35,514
and I said, "Colonel,
how many tickets
1185
01:01:35,514 --> 01:01:38,613
will you need to watch
Elvis do the improv?"
1186
01:01:38,613 --> 01:01:40,447
And the Colonel said,
"Bindle--"
1187
01:01:40,447 --> 01:01:42,546
he would call me Binder
on certain occasions,
1188
01:01:42,546 --> 01:01:44,179
but other times, Bindle--
1189
01:01:44,314 --> 01:01:47,514
he said, "You haven't
understood the Colonel ever.
1190
01:01:47,514 --> 01:01:49,879
If I take the tickets,
1191
01:01:49,879 --> 01:01:51,514
you have to give me
all of the tickets,
1192
01:01:51,514 --> 01:01:53,146
not just some of them.
1193
01:01:53,146 --> 01:01:59,113
I can deliver you young girls
who are fanatic Elvis fans."
1194
01:01:59,113 --> 01:02:01,314
So I gave him all the tickets.
1195
01:02:01,314 --> 01:02:03,779
Now, on the day we're
going to tape it,
1196
01:02:03,779 --> 01:02:05,546
I'm expecting
thousands of people
1197
01:02:05,546 --> 01:02:08,546
to be standing outside
NBC Studios in Burbank
1198
01:02:08,546 --> 01:02:09,913
waiting in line.
1199
01:02:09,913 --> 01:02:12,646
I get a phone call
from NBC saying,
1200
01:02:12,646 --> 01:02:15,979
we've added personnel
to handle the crowd.
1201
01:02:15,979 --> 01:02:19,913
And Steve, it's eerie out here
because there's nobody here.
1202
01:02:19,913 --> 01:02:22,146
Should have known
he was lying to me again.
1203
01:02:22,146 --> 01:02:26,179
He was trying to sabotage the
improv segment all the time.
1204
01:02:26,314 --> 01:02:28,879
And so, Bones Howe,
my partner, and I
1205
01:02:28,879 --> 01:02:31,813
called a couple of disk
jockeys we knew personally
1206
01:02:31,813 --> 01:02:33,513
and asked them to--
on the radio--
1207
01:02:33,513 --> 01:02:35,646
say, "If you wanna come see
Elvis for free,
1208
01:02:35,646 --> 01:02:38,513
get your asses to Burbank."
1209
01:02:38,513 --> 01:02:41,079
We went to a very
famous iconic restaurant
1210
01:02:41,079 --> 01:02:42,414
called Bob's Big Boy.
1211
01:02:42,414 --> 01:02:44,579
And we went to
customers asking,
1212
01:02:44,579 --> 01:02:46,513
would you like to
see Elvis Presley?
1213
01:02:46,513 --> 01:02:48,213
We told everybody at NBC--
1214
01:02:48,314 --> 01:02:50,879
invite your girlfriends
and boyfriends and wives.
1215
01:02:50,879 --> 01:02:56,579
I think intern is a more
glamorous term for the fact
1216
01:02:56,579 --> 01:02:59,646
that I was working my father's
office for a summer job.
1217
01:02:59,646 --> 01:03:01,347
And I was pulled
out of the office.
1218
01:03:01,347 --> 01:03:03,314
My dad's secretary was
pulled out of the office.
1219
01:03:03,314 --> 01:03:07,913
They called my sister who was
a sophomore in high school--
1220
01:03:07,913 --> 01:03:09,146
come on down.
1221
01:03:09,146 --> 01:03:12,513
And they sat us
around this stage,
1222
01:03:12,513 --> 01:03:13,913
not knowing what we
were getting into.
1223
01:03:13,913 --> 01:03:15,779
And it was bright lights,
and it was hot.
1224
01:03:15,779 --> 01:03:17,646
And what is happening?
1225
01:03:20,579 --> 01:03:22,146
And then the other
thing that strikes you
1226
01:03:22,146 --> 01:03:24,314
is just, how good he looks.
1227
01:03:24,314 --> 01:03:26,746
I mean, especially--
what does everyone remember?
1228
01:03:26,746 --> 01:03:28,946
People that aren't
Elvis fans--
1229
01:03:28,946 --> 01:03:31,314
You know, the black leather
suit, they all know that.
1230
01:03:31,314 --> 01:03:34,347
So my first thought was,
he's really confident
1231
01:03:34,347 --> 01:03:35,579
in how he looks.
1232
01:03:35,579 --> 01:03:37,913
He can wear a full leather suit
1233
01:03:37,913 --> 01:03:42,079
and every bulge is out there
for the world to see.
1234
01:03:42,079 --> 01:03:44,813
Oh, my God.
1235
01:03:44,813 --> 01:03:47,613
No woman who ever saw that
will forget that.
1236
01:03:47,613 --> 01:03:49,813
I really thought
it was just, perfect.
1237
01:03:49,813 --> 01:03:55,046
I mean, it was
a touch of rebel in him
1238
01:03:55,046 --> 01:03:57,446
to be wearing that
rather than what we'd seen
1239
01:03:57,446 --> 01:04:02,179
him wear in the movies,
which were more conservative.
1240
01:04:02,314 --> 01:04:05,813
And it was like
the old Elvis is back.
1241
01:04:05,813 --> 01:04:07,314
I thought it was coolest
thing I've ever seen.
1242
01:04:07,314 --> 01:04:08,913
And I just remember thinking,
when I was a kid,
1243
01:04:08,913 --> 01:04:10,979
why didn't he always wear that?
1244
01:04:10,979 --> 01:04:13,179
There's one
thing about this--
1245
01:04:13,314 --> 01:04:17,479
this TV special I'm doing.
1246
01:04:17,479 --> 01:04:19,979
They're going to--they're
going to let me do
1247
01:04:19,979 --> 01:04:22,179
what I wanna do,
which is sit down.
1248
01:04:26,546 --> 01:04:28,546
Not really.
1249
01:04:32,679 --> 01:04:37,079
But--well, I'll
think of something.
1250
01:04:37,079 --> 01:04:38,579
Just give me the time.
1251
01:04:38,579 --> 01:04:40,613
He seemed very nervous,
1252
01:04:40,613 --> 01:04:44,813
but there was somehow,
some kind of
1253
01:04:44,813 --> 01:04:46,813
happiness behind that.
1254
01:04:46,813 --> 01:04:50,979
He was smiling, and it was,
like, exciting for him.
1255
01:04:50,979 --> 01:04:54,713
Even though, he was
a little shaky, maybe.
1256
01:04:54,713 --> 01:04:57,213
And then he started playing
the guitar
1257
01:04:57,314 --> 01:05:00,146
and started singing,
and he just relaxed.
1258
01:05:00,314 --> 01:05:02,179
And he was great.
1259
01:05:02,314 --> 01:05:06,779
♪ Well, lawdy lawdy
lawdy, Miss Clawdy ♪
1260
01:05:06,779 --> 01:05:12,813
♪ Girl, you sure
look good to me ♪
1261
01:05:12,813 --> 01:05:16,679
♪ Well, please don't
excite me, baby ♪
1262
01:05:16,679 --> 01:05:19,446
♪ I know it can't be me ♪
1263
01:05:23,314 --> 01:05:24,613
What was I thinking?
1264
01:05:24,613 --> 01:05:26,779
I think, I just, I don't
even want to blink.
1265
01:05:26,779 --> 01:05:28,314
I don't think--
1266
01:05:28,314 --> 01:05:30,879
I don't think I was
thinking other than just
1267
01:05:30,879 --> 01:05:36,079
I've got to take this all
in to keep this in a memory.
1268
01:05:36,079 --> 01:05:42,213
It was a one in a lifetime
for me to be there.
1269
01:05:43,546 --> 01:05:47,846
♪ I'm going to tell,
tell my mama ♪
1270
01:05:47,846 --> 01:05:52,946
♪ Lord, I swear, oh, what
you've been doing to me ♪
1271
01:05:52,946 --> 01:05:55,913
♪ I'm going to tell everybody ♪
1272
01:05:55,913 --> 01:06:00,479
♪ That I'm down in misery ♪
1273
01:06:00,479 --> 01:06:04,579
I was a diehard Elvis fan,
even through those movies.
1274
01:06:04,579 --> 01:06:07,046
I believed in him totally.
1275
01:06:07,046 --> 01:06:08,813
It was not cool.
1276
01:06:08,813 --> 01:06:11,313
My high school friends
thought I was crazy
1277
01:06:11,313 --> 01:06:12,746
so I didn't tell anybody.
1278
01:06:12,746 --> 01:06:15,513
Nobody knew that I'm
going to go see Elvis.
1279
01:06:15,513 --> 01:06:17,379
But this was it.
1280
01:06:17,379 --> 01:06:22,113
I mean, I had waited 12
years to see Elvis in person.
1281
01:06:22,113 --> 01:06:24,313
I had no idea what
I was going to see.
1282
01:06:24,313 --> 01:06:28,713
And we got the
first "MTV Unplugged."
1283
01:06:28,713 --> 01:06:33,946
And it was astonishing to be
1284
01:06:33,946 --> 01:06:37,379
10 to 12 feet away from Elvis,
1285
01:06:37,379 --> 01:06:41,613
and the energy and the
feeling of those musicians
1286
01:06:41,613 --> 01:06:42,779
and the rawness.
1287
01:06:42,779 --> 01:06:47,646
♪ I said, bye, bye-bye baby ♪
1288
01:06:47,646 --> 01:06:53,746
♪ Girl, I won't be
coming no more ♪
1289
01:06:53,746 --> 01:06:56,879
♪ Goodbye to little darling ♪
1290
01:06:56,879 --> 01:07:00,046
♪ Down the road I go ♪
1291
01:07:09,413 --> 01:07:11,779
And he was doing the
songs that I remembered
1292
01:07:11,779 --> 01:07:13,313
and none of the movie ones
1293
01:07:13,313 --> 01:07:14,746
that were kind of interchangeable.
