Warner Home Video

It’s Official! Elvis On Tour to Rock Almost Every US State!

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It is now one hundred percent official. Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration will be appearing in theaters in over 45 US states on July 29. Today, Elvis Presley Enterprises and Fathom Events finally announced a story we’ve been talking about here for nearly two weeks.

From the (poorly worded) press release:

This one night event will feature much of the last film footage shot with Elvis, a specially produced, exclusive retrospective from Priscilla Presley, and never-before-seen Elvis footage. More than 25 numbers spotlighting Elvis Presley’s talent, range and showmanship fill this lively chronicle of his multi-city 1972 series of concerts.”

The event promotes the August 3 Blu-ray and DVD release of the 1972 documentary Elvis On Tour.

To purchase tickets to a theatrical showing in your area, use the link supplied over on this Elvis.com story: Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration in Theaters in July.

Tell every Elvis fan you know about this. We need to get those theaters full, and it’s playing in tons of locations.

Here’s the full list from Fathom.com: Participating Theatres – Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration

Thank you to Warner Brothers, Elvis Presley Enterprises, and Fathom Events for making this happen.

See you on the road, with Elvis! Don’t miss it.

Elvis On Tour (1972)

Elvis On Tour (1972)

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[Update 6/19/2010: Here is some information about a European screening of Elvis On Tour, ElvisNews.com: On Tour European Premiere In Belgium With Jerry Schilling.]

Potatoes, Secret Movies, and Elvis Blogs

/ TY

A legendary potato

I’ve posted about the Mr. Potato Head Elvis Presley here a couple of times in the last week or so. Most recently, I had some fun with the idea and speculated about what some of the rejected marketing slogans for that dubious product might have been.

Other Elvis bloggers have also handled this hot potato. For instance, Phil over at ElvisBlog surmises that a 50s gold lamé suit incarnation of the big spud will follow the 70s white jumpsuit and ’68 special leather suit versions already in the works. If you’re going to insult Elvis fans, it’s only fair, of course, to insult fans of every Elvis decade. That way, no one feels left out.

In Phil’s post, you’ll see what amounts to a rogue’s gallery of mostly awful Elvis “collectibles” in the same vein as the potato. One that I apparently missed when it first arrived on the scene is “Plush Piggy Elvis” – which admittedly is even worse than the Potato Head. While the potato is official, I’m really hoping that piggy was an unauthorized product, though. Not even EPE would be that stupid, would they?

The secret Elvis On Tour movie

Well, I’m not going to let the potato get me down. Elvis On Tour‘s looming Blu-ray release is enough to satisfy me for 75th anniversary products. Last week, I also told you how Fandango, AMC, and others are advertising a theatrical showing of the film on July 29 at various theaters across the United States (billed as Elvis On Tour 75th Anniversary Celebration).

As far as I’ve seen, there’s still been nothing official posted from sponsors Warner Home Video, Elvis Presley Enterprises, or Fathom Events. However, I can assure you that the tickets are very much on sale now – as I purchased mine from Fandango over the weekend.

I’m really looking forward to seeing Elvis On Tour in the theater. I just hope enough word gets out that I won’t be the only one there!

Seriously, seeing Elvis On Tour on the big screen will make the 75th anniversary a memorable one for me. I can’t think of a better way to remember Elvis than to see him live in concert in the closest way we can.

300 posts and counting

Speaking of milestones, Thomas is celebrating the 300th post over at his Elvis Today blog, so congratulations to him. Having read all 300 of them, I can safely say that Elvis Today sets itself apart from the rest of us by being a very personal and insightful blog of consistent high quality. When it comes to blogging, Thomas sets the ideal. I just wish he’d hurry up with the next 300 posts.

They’re not all bad

Besides Elvis On Tour, another upcoming, authorized Elvis product actually looks pretty terrific. I’ll have a post about that within the next few days.

Until next time, have fun everyone!

Elvis On Tour to Hit US Theaters on July 29

/ TY
Elvis On Tour (1972)

Elvis On Tour (1972)

All right, I am admittedly very feverish at the moment, so perhaps this is all a fever-induced dream. If so, I apologize. However, the AMC and Fandango movie ticket sites are reporting that Elvis On Tour: A 75th Anniversary Celebration will hit US theaters on July 29. Blu-ray and DVD releases of the film are still scheduled