1294
01:07:14,746 --> 01:07:17,346
These were the songs we
remembered and had energy.
1295
01:07:17,346 --> 01:07:19,013
It was very exciting.
1296
01:07:19,013 --> 01:07:22,479
It was so--it was really
overwhelming, yeah.
1297
01:07:30,579 --> 01:07:35,713
I was seated right next
to the stage, the front row,
1298
01:07:35,713 --> 01:07:36,913
for the first take.
1299
01:07:36,913 --> 01:07:39,179
My sister was on one side.
1300
01:07:39,313 --> 01:07:41,579
If you split it, we were
looking at each other.
1301
01:07:41,579 --> 01:07:44,313
And he came and he sat down
on the edge of the stage
1302
01:07:44,313 --> 01:07:45,779
between me and my sister.
1303
01:07:48,479 --> 01:07:51,113
♪ Memories ♪
1304
01:07:51,113 --> 01:07:55,413
♪ Pressed between
the pages of my mind ♪
1305
01:07:55,413 --> 01:07:59,178
It was Elvis Presley.
I mean, he was huge.
1306
01:07:59,313 --> 01:08:03,946
As nervous as he was,
he was in his milieu.
1307
01:08:03,946 --> 01:08:05,846
♪ Just like wine ♪
1308
01:08:05,846 --> 01:08:09,313
It was truly awe.
He's right there.
1309
01:08:09,313 --> 01:08:13,313
And it was--he was very
sweaty and everything,
1310
01:08:13,313 --> 01:08:15,446
which was kinda great,
you know.
1311
01:08:15,446 --> 01:08:20,479
♪ Like golden Autumn
leaves around my feet ♪
1312
01:08:20,479 --> 01:08:23,679
♪ I touched them
and they burst apart ♪
1313
01:08:23,679 --> 01:08:30,679
♪ With sweet memories ♪
1314
01:08:30,679 --> 01:08:36,879
♪ Sweet memories ♪
1315
01:08:36,879 --> 01:08:39,779
♪ Of holding hands and
red bouquets
1316
01:08:39,779 --> 01:08:42,346
♪ And twilight trimmed
in purple haze ♪
1317
01:08:42,346 --> 01:08:46,579
♪ And laughing eyes and
supple ways, and quiet nights ♪
1318
01:08:46,579 --> 01:08:49,513
♪ And gentle days with you ♪
1319
01:08:49,513 --> 01:08:51,446
I think it's
"The Hollywood Reporter"
1320
01:08:51,446 --> 01:08:53,746
that says, "It looks as if
someone had accidentally
1321
01:08:53,746 --> 01:08:56,046
taped the rehearsal at times."
1322
01:08:56,046 --> 01:08:58,946
And there is that sense
of looseness to it, right?
1323
01:08:58,946 --> 01:09:01,746
The sense of, like, is
this the finished product?
1324
01:09:01,746 --> 01:09:03,946
And I think that was a really
smart choice that they made.
1325
01:09:03,946 --> 01:09:07,212
Instead of doing something
that felt like a spectacular,
1326
01:09:07,313 --> 01:09:09,579
a gala that they'd practiced
over and over again,
1327
01:09:09,579 --> 01:09:12,513
it did, sometimes, feel
like you were eavesdropping.
1328
01:09:12,513 --> 01:09:15,579
Without question,
it was a segment
1329
01:09:15,579 --> 01:09:17,746
that towered over every other.
1330
01:09:17,746 --> 01:09:24,313
It was the most electrifying,
animalistic rock and roll.
1331
01:09:24,313 --> 01:09:26,546
And I think it blew
everybody away.
1332
01:09:26,546 --> 01:09:29,546
Watching that in the
round and that broken down
1333
01:09:29,546 --> 01:09:33,313
really unplugged performance
is inspiring.
1334
01:09:33,313 --> 01:09:35,646
It's inspiring to see
people just sitting around
1335
01:09:35,646 --> 01:09:36,946
and playing music.
1336
01:09:36,946 --> 01:09:38,413
No production on it.
1337
01:09:38,413 --> 01:09:40,046
Just playing music,
feeling it,
1338
01:09:40,046 --> 01:09:41,613
cutting up with his buddies,
1339
01:09:41,613 --> 01:09:44,979
messing up, doing it again,
and giving it his all.
1340
01:09:49,379 --> 01:09:53,946
♪ Always lived
a very quiet life ♪
1341
01:09:53,946 --> 01:09:58,746
♪ I ain't never did no wrong ♪
1342
01:09:58,746 --> 01:10:03,112
♪ Now I know that
very fine life ♪
1343
01:10:03,112 --> 01:10:07,379
♪ Has been too lonely
too long ♪
1344
01:10:07,379 --> 01:10:09,746
I love Elvis
singing "One Night."
1345
01:10:09,746 --> 01:10:10,879
You know, he's got the
electric guitar.
1346
01:10:10,879 --> 01:10:12,479
♪ One night with you ♪
1347
01:10:12,479 --> 01:10:14,513
You know, he's just--
he's just jamming out.
1348
01:10:14,513 --> 01:10:16,946
And Elvis's rhythm was great.
1349
01:10:16,946 --> 01:10:18,513
Talk to any guitar
players in town
1350
01:10:18,513 --> 01:10:20,879
and have them watch that
video of Elvis singing that,
1351
01:10:20,879 --> 01:10:22,813
and they go, "That is cool."
1352
01:10:22,813 --> 01:10:25,078
Like, his pocket is great.
1353
01:10:25,078 --> 01:10:26,313
And that was all
Elvis's band really
1354
01:10:26,313 --> 01:10:28,479
ever did was just follow Elvis.
1355
01:10:28,479 --> 01:10:33,813
♪ One night with you,
whoo ♪
1356
01:10:33,813 --> 01:10:38,846
♪ Is what I'm now praying for ♪
1357
01:10:38,846 --> 01:10:43,413
♪ The things that we
two could plan
1358
01:10:43,413 --> 01:10:49,679
♪ Would make my dreams
come true ♪
1359
01:11:04,546 --> 01:11:08,579
I know that there was drama
because I felt it
1360
01:11:08,579 --> 01:11:12,112
coming from Steve because
he was normally
1361
01:11:12,112 --> 01:11:16,379
in charge and the person
making the right decision.
1362
01:11:16,379 --> 01:11:19,379
Or if it wasn't right, he
would say, "Eh, try it again."
1363
01:11:19,379 --> 01:11:21,913
And you knew he was
gonna fix it.
1364
01:11:21,913 --> 01:11:25,913
And I don't think that he was
free to make every decision
1365
01:11:25,913 --> 01:11:29,178
on his own on that special.
1366
01:11:29,313 --> 01:11:32,513
The Colonel was the enemy.
1367
01:11:32,513 --> 01:11:34,078
He was a bully.
1368
01:11:34,078 --> 01:11:35,613
He was dishonest.
1369
01:11:35,613 --> 01:11:37,579
I could tell you
a lot of stories.
1370
01:11:37,579 --> 01:11:40,413
We insisted that
if I produced and directed
1371
01:11:40,413 --> 01:11:44,313
the television special,
I would be paid royalties
1372
01:11:44,313 --> 01:11:49,145
if a soundtrack album of the
special was ever released.
1373
01:11:49,145 --> 01:11:51,746
The Colonel blew his stack.
1374
01:11:51,746 --> 01:11:54,346
He calls me at home
and he says,
1375
01:11:54,346 --> 01:11:56,212
"Steve, you have nothing
to worry about.
1376
01:11:56,313 --> 01:11:57,813
"I give you my word.
1377
01:11:57,813 --> 01:12:00,679
"There's never going to be
a soundtrack album
1378
01:12:00,679 --> 01:12:03,579
so you can go ahead
and do the TV."
1379
01:12:03,579 --> 01:12:07,613
Which I did, like a fool,
and didn't get it in writing.
1380
01:12:07,613 --> 01:12:10,813
The next thing I know, not
only did the album come out,
1381
01:12:10,813 --> 01:12:12,679
but he made the deal with RCA
1382
01:12:12,679 --> 01:12:15,379
before he made
the phone call to me.
1383
01:12:15,379 --> 01:12:19,112
I mean, he loved doing
things like that.
1384
01:12:19,112 --> 01:12:21,413
I didn't know
anything about him.
1385
01:12:21,413 --> 01:12:22,813
Nothing.
1386
01:12:22,813 --> 01:12:25,313
But when I met him
and said hello to him,
1387
01:12:25,313 --> 01:12:27,346
I had this chill.
1388
01:12:27,346 --> 01:12:29,145
I didn't care for him.
1389
01:12:29,145 --> 01:12:30,879
I did not like him.
1390
01:12:30,879 --> 01:12:32,513
I didn't know why.
1391
01:12:32,513 --> 01:12:35,379
Later, I figured it out.
1392
01:12:35,379 --> 01:12:38,746
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Colonel.
1393
01:12:38,746 --> 01:12:41,145
I always say, it's
nice to be important,
1394
01:12:41,145 --> 01:12:43,078
but it's more important
to be nice.
1395
01:12:43,078 --> 01:12:45,679
And that's the way
I like to live my life.
1396
01:12:45,679 --> 01:12:49,546
And he did not have that
philosophy, the Colonel.
1397
01:12:49,546 --> 01:12:51,746
Did not have that.
1398
01:12:53,446 --> 01:12:56,145
The Colonel constantly
throughout the production
1399
01:12:56,145 --> 01:12:58,878
kept asking where his
Christmas songs were.
1400
01:12:58,878 --> 01:13:00,579
One day, he was furious,
1401
01:13:00,579 --> 01:13:03,313
and he called Elvis and I
off the set
1402
01:13:03,313 --> 01:13:04,945
to come to his office.
1403
01:13:04,945 --> 01:13:08,479
His office incidentally,
he was offered the Dean Martin
1404
01:13:08,479 --> 01:13:11,413
dressing room, but he turned
it down in favor
1405
01:13:11,413 --> 01:13:14,413
of a broom closet
next to Stage 4.
1406
01:13:14,413 --> 01:13:17,579
And had
two William Morris agents
1407
01:13:17,579 --> 01:13:21,112
dressed as soldiers
standing guard
1408
01:13:21,112 --> 01:13:23,012
in front
of his little doorway.
1409
01:13:23,012 --> 01:13:24,446
So we walk in there.
1410
01:13:24,446 --> 01:13:26,346
The Colonel's sitting
behind this little desk
1411
01:13:26,346 --> 01:13:27,746
looking ridiculous.
1412
01:13:27,746 --> 01:13:31,346
Elvis is standing there
with his head bowed.
1413
01:13:31,346 --> 01:13:34,713
Colonel spoke directly
at me and he said, "Bindle,
1414
01:13:34,713 --> 01:13:36,813
"it's been called
to my attention
1415
01:13:36,813 --> 01:13:40,446
"that there are no Christmas
songs in the show.
1416
01:13:40,446 --> 01:13:43,713
"Elvis wants a Christmas
song in the show.
1417
01:13:43,713 --> 01:13:45,313
Right, Elvis?"
1418
01:13:45,313 --> 01:13:47,679
And Elvis sort of
mutters, "Yes, sir."
1419
01:13:47,679 --> 01:13:49,845
And I said,
"Elvis, if you want
1420
01:13:49,845 --> 01:13:51,313
a Christmas song in the show,
1421
01:13:51,313 --> 01:13:53,112
all you have to do
is tell me."
1422
01:13:53,112 --> 01:13:54,746
The Colonel
then interrupts and says,
1423
01:13:54,746 --> 01:13:57,579
"So it's understood
from this moment on,
1424
01:13:57,579 --> 01:14:01,112
'you will put a Christmas
song in the show.
1425
01:14:01,112 --> 01:14:03,978
"OK, boys, you can
go back to the stage now
1426
01:14:03,978 --> 01:14:06,346
and go back to work."
1427
01:14:06,346 --> 01:14:08,945
We walk out the door,
we turn left,
1428
01:14:08,945 --> 01:14:10,912
no sooner do we
turn the corner,
1429
01:14:10,912 --> 01:14:16,446
Elvis jabs me hard in my
ribs and says, "Fuck him."
1430
01:14:16,446 --> 01:14:18,313
And that was the end of that.
1431
01:14:20,045 --> 01:14:23,346
After that, Bob Finkel,
my executive producer,
1432
01:14:23,346 --> 01:14:26,313
did an incredible job
of keeping Colonel Parker
1433
01:14:26,313 --> 01:14:28,513
out of my hair and I was free
1434
01:14:28,513 --> 01:14:31,812
to work with Elvis
one-on-one.
1435
01:14:31,812 --> 01:14:34,112
Colonel didn't give
a damn about Elvis Presley.
1436
01:14:34,112 --> 01:14:38,579
He didn't give a damn about
anything but winning.
1437
01:14:38,579 --> 01:14:40,812
As far as I'm concerned,
by this time,
1438
01:14:40,812 --> 01:14:43,346
I had known him
a little bit and I knew,
1439
01:14:43,346 --> 01:14:47,446
it never was about art
or the music or integrity.
1440
01:14:47,446 --> 01:14:49,812
He had to be the power guy.
1441
01:14:49,812 --> 01:14:53,778
Even when he realized he was
losing battle after battle,
1442
01:14:53,778 --> 01:14:58,679
it was all about
he had to have the final word.
1443
01:14:58,679 --> 01:15:04,313
The Colonel was a master
con man, in my opinion.
1444
01:15:16,479 --> 01:15:18,912
When we started
the Presley project,
1445
01:15:18,912 --> 01:15:21,978
all the pre-production
was done at my offices
1446
01:15:21,978 --> 01:15:23,479
on the Sunset Strip.
1447
01:15:23,479 --> 01:15:25,546
At 4:00 in the afternoon
we started.
1448
01:15:25,546 --> 01:15:27,413
That's when Elvis
would arrive.
1449
01:15:27,413 --> 01:15:31,346
And we'd work sometimes
until midnight or 1:00 a.m.
1450
01:15:34,778 --> 01:15:38,712
This particular night,
we heard this strange
1451
01:15:38,712 --> 01:15:41,912
screaming reaction
from the other room.
1452
01:15:41,912 --> 01:15:46,112
We all stormed in to see
what the commotion was about.
1453
01:15:46,112 --> 01:15:48,479
And it was live on television,
1454
01:15:48,479 --> 01:15:51,845
the assassination
of Robert Kennedy.
1455
01:15:55,012 --> 01:15:58,546
We watched it in horror.
1456
01:15:58,546 --> 01:16:03,912
I think Elvis, as the rest
of us were, all in shock.
1457
01:16:03,912 --> 01:16:08,812
And we spent until almost the
next morning talking about,
1458
01:16:08,812 --> 01:16:11,513
what the hell is going
on in our country?
1459
01:16:19,313 --> 01:16:22,546
I shall not seek
1460
01:16:22,546 --> 01:16:25,446
and I will not accept
1461
01:16:25,446 --> 01:16:27,313
the nomination of my party
1462
01:16:27,313 --> 01:16:29,646
for another term
as your president.
1463
01:16:38,513 --> 01:16:42,112
1968 is the tumultuous
year in American history.
1464
01:16:42,112 --> 01:16:45,945
It begins with the Tet
Offensive in Vietnam
1465
01:16:45,945 --> 01:16:48,878
meaning, there is no light
at the end of the tunnel.
1466
01:16:48,878 --> 01:16:52,313
We're stuck in Vietnam.
It's a quagmire.
1467
01:16:52,313 --> 01:16:55,313
Lyndon Johnson has to throw his
hands up in the air and say,
1468
01:16:55,313 --> 01:16:57,178
I'm not running
for reelection.
1469
01:16:57,313 --> 01:16:59,112
That's unusual
for a president,
1470
01:16:59,112 --> 01:17:02,978
but Vietnam had him in a hole.
1471
01:17:02,978 --> 01:17:07,313
And then add to that, the
killing in April of Dr. King
1472
01:17:07,313 --> 01:17:09,613
and then in June
of Bobby Kennedy,
1473
01:17:09,613 --> 01:17:11,145
bloodshed in the streets.
1474
01:17:11,145 --> 01:17:13,645
I mean, when Martin Luther
King Jr. was killed,
1475
01:17:13,645 --> 01:17:16,645
there were riots in over
100 cities in America.
1476
01:17:16,645 --> 01:17:21,145
People forget just, what
a tinderbox the country was.
1477
01:17:21,145 --> 01:17:24,778
♪ Better run
through the jungle ♪
1478
01:17:24,778 --> 01:17:26,145
♪ Better run through ♪
1479
01:17:26,145 --> 01:17:28,178
And then you cut
to the summer of '68
1480
01:17:28,313 --> 01:17:31,645
and you had the
Chicago Democratic Convention.
1481
01:17:31,645 --> 01:17:34,678
Holy hell breaks out.
1482
01:17:34,678 --> 01:17:40,778
Mayor Daley's police with
dogs and clubs and tear gas.
1483
01:17:40,778 --> 01:17:44,313
The Democrats produce Hubert
Humphrey, the vice president,
1484
01:17:44,313 --> 01:17:47,112
who had been perpetrating
the war in Vietnam,
1485
01:17:47,112 --> 01:17:49,078
as their nominee.
1486
01:17:49,078 --> 01:17:53,413
And then George Wallace is
running a third-party movement
1487
01:17:53,413 --> 01:17:56,413
all on racism and bigotry.
1488
01:17:56,413 --> 01:17:59,012
And then that Nixon,
of all people,
1489
01:17:59,012 --> 01:18:02,479
is now becoming the face
of how to heal the nation.
1490
01:18:02,479 --> 01:18:07,978
It became a bloody, ugly,
sad year in American history.
1491
01:18:07,978 --> 01:18:14,178
♪ Better run
through the jungle ♪
1492
01:18:14,313 --> 01:18:17,379
♪ Whoa, don't
look back to see ♪
1493
01:18:19,878 --> 01:18:22,313
We have speed.
Quiet, please.
1494
01:18:23,513 --> 01:18:24,978
OK, here we go.
1495
01:18:24,978 --> 01:18:27,745
5-13.
1496
01:18:27,745 --> 01:18:29,945
In addition to
the two sequences
1497
01:18:29,945 --> 01:18:31,845
shot in front of
a live audience,
1498
01:18:31,845 --> 01:18:34,513
we had several big
production numbers.
1499
01:18:34,513 --> 01:18:36,745
Each highlighting
a different aspect
1500
01:18:36,745 --> 01:18:39,678
of Elvis's musical journey.
1501
01:18:39,678 --> 01:18:42,778
In one of these, Elvis
as a young guitar man
1502
01:18:42,778 --> 01:18:45,912
hits the road to seek
his fame and fortune.
1503
01:18:45,912 --> 01:18:49,878
There was also a scene
set at an amusement park
1504
01:18:49,878 --> 01:18:54,745
that allowed Elvis to show
off his martial arts skills.
1505
01:18:54,745 --> 01:18:58,078
Another was a gospel segment
in which Elvis displayed
1506
01:18:58,078 --> 01:19:01,878
his spiritual side backed by
The Blossoms
1507
01:19:01,878 --> 01:19:03,878
and The Claude Thompson Dancers.
1508
01:19:07,778 --> 01:19:12,512
♪ Living below ♪
1509
01:19:12,512 --> 01:19:17,645
♪ In this old, sinful world ♪
1510
01:19:17,645 --> 01:19:23,912
♪ Hardly a comfort can afford ♪
1511
01:19:27,413 --> 01:19:31,778
♪ Striving alone ♪
1512
01:19:31,778 --> 01:19:35,912
♪ To face temptation so ♪
1513
01:19:35,912 --> 01:19:40,379
♪ Won't you tell me,
where could I go ♪
1514
01:19:40,379 --> 01:19:44,012
♪ But to the Lord ♪
1515
01:19:44,012 --> 01:19:46,745
When he does that song,
that's a gospel performance.
1516
01:19:46,745 --> 01:19:49,313
You could hear church.
1517
01:19:49,313 --> 01:19:51,413
And not just a church,
you could hear Black church.
1518
01:19:51,413 --> 01:19:54,878
The way he emotes
and the way he just,
1519
01:19:54,878 --> 01:19:58,413
delivers it and gives
it all from the soul.
1520
01:19:58,413 --> 01:19:59,945
You know that Elvis used to
1521
01:19:59,945 --> 01:20:01,413
sit outside
some Black churches
1522
01:20:01,413 --> 01:20:04,745
and just be mesmerized
by what was going on.
1523
01:20:04,745 --> 01:20:06,778
He's constantly thinking,
"I wanna sound like that,"
1524
01:20:06,778 --> 01:20:08,145
and that's a beautiful thing.
1525
01:20:08,145 --> 01:20:14,279
♪ Where could I go
but to the Lord ♪
1526
01:20:14,279 --> 01:20:19,112
♪ Now, won't you tell me
where could I go ♪
1527
01:20:19,112 --> 01:20:23,279
♪ But to the Lord ♪
1528
01:20:23,279 --> 01:20:24,878
When we look at
the "Comeback Special"
1529
01:20:24,878 --> 01:20:27,279
and you're seeing Black
dancers, white dancers,
1530
01:20:27,279 --> 01:20:29,413
and Black musicians
and white musicians,
1531
01:20:29,413 --> 01:20:32,778
obviously, that does
not seem shocking to us today,
1532
01:20:32,778 --> 01:20:36,145
but at the time, that was more
unusual to see on screen.
1533
01:20:36,145 --> 01:20:42,545
Integration on television
was not fully realized.
1534
01:20:42,545 --> 01:20:45,745
And Steve Binder, to me,
in my opinion,
1535
01:20:45,745 --> 01:20:48,512
whether it started at
the "T.A.M.I Show" in '64
1536
01:20:48,512 --> 01:20:53,878
or the NAACP Special and then
the "'68 Comeback Special,"
1537
01:20:53,878 --> 01:20:56,212
obviously, I think
that Steve Binder
1538
01:20:56,212 --> 01:20:58,812
sees the world as one color.
1539
01:20:58,812 --> 01:21:03,112
He really pushed the
envelope in those days.
1540
01:21:03,112 --> 01:21:08,578
And Elvis had such a
background from his upbringing
1541
01:21:08,578 --> 01:21:12,045
of soulful music and had
such an influence
1542
01:21:12,045 --> 01:21:15,112
from African-American
musicians.
1543
01:21:15,112 --> 01:21:19,045
And I think that was
a part of Elvis' music
1544
01:21:19,045 --> 01:21:21,512
that was so
important to capture,
1545
01:21:21,512 --> 01:21:23,112
and Steve saw that.
1546
01:21:23,112 --> 01:21:26,346
♪ I used to smoke, drink,
and dance the hoochy-coo ♪
1547
01:21:26,346 --> 01:21:29,445
♪ I used to smoke and
drink, smoke and drink ♪
1548
01:21:29,445 --> 01:21:31,178
♪ And dance the hoochy-coo ♪
1549
01:21:31,313 --> 01:21:32,912
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
1550
01:21:32,912 --> 01:21:34,978
♪ Now I'm standing
on this corner ♪
1551
01:21:34,978 --> 01:21:37,845
♪ Praying for me and you ♪
1552
01:21:37,845 --> 01:21:41,678
One of the things that
marks Elvis's contemporary
1553
01:21:41,678 --> 01:21:43,345
is his ear for this stuff,
1554
01:21:43,345 --> 01:21:46,878
is that he understood that yes,
I'm a rock and roll singer,
1555
01:21:46,878 --> 01:21:48,878
but I have a debt
to country music,
1556
01:21:48,878 --> 01:21:50,812
I have a debt to
rhythm and blues,
1557
01:21:50,812 --> 01:21:52,678
I have a debt to gospel music.
1558
01:21:52,678 --> 01:21:55,313
And so, I suspect
to some people
1559
01:21:55,313 --> 01:21:58,078
who had maybe slotted him
as a certain kind of person,
1560
01:21:58,078 --> 01:22:00,912
a guy who makes silly teen
movies in the '60s
1561
01:22:00,912 --> 01:22:03,178
or a guy who made
those hits in the '50s,
1562
01:22:03,313 --> 01:22:07,012
to realize that his music is
in dialogue with gospel music,
1563
01:22:07,012 --> 01:22:10,012
that he is in tune with
this American roots music
1564
01:22:10,012 --> 01:22:11,712
because it's the time
when lots of groups
1565
01:22:11,712 --> 01:22:15,178
are rediscovering
rootsy American music.
1566
01:22:15,312 --> 01:22:18,645
♪ People let me tell
you about kingdom come ♪
1567
01:22:18,645 --> 01:22:21,945
♪ I'm saved,
I'm saved ♪
1568
01:22:21,945 --> 01:22:25,512
♪ Well, I can preach until
you're deaf and dumb ♪
1569
01:22:25,512 --> 01:22:28,478
♪ I'm saved,
I'm saved ♪
1570
01:22:28,478 --> 01:22:30,112
♪ I'm saved ♪
1571
01:22:31,212 --> 01:22:32,978
And of course,
there was
1572
01:22:32,978 --> 01:22:35,878
the notorious
bordello sequence.
1573
01:22:35,878 --> 01:22:38,078
♪ Oh, baby,
I'm gonna teach you ♪
1574
01:22:38,078 --> 01:22:42,745
♪ What love's all about
tonight ♪
1575
01:22:42,745 --> 01:22:46,978
Yes, I remember it
like it was yesterday.
1576
01:22:46,978 --> 01:22:49,178
It was very racy for 1968.
1577
01:22:49,312 --> 01:22:52,945
And I remember showing
midriff and showing
1578
01:22:52,945 --> 01:22:56,812
body parts that probably,
TV wasn't real ready for.
1579
01:22:56,812 --> 01:22:57,878
♪ Enjoy yourself ♪
1580
01:22:57,878 --> 01:23:01,178
♪ And baby, don't fight ♪
1581
01:23:01,312 --> 01:23:04,012
And the dancing
was very sexy.
1582
01:23:04,012 --> 01:23:06,178
It was very stylized.
1583
01:23:06,312 --> 01:23:09,478
That was an incredibly
fabulous number.
1584
01:23:09,478 --> 01:23:11,512
Beautifully shot
and choreographed.
1585
01:23:11,512 --> 01:23:16,645
Elvis always brought kind
of a profound earthly manner
1586
01:23:16,645 --> 01:23:18,678
to his motion.
1587
01:23:18,678 --> 01:23:20,778
He moves fantastically.
1588
01:23:20,778 --> 01:23:22,812
He'd never say no to anything.
1589
01:23:22,812 --> 01:23:24,212
"Let me try it."
1590
01:23:24,312 --> 01:23:28,445
And he was so mild
and easygoing.
1591
01:23:28,445 --> 01:23:32,078
One moment that was funny,
the bordello scene,
1592
01:23:32,078 --> 01:23:34,012
and I got a really
fine collection
1593
01:23:34,012 --> 01:23:37,312
of lovely, lovely fantastic
ladies, really talented.
1594
01:23:37,312 --> 01:23:39,645
And he said, "Jamie?"
1595
01:23:39,645 --> 01:23:41,178
I said, "Yes?"
1596
01:23:41,312 --> 01:23:43,845
He said, "Oh,
These girls are too good.
1597
01:23:43,845 --> 01:23:46,478
I'm getting excited."
1598
01:23:46,478 --> 01:23:49,912
♪ You'll be ready for
the grand finale ♪
1599
01:23:49,912 --> 01:23:52,478
♪ So come on baby, let's go ♪
1600
01:23:52,478 --> 01:23:56,045
♪ Let's go, let's go,
let's go, let's go ♪
1601
01:23:56,045 --> 01:23:58,845
Well, I was a virgin hooker.
1602
01:23:58,845 --> 01:24:01,478
I kinda take pride in that.
1603
01:24:01,478 --> 01:24:05,078
That was my part that
I had interviewed for.
1604
01:24:05,078 --> 01:24:08,912
All right, places everyone.
1605
01:24:08,912 --> 01:24:10,378
I walked into rehearsal.
1606
01:24:10,378 --> 01:24:12,978
We were to prepare how
we were going to dance.
1607
01:24:12,978 --> 01:24:15,678
And he was standing
in his jeans.
1608
01:24:15,678 --> 01:24:17,678
And it was, I mean,
it was too tempting.
1609
01:24:17,678 --> 01:24:20,078
I hadn't seen him
for a couple of months.
1610
01:24:20,078 --> 01:24:23,112
So I just kind of tiptoed up.
1611
01:24:23,112 --> 01:24:24,645
Ready here.
1612
01:24:24,645 --> 01:24:25,745
Give it a minute.
1613
01:24:25,745 --> 01:24:27,178
All right, Elvis is ready.
1614
01:24:27,312 --> 01:24:28,512
Okay, roll.
1615
01:24:28,512 --> 01:24:31,045
It wasn't work.
NBC was paying me,
1616
01:24:31,045 --> 01:24:33,612
but I think
it was apparent to everybody
1617
01:24:33,612 --> 01:24:36,478
that we, very much,
enjoyed what we were doing.
1618
01:24:36,478 --> 01:24:40,512
And we had fun dancing and
practicing and being silly.
1619
01:24:40,512 --> 01:24:42,745
That last one was a 19.
1620
01:24:42,745 --> 01:24:44,512
Just pick it up from there.
1621
01:24:44,512 --> 01:24:46,012
Standby.
Here we go.
1622
01:24:46,012 --> 01:24:47,845
Let's just take one second.
1623
01:24:47,845 --> 01:24:49,177
I'm going to try something
different on the opening
1624
01:24:49,312 --> 01:24:50,378
of Susan's face.
1625
01:24:51,912 --> 01:24:54,978
Steve was one of the best
directors I've ever had.
1626
01:24:54,978 --> 01:24:58,112
He definitely was in
control of everything.
1627
01:24:58,112 --> 01:24:59,912
But he allowed
that free liberty
1628
01:24:59,912 --> 01:25:02,745
for us to express ourselves.
1629
01:25:02,745 --> 01:25:04,045
It was just natural.
1630
01:25:04,045 --> 01:25:05,478
And I think
allowing Elvis and I
1631
01:25:05,478 --> 01:25:08,078
to be natural and
play how we did,
1632
01:25:08,078 --> 01:25:11,312
it brought out more in us.
1633
01:25:11,312 --> 01:25:13,645
Thank you, Elvis.
See you tomorrow.
1634
01:25:14,812 --> 01:25:15,712
Okay, let's do
the dance segment.
1635
01:25:15,712 --> 01:25:18,978
Five, please.
1636
01:25:18,978 --> 01:25:25,312
When there is a chemistry,
he was very sensuous,
1637
01:25:25,312 --> 01:25:29,712
very masculine, and it elicited
the femininity and the flirt
1638
01:25:29,712 --> 01:25:32,345
and the coy
and the tease in me.
1639
01:25:32,345 --> 01:25:35,111
And I think we played
off each other.
1640
01:25:35,111 --> 01:25:37,478
♪ Now take a real
deep breath and put ♪
1641
01:25:37,478 --> 01:25:41,144
♪ Your red lips on mine ♪
1642
01:25:43,177 --> 01:25:46,545
♪ Do like I tell you,
everything's gonna ♪
1643
01:25:46,545 --> 01:25:50,612
♪ Be just fine, oh, yeah ♪
1644
01:25:50,612 --> 01:25:54,345
♪ Just kiss me nice and
easy, take your time ♪
1645
01:25:54,345 --> 01:25:57,978
♪ Because baby, I'm the
only one here in line ♪
1646
01:25:57,978 --> 01:26:03,012
♪ All you gotta do it
just let yourself go ♪
1647
01:26:03,012 --> 01:26:05,712
Ultimately,
that sequence proved
1648
01:26:05,712 --> 01:26:09,945
too risqué for
the network and the sponsor.
1649
01:26:09,945 --> 01:26:12,144
Although, I fought
tooth and nail,
1650
01:26:12,144 --> 01:26:15,478
they made the decision
to cut it out of the show.
1651
01:26:19,012 --> 01:26:21,378
Through a strange
set of circumstances,
1652
01:26:21,378 --> 01:26:24,645
it appeared in the
special nine years later
1653
01:26:24,645 --> 01:26:28,077
when it was rebroadcast
after Elvis' death,
1654
01:26:28,077 --> 01:26:30,678
and it's been there
ever since.
1655
01:26:30,678 --> 01:26:33,111
921.
1656
01:26:33,111 --> 01:26:38,545
♪ My daddy was a
green-eyed mountain jack ♪
1657
01:26:38,545 --> 01:26:40,312
♪ Because I'm evil ♪
1658
01:26:44,778 --> 01:26:47,678
Whoo!
Run out of breath.
1659
01:26:47,678 --> 01:26:49,211
Huh?
1660
01:26:49,312 --> 01:26:51,312
Elvis was such a prankster.
1661
01:26:51,312 --> 01:26:54,111
He did not just rehearse.
1662
01:26:54,111 --> 01:26:55,812
He would, like,
do funny things.
1663
01:26:55,812 --> 01:26:59,612
And some of it was just
so off the cuff.
1664
01:26:59,612 --> 01:27:01,612
That's 922.
1665
01:27:01,612 --> 01:27:03,678
Plus tax.
1666
01:27:05,578 --> 01:27:07,177
Watch my clacker here.
1667
01:27:07,312 --> 01:27:09,077
You watch my clacker there.
1668
01:27:09,077 --> 01:27:11,111
That's 927.
1669
01:27:14,312 --> 01:27:16,345
His eyes
would give him away.
1670
01:27:16,345 --> 01:27:19,345
I just knew, OK,
he's gonna be silly.
1671
01:27:19,345 --> 01:27:23,144
And he just had that look
that could just
1672
01:27:23,144 --> 01:27:26,211
really melt you
and make you laugh.
1673
01:27:26,312 --> 01:27:27,778
Steve, you wanna
do the other thing?
1674
01:27:27,778 --> 01:27:28,978
"Trouble" again?
1675
01:27:28,978 --> 01:27:30,044
- One second.
- Well, I don't.
1676
01:27:30,044 --> 01:27:31,312
I'll see you tomorrow.
1677
01:27:32,445 --> 01:27:34,144
OK, are you ready?
1678
01:27:34,144 --> 01:27:35,745
No, but we'll try it anyway.
1679
01:27:37,044 --> 01:27:39,512
Let's get it.
Let's rock and roll.
1680
01:27:39,512 --> 01:27:41,412
Well, I'm gonna have
to do it sooner or later
1681
01:27:41,412 --> 01:27:43,545
so I might as well
get on with it, baby.
1682
01:27:43,545 --> 01:27:45,177
Let's go.
1683
01:27:55,845 --> 01:27:58,678
Better on with it, again.
I missed it that time.
1684
01:27:58,678 --> 01:28:01,211
The most successful part
of the "Comeback Special,"
1685
01:28:01,312 --> 01:28:03,545
I think, though,
is the arena segment
1686
01:28:03,545 --> 01:28:07,345
where Elvis is out in
that same seductive suit
1687
01:28:07,345 --> 01:28:10,044
prowling around the stage and
singing a medley of his hits.
1688
01:28:10,044 --> 01:28:12,011
That's gold.
1689
01:28:13,812 --> 01:28:15,177
♪ Uh, I'm all shook up ♪
1690
01:28:15,312 --> 01:28:17,812
♪ Ohh, uhh ♪
1691
01:28:17,812 --> 01:28:20,445
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
1692
01:28:20,445 --> 01:28:23,545
♪ Well, a-bless my soul,
what's wrong with me ♪
1693
01:28:23,545 --> 01:28:26,144
♪ 'I'm itching like
a man on a fuzzy tree ♪
1694
01:28:26,144 --> 01:28:28,912
♪ My friends say I'm
acting wild as a bug ♪
1695
01:28:28,912 --> 01:28:30,077
♪ I'm in love
uh-uh ♪
1696
01:28:30,077 --> 01:28:31,044
♪ I'm all shook up ♪
1697
01:28:31,044 --> 01:28:33,645
♪ Ohh, uhh ♪
1698
01:28:33,645 --> 01:28:35,312
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
1699
01:28:35,312 --> 01:28:39,011
Elvis was absolutely
electric when he was on stage.
1700
01:28:39,011 --> 01:28:41,944
And I think he had
a lot of that built up
1701
01:28:41,944 --> 01:28:43,478
for the "'68 Comeback Special."
1702
01:28:43,478 --> 01:28:47,944
I mean, you saw this guy
who was like a caged tiger
1703
01:28:47,944 --> 01:28:49,878
just ready to pounce, right?
1704
01:28:49,878 --> 01:28:52,177
There's something touching,
there's something sweet
1705
01:28:52,312 --> 01:28:55,845
about seeing someone
who is such a big star
1706
01:28:55,845 --> 01:28:57,578
who's also working that hard.
1707
01:28:57,578 --> 01:29:00,144
♪ I met a girl
that I love so ♪
1708
01:29:00,312 --> 01:29:02,545
♪ My heart beats so it
scares me to death ♪
1709
01:29:02,545 --> 01:29:05,345
♪ When she touched my hand,
what a chill I got ♪
1710
01:29:05,345 --> 01:29:07,878
♪ Her lips are like
a volcano that's hot ♪
1711
01:29:07,878 --> 01:29:10,378
♪ I'm proud to say
she's my buttercup ♪
1712
01:29:10,378 --> 01:29:11,878
♪ I'm in love
ah-ooh-uhh ♪
1713
01:29:11,878 --> 01:29:12,845
♪ I'm all shook up ♪
1714
01:29:12,845 --> 01:29:15,312
♪ Ohh, uhh ♪
1715
01:29:15,312 --> 01:29:18,512
♪ Yeah, yeah,
I'm all shook up ♪
1716
01:29:18,512 --> 01:29:22,478
♪ Ohh, uhh ♪
1717
01:29:22,478 --> 01:29:23,545
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- * I'm all shook up ♪
1718
01:29:23,545 --> 01:29:25,312
Ah!
1719
01:29:25,312 --> 01:29:27,378
What's interesting about the
songs that they have him do
1720
01:29:27,378 --> 01:29:30,211
in both the sit down and stand
up shows is they are
1721
01:29:30,312 --> 01:29:32,312
mostly songs from the '50s.
1722
01:29:32,312 --> 01:29:35,512
I mean, the '50s versions
are great,
1723
01:29:35,512 --> 01:29:37,345
but he's matured.
1724
01:29:37,345 --> 01:29:39,745
I mean, well, obviously,
he's 10 years older.
1725
01:29:39,745 --> 01:29:42,011
But he's also
developed as a singer
1726
01:29:42,011 --> 01:29:44,911
and it's a much
more powerful voice.
1727
01:29:44,911 --> 01:29:47,312
♪ The warden threw
a party in the county jail ♪
1728
01:29:47,312 --> 01:29:50,345
♪ The prison band was there
they began to wail ♪
1729
01:29:50,345 --> 01:29:52,378
♪ The band was jumping and
the joint began to swing ♪
1730
01:29:52,378 --> 01:29:54,977
♪ Should have heard them
knocked out jailbirds sing ♪
1731
01:29:54,977 --> 01:29:56,678
♪ Let's rock ♪
1732
01:29:56,678 --> 01:29:59,977
♪ Everybody, let's rock ♪
1733
01:29:59,977 --> 01:30:02,244
♪ Everybody in the whole
cell block
1734
01:30:02,244 --> 01:30:04,378
♪ Was dancing
to the Jailhouse Rock ♪
1735
01:30:04,378 --> 01:30:08,011
He didn't update them
by making them psychedelic
1736
01:30:08,011 --> 01:30:09,478
or whatever
the current trend was,
1737
01:30:09,478 --> 01:30:11,345
but he did reinvigorate them.
1738
01:30:11,345 --> 01:30:13,345
So they sound vital
and contemporary,
1739
01:30:13,345 --> 01:30:16,244
and they don't sound like
he's just doing oldies.
1740
01:30:16,244 --> 01:30:19,678
Those songs have to be
interpreted the right way
1741
01:30:19,678 --> 01:30:22,678
and played the right way
in order to get that energy
1742
01:30:22,678 --> 01:30:25,177
and that feeling across.
1743
01:30:25,177 --> 01:30:29,312
Every song, it was
just, like, a marriage.
1744
01:30:29,312 --> 01:30:34,044
It was so perfect
together within one.
1745
01:30:34,044 --> 01:30:37,645
And he executed it
the right perfectly.
1746
01:30:37,645 --> 01:30:40,111
♪ Come on and do the
Jailhouse Rock with me ♪
1747
01:30:40,111 --> 01:30:41,977
♪ Let's rock ♪
1748
01:30:41,977 --> 01:30:45,211
♪ Everybody, let's rock ♪
1749
01:30:45,211 --> 01:30:47,545
♪ Everybody in the whole
cell block
1750
01:30:47,545 --> 01:30:50,011
♪ Was dancing
to the Jailhouse Rock ♪
1751
01:30:50,011 --> 01:30:51,745
♪ Shifty Henry said to Bugs ♪
1752
01:30:51,745 --> 01:30:53,645
♪ "For heaven's sake's,
no one's looking ♪
1753
01:30:53,645 --> 01:30:55,578
♪ Now's the chance
to make a break" ♪
1754
01:30:55,578 --> 01:30:58,211
♪ Bugsy turned to Shifty
and he said, "Nix, nix ♪
1755
01:30:58,211 --> 01:31:00,678
♪ I want to stick around
I want to get my kicks" ♪
1756
01:31:00,678 --> 01:31:02,077
♪ Let's rock ♪
1757
01:31:02,077 --> 01:31:05,345
♪ Everybody, let's rock ♪
1758
01:31:05,345 --> 01:31:07,645
♪ Everybody in the whole
cell block ♪
1759
01:31:07,645 --> 01:31:10,678
♪ Was dancing
to the Jailhouse Rock ♪
1760
01:31:10,678 --> 01:31:13,077
♪ Dancing to
the Jailhouse Rock ♪
1761
01:31:13,077 --> 01:31:17,944
♪ Dancing to the
Jailhouse Rock ♪
1762
01:31:17,944 --> 01:31:20,712
♪ They were dancing rock ♪
1763
01:31:20,712 --> 01:31:25,844
♪ They were dancing to
the Jailhouse Rock ♪
1764
01:31:25,844 --> 01:31:28,378
♪ Ahh ♪
1765
01:31:28,378 --> 01:31:31,044
All right.
1766
01:31:31,044 --> 01:31:32,944
Elvis has such a humble
nature about him,
1767
01:31:32,944 --> 01:31:37,211
an innate humbleness to him,
that you don't watch him
1768
01:31:37,312 --> 01:31:38,745
and go, "This guy is cocky."
1769
01:31:38,745 --> 01:31:42,378
You go, "This guy's having the
time of his life on stage,
1770
01:31:42,378 --> 01:31:45,911
and so is everybody
in the audience."
1771
01:31:45,911 --> 01:31:49,977
♪ Love me tender ♪
1772
01:31:49,977 --> 01:31:52,612
♪ Love me true ♪
1773
01:31:52,612 --> 01:31:58,345
♪ All my dreams fulfilled ♪
1774
01:31:58,345 --> 01:32:04,977
♪ For my darling,
I love you ♪
1775
01:32:04,977 --> 01:32:09,678
♪ And I always will ♪
1776
01:32:24,777 --> 01:32:26,645
Thank you.
1777
01:32:34,345 --> 01:32:37,777
After I finished the edits
and delivered the show to NBC,
1778
01:32:37,777 --> 01:32:40,678
the Colonel went to Tom
Sarnoff, the head of NBC
1779
01:32:40,678 --> 01:32:42,811
at the time, and said,
"I'm not allowing you
1780
01:32:42,811 --> 01:32:45,345
"to air this
special until there's
1781
01:32:45,345 --> 01:32:46,977
a Christmas song in it."
1782
01:32:46,977 --> 01:32:51,312
So I'm ordered to get over
to NBC and explain to them,
1783
01:32:51,312 --> 01:32:53,211
why I don't have
a Christmas song.
1784
01:32:53,312 --> 01:32:54,844
I walk into the office.
1785
01:32:54,844 --> 01:32:56,744
There's all the
executives sitting there,
1786
01:32:56,744 --> 01:32:59,312
and there's the Colonel
leaning on his cane.
1787
01:32:59,312 --> 01:33:01,811
His eyeballs are on me.
1788
01:33:01,811 --> 01:33:03,877
So it was really a case
of where I'm sitting there
1789
01:33:03,877 --> 01:33:07,111
inside panicked, and all
of a sudden, I remembered,
1790
01:33:07,111 --> 01:33:08,345
wait a minute.
1791
01:33:08,345 --> 01:33:09,677
When Elvis did the improv,
1792
01:33:09,677 --> 01:33:12,312
I think he sang
"Blue Christmas."
1793
01:33:12,312 --> 01:33:19,077
♪ I'll have
a blue Christmas ♪
1794
01:33:19,077 --> 01:33:22,911
♪ Without you ♪
1795
01:33:22,911 --> 01:33:26,512
♪ I'll be so blue ♪
1796
01:33:26,512 --> 01:33:31,111
♪ Just thinking about you ♪
1797
01:33:33,944 --> 01:33:38,744
♪ Decorations of red ♪
1798
01:33:38,744 --> 01:33:45,044
♪ On a green Christmas tree ♪
1799
01:33:45,044 --> 01:33:48,744
♪ Won't be the same ♪
1800
01:33:48,744 --> 01:33:52,612
♪ If you're not here with me ♪
1801
01:33:52,612 --> 01:33:57,211
I saw the Colonel make these
super executives,
1802
01:33:57,312 --> 01:33:59,811
who probably had more money
than Colonel Parker,
1803
01:33:59,811 --> 01:34:02,312
probably had more power
than Colonel Parker,
1804
01:34:02,312 --> 01:34:06,777
I saw them bow down to the
Colonel and kiss his behind.
1805
01:34:06,777 --> 01:34:09,445
They were terrified of him,
and I was wondering,
1806
01:34:09,445 --> 01:34:12,877
where's all this power
coming from?
1807
01:34:12,877 --> 01:34:15,977
The Colonel had great
powers of intimidation.
1808
01:34:15,977 --> 01:34:18,312
And so the Colonel
always tried to find out
1809
01:34:18,312 --> 01:34:21,744
where your soft spot was,
where you were vulnerable,
1810
01:34:21,744 --> 01:34:24,644
and he would not
hesitate to use that.
1811
01:34:24,644 --> 01:34:28,144
The Colonel brings to mind
a mob boss man.
1812
01:34:28,144 --> 01:34:32,312
Parker would say, "It's better
to be feared than to be liked."
1813
01:34:32,312 --> 01:34:33,811
He was a control freak.
1814
01:34:33,811 --> 01:34:35,911
And so he really didn't care,
1815
01:34:35,911 --> 01:34:38,144
as long as it had
one Christmas song in it.
1816
01:34:38,144 --> 01:34:41,777
And that may have been
just to save face.
1817
01:34:41,777 --> 01:34:46,677
♪ But I'll have a blue ♪
1818
01:34:46,677 --> 01:34:49,312
♪ Blue, blue, blue Christmas ♪
1819
01:34:54,345 --> 01:34:56,711
After Colonel Parker approved
1820
01:34:56,711 --> 01:34:59,312
the final edit of the special,
1821
01:34:59,312 --> 01:35:01,345
we were sitting
in a screening room
1822
01:35:01,345 --> 01:35:04,312
with five or six
of Elvis' entourage.
1823
01:35:04,312 --> 01:35:07,512
And the most uncomfortable
feeling for every director
1824
01:35:07,512 --> 01:35:09,677
is having to sit through
a screening
1825
01:35:09,677 --> 01:35:12,345
when everything you did
you think is terrible
1826
01:35:12,345 --> 01:35:16,077
and you know this is a disaster
and so forth and so on.
1827
01:35:16,077 --> 01:35:17,777
Now, you're sitting
in a screening room
1828
01:35:17,777 --> 01:35:21,211
with your star and his friends,
1829
01:35:21,312 --> 01:35:24,944
and there's no reaction.
1830
01:35:24,944 --> 01:35:27,011
They're not laughing.
They're not applauding.
1831
01:35:27,011 --> 01:35:28,911
They're not doing anything.
They're just waiting to see
1832
01:35:28,911 --> 01:35:30,412
what Elvis does.
1833
01:35:30,412 --> 01:35:33,177
He finishes the screening,
and he says, "OK, guys,
1834
01:35:33,312 --> 01:35:35,144
"I want you all to leave now.
1835
01:35:35,144 --> 01:35:38,211
Steve and I are gonna
watch it again by ourselves."
1836
01:35:38,312 --> 01:35:39,811
I now show it to Elvis,
1837
01:35:39,811 --> 01:35:41,811
and here's
a whole other human being.
1838
01:35:41,811 --> 01:35:45,478
There's a guy laughing,
applauding himself.
1839
01:35:45,478 --> 01:35:47,777
I mean, he loved it.
1840
01:35:47,777 --> 01:35:49,511
It's been a long time, baby.
1841
01:35:53,412 --> 01:35:55,544
Long time.
1842
01:36:05,378 --> 01:36:07,177
My boy, my boy.
1843
01:36:07,312 --> 01:36:09,144
I think he finally
got to say to himself,
1844
01:36:09,144 --> 01:36:12,211
"Wow, you know,
look what I can still do."
1845
01:36:12,312 --> 01:36:15,312
It must have just been a joy
to have put so much of yourself
1846
01:36:15,312 --> 01:36:17,312
into something and then
you see the end result
1847
01:36:17,312 --> 01:36:18,644
and it's just as good
or perhaps
1848
01:36:18,644 --> 01:36:20,644
even better than you thought.
1849
01:36:27,577 --> 01:36:31,511
The last time I saw Elvis,
he slips me a piece of paper
1850
01:36:31,511 --> 01:36:33,011
with a phone number on it.
1851
01:36:33,011 --> 01:36:35,577
And he whispers to me,
"Call me."
1852
01:36:35,577 --> 01:36:37,644
♪ Phony little two-bit town ♪
1853
01:36:37,644 --> 01:36:41,877
When I called the number he
gave me, somebody answered it,
1854
01:36:41,877 --> 01:36:45,644
and said,
"He's not available."
1855
01:36:45,644 --> 01:36:47,777
When Elvis and Steve
wanted to be friends
1856
01:36:47,777 --> 01:36:49,611
after the "Comeback Special,"
1857
01:36:49,611 --> 01:36:51,144
the Colonel got worried,
1858
01:36:51,144 --> 01:36:54,412
and so, Steve Binder
must be banished.
1859
01:36:54,412 --> 01:36:56,312
And I do think
with all my heart
1860
01:36:56,312 --> 01:36:59,444
that if Steve had remained
in his creative life
1861
01:36:59,444 --> 01:37:03,211
that Elvis Presley would not
have died at the age of 42
1862
01:37:03,312 --> 01:37:05,544
on the bathroom floor
in his beloved Graceland.
1863
01:37:05,544 --> 01:37:08,644
He was so rejuvenated
by that "Comeback Special,"
1864
01:37:08,644 --> 01:37:10,711
and the music that he made
right after that
1865
01:37:10,711 --> 01:37:13,011
was some of the best
he ever made in his life,
1866
01:37:13,011 --> 01:37:15,211
but then he went
right back to doing
1867
01:37:15,312 --> 01:37:17,677
what the Colonel
wanted him to do.
1868
01:37:17,677 --> 01:37:19,711
The Elvis and Colonel
story is very much
1869
01:37:19,711 --> 01:37:21,877
a Shakespearean tragedy.
1870
01:37:28,577 --> 01:37:30,444
The following
program is brought to you
1871
01:37:30,444 --> 01:37:34,477
in living color on NBC.
1872
01:37:46,312 --> 01:37:48,411
It always seemed to me
like some of the reaction
1873
01:37:48,411 --> 01:37:50,044
to the "Comeback Special"
1874
01:37:50,044 --> 01:37:53,644
was that people were surprised
that it didn't suck.
1875
01:37:53,644 --> 01:37:55,111
Right, like, some of the reaction
1876
01:37:55,111 --> 01:37:58,044
to the "Comeback Special"
is low expectations.
1877
01:37:58,044 --> 01:37:59,777
My mother
wanted to watch it.
1878
01:37:59,777 --> 01:38:04,312
So, to keep my mother company,
I watched the singer special.
1879
01:38:04,312 --> 01:38:07,711
And, oh, were my eyes opened.
1880
01:38:07,711 --> 01:38:10,544
I had no idea Elvis Presley
was still in there,
1881
01:38:10,544 --> 01:38:14,844
the Elvis Presley I fell in
love with as a little girl.
1882
01:38:14,844 --> 01:38:16,377
It did very well
on the ratings.
1883
01:38:16,377 --> 01:38:19,544
For that season,
it was the top-rated show.
1884
01:38:19,544 --> 01:38:22,377
It really rejuvenated Elvis.
1885
01:38:22,377 --> 01:38:25,377
It had been
so long since anybody
1886
01:38:25,377 --> 01:38:29,344
had seen him in his glory.
1887
01:38:29,344 --> 01:38:32,144
It was a historic moment.
1888
01:38:32,144 --> 01:38:36,777
So here, 1968 is this
year of bloody turmoil,
1889
01:38:36,777 --> 01:38:40,177
but yet,
it ends on a high note.
1890
01:38:40,312 --> 01:38:44,077
When John F. Kennedy
was murdered in 1963,
1891
01:38:44,077 --> 01:38:46,577
it was The Beatles going
on "Ed Sullivan"
1892
01:38:46,577 --> 01:38:49,411
that brought the morale
of America back.
1893
01:38:49,411 --> 01:38:52,144
By '68, with all
the tragedy and sadness,
1894
01:38:52,144 --> 01:38:55,144
something about Elvis
being on television
1895
01:38:55,144 --> 01:38:58,511
made Americans feel good
about America.
1896
01:38:58,511 --> 01:39:01,711
We're still aiming
to fulfill John F. Kennedy's
1897
01:39:01,711 --> 01:39:03,077
dream to the Moon.
1898
01:39:03,077 --> 01:39:04,977
The Apollo program
is gearing up,
1899
01:39:04,977 --> 01:39:07,077
and we're getting
photographs of Earth
1900
01:39:07,077 --> 01:39:09,644
as this whole
blue-green planet
1901
01:39:09,644 --> 01:39:11,377
that people are looking at.
1902
01:39:11,377 --> 01:39:15,877
Elvis and the Moon now
are the hopes of America.
1903
01:39:15,877 --> 01:39:20,377
♪ For I can't help ♪
1904
01:39:20,377 --> 01:39:24,177
♪ Falling in love
1905
01:39:24,311 --> 01:39:30,644
♪ With you ♪
1906
01:39:35,311 --> 01:39:36,844
Yeah!
1907
01:39:44,911 --> 01:39:49,111
- Thank you. Thank you.
1908
01:39:49,111 --> 01:39:51,344
Whoo!
1909
01:39:51,344 --> 01:39:53,977
Colonel Parker
kept telling everybody,
1910
01:39:53,977 --> 01:39:57,577
we were going to end the
show with a Christmas song.
1911
01:39:57,577 --> 01:40:00,644
This was his
Custer's last stand.
1912
01:40:00,644 --> 01:40:02,677
He thought Elvis should
close the special
1913
01:40:02,677 --> 01:40:04,711
with a Christmas song
or some kind
1914
01:40:04,711 --> 01:40:07,243
of saccharine thing like,
"I Believe,"
1915
01:40:07,243 --> 01:40:10,111
which Steve was just
determined not to do.
1916
01:40:10,111 --> 01:40:12,611
The thing is, he didn't have
anything for Elvis to do.
1917
01:40:12,611 --> 01:40:14,211
He didn't have anything
else to suggest.
1918
01:40:14,211 --> 01:40:16,977
I went to Billy Goldenberg,
my musical director,
1919
01:40:16,977 --> 01:40:19,211
I went to Earl Brown,
my choral director,
1920
01:40:19,211 --> 01:40:22,011
and I said, look, guys,
we all now know Elvis.
1921
01:40:22,011 --> 01:40:24,311
Instead of him giving a
speech at the end of the show,
1922
01:40:24,311 --> 01:40:26,411
which the Colonel would
never ever approve,
1923
01:40:26,411 --> 01:40:27,844
put it into a song.
1924
01:40:27,844 --> 01:40:30,277
I mean, let the people
know the inner Elvis
1925
01:40:30,277 --> 01:40:32,177
and how he feels about
1926
01:40:32,177 --> 01:40:34,210
the Martin Luther King assassination,
1927
01:40:34,210 --> 01:40:36,243
the Bobby Kennedy assassination.
1928
01:40:37,577 --> 01:40:39,511
I got a phone call
a few days later.
1929
01:40:39,511 --> 01:40:41,977
It was Earl Brown
who called me saying,
1930
01:40:41,977 --> 01:40:44,011
"I think we have it."
1931
01:40:44,011 --> 01:40:46,311
So I met him early
one morning at NBC
1932
01:40:46,311 --> 01:40:48,911
where Elvis was having
breakfast across the way
1933
01:40:48,911 --> 01:40:50,677
at the commissary.
1934
01:40:50,677 --> 01:40:52,677
They sat down at the piano.
1935
01:40:52,677 --> 01:40:54,711
Four bars in,
I knew it was a hit.
1936
01:40:54,711 --> 01:40:56,277
Elvis came across.
1937
01:40:56,277 --> 01:40:58,811
I said, "Elvis, this is
the song for your closing
1938
01:40:58,811 --> 01:41:00,577
of your special."
1939
01:41:00,577 --> 01:41:03,077
They played it.
1940
01:41:03,077 --> 01:41:07,544
Typically, in Elvis fashion,
he said, "Play it, again."
1941
01:41:07,544 --> 01:41:10,044
And then after that, he
said, "Play it, again."
1942
01:41:10,044 --> 01:41:11,911
I don't know how many
times they played it
1943
01:41:11,911 --> 01:41:13,176
over and over for him.
1944
01:41:13,311 --> 01:41:15,377
In the meantime,
the Colonel wanders in,
1945
01:41:15,377 --> 01:41:18,344
saying, in a loud voice,
"Over my dead body
1946
01:41:18,344 --> 01:41:20,077
will he ever sing--"
1947
01:41:20,077 --> 01:41:23,144
I don't know if he called it
a piece of crap or whatever.
1948
01:41:23,144 --> 01:41:26,644
But Elvis looked at me,
hearing Colonel Parker,
1949
01:41:26,644 --> 01:41:28,444
and he said, "I'll do it."
1950
01:41:32,111 --> 01:41:34,844
When Elvis first
emerges in the 1950s,
1951
01:41:34,844 --> 01:41:36,677
it's not really
the something to say era.
1952
01:41:36,677 --> 01:41:39,911
That's not necessarily,
the expectation that we have
1953
01:41:39,911 --> 01:41:40,877
from rock and roll stars.
1954
01:41:40,877 --> 01:41:42,477
And even now, I think
1955
01:41:42,477 --> 01:41:45,544
reasonable people might debate
about whether it's a good idea
1956
01:41:45,544 --> 01:41:48,611
to expect rock stars to have
something interesting to say.
1957
01:41:48,611 --> 01:41:52,311
But this was his way of at
least acknowledging that he's
1958
01:41:52,311 --> 01:41:54,311
living in a moment
where people
1959
01:41:54,311 --> 01:41:56,911
are interested in the idea
that a rock star
1960
01:41:56,911 --> 01:41:58,577
might have a message to send.
1961
01:42:09,511 --> 01:42:11,577
From the very
depths of his soul,
1962
01:42:11,577 --> 01:42:14,377
he brings out this
performance that's remarkable.
1963
01:42:14,377 --> 01:42:17,143
I mean, it's
a showstopping moment.
1964
01:42:17,143 --> 01:42:21,210
One of the best performances
of all time by anybody,
1965
01:42:21,311 --> 01:42:23,444
especially in the
context of the times.
1966
01:42:23,444 --> 01:42:25,911
I was born 20 years
after Elvis died.
1967
01:42:25,911 --> 01:42:28,611
I can watch that
and feel impacted
1968
01:42:28,611 --> 01:42:30,744
and feel inspired
1969
01:42:30,744 --> 01:42:33,911
and feel what Elvis
was feeling at the time.
1970
01:42:44,677 --> 01:42:48,511
For me, I was connecting
with the reasons he did it--
1971
01:42:48,511 --> 01:42:51,511
the death of Dr. King, the
death of President Kennedy,
1972
01:42:51,511 --> 01:42:53,311
the Civil Rights Movement.
1973
01:42:53,311 --> 01:42:55,677
It's Elvis really
being real and telling you
1974
01:42:55,677 --> 01:42:57,911
about how he feels.
1975
01:42:57,911 --> 01:42:59,477
You could tell
when he's singing
1976
01:42:59,477 --> 01:43:01,311
that he believes every word.
1977
01:43:02,611 --> 01:43:06,644
It is very crucial
that we listen
1978
01:43:06,644 --> 01:43:10,311
to that song and those words.
1979
01:43:10,311 --> 01:43:15,210
It can speak to us today,
yesterday, and tomorrow.
1980
01:43:15,311 --> 01:43:18,877
That song is
a portrait and the sound
1981
01:43:18,877 --> 01:43:21,344
of a man saving his own life.
1982
01:43:21,344 --> 01:43:24,511
I get goosebumps
very few times in my life,
1983
01:43:24,511 --> 01:43:26,477
but when I get 'em,
I really get 'em.
1984
01:43:26,477 --> 01:43:28,677
To this day, I will
never forget it.
1985
01:43:28,677 --> 01:43:32,911
Elvis gives the greatest
performance of his life.
1986
01:43:32,911 --> 01:43:37,076
It was so raw and powerful,
I tip my hat.
1987
01:43:37,076 --> 01:43:38,644
He is the King
of Rock and Roll.
1988
01:43:38,644 --> 01:43:40,311
There is no doubt about it.
1989
01:43:47,011 --> 01:43:49,644
♪ There must be lights ♪
1990
01:43:49,644 --> 01:43:54,644
♪ Burning brighter somewhere ♪
1991
01:43:54,644 --> 01:43:56,877
♪ Got to be birds ♪
1992
01:43:56,877 --> 01:44:02,076
♪ Flying higher
in a sky more blue ♪
1993
01:44:02,076 --> 01:44:04,377
♪ If I can dream ♪
1994
01:44:04,377 --> 01:44:08,544
♪ Of a better land
where all my brothers ♪
1995
01:44:08,544 --> 01:44:10,076
♪ Walk hand in hand ♪
1996
01:44:10,076 --> 01:44:14,977
♪ Tell me why,
oh, why, oh, why ♪
1997
01:44:14,977 --> 01:44:19,544
♪ Can't my dream come true ♪
1998
01:44:21,010 --> 01:44:24,076
♪ Oh, why ♪
1999
01:44:24,076 --> 01:44:26,711
♪ There must be peace ♪
2000
01:44:26,711 --> 01:44:31,911
♪ And understanding sometime ♪
2001
01:44:31,911 --> 01:44:34,344
♪ Strong winds of promise ♪
2002
01:44:34,344 --> 01:44:39,544
♪ That will blow away
all the doubt and fear ♪
2003
01:44:39,544 --> 01:44:41,811
♪ If I can dream ♪
2004
01:44:41,811 --> 01:44:47,744
♪ Of a warmer sun where hope
keeps shining on everyone ♪
2005
01:44:47,744 --> 01:44:51,311
♪ Tell me why, oh, why,
2006
01:44:51,311 --> 01:44:58,377
♪ Oh, why,
won't that sun appear ♪
2007
01:45:03,943 --> 01:45:07,943
♪ We're lost in a cloud ♪
2008
01:45:07,943 --> 01:45:11,911
♪ With too much rain ♪
2009
01:45:11,911 --> 01:45:15,477
♪ We're trapped in a world ♪
2010
01:45:15,477 --> 01:45:19,644
♪ That's trouble with pain ♪
2011
01:45:19,644 --> 01:45:21,844
♪ But as long as a man ♪
2012
01:45:21,844 --> 01:45:25,811
♪ Has the strength to dream ♪
2013
01:45:25,811 --> 01:45:29,611
♪ He can redeem his soul
2014
01:45:29,611 --> 01:45:33,644
♪ And fly ♪
2015
01:45:33,644 --> 01:45:36,943
♪ He can fly ♪
2016
01:45:36,943 --> 01:45:39,344
♪ Deep in my heat ♪
2017
01:45:39,344 --> 01:45:45,110
♪ There's
a trembling question ♪
2018
01:45:45,110 --> 01:45:48,943
♪ Still, I am sure
that the answer ♪
2019
01:45:48,943 --> 01:45:52,176
♪ Answer's gonna come somehow ♪
2020
01:45:52,311 --> 01:45:55,976
♪ Out there in the dark ♪
2021
01:45:55,976 --> 01:45:58,711
♪ There's a beckoning candle ♪
2022
01:45:58,711 --> 01:46:00,477
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
2023
01:46:00,477 --> 01:46:04,344
♪ And while I can think,
while I can walk ♪
2024
01:46:04,344 --> 01:46:08,076
♪ While I can stand,
while I can talk ♪
2025
01:46:08,076 --> 01:46:11,943
♪ While I can dream ♪
2026
01:46:11,943 --> 01:46:15,311
♪ Please, let my dream ♪
2027
01:46:15,311 --> 01:46:17,811
♪ Come true ♪
2028
01:46:17,811 --> 01:46:21,377
♪ Ohh ♪
2029
01:46:23,010 --> 01:46:26,744
♪ Right now ♪
2030
01:46:26,744 --> 01:46:30,176
♪ Oh, let it come true
right now ♪
2031
01:46:30,311 --> 01:46:34,943
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
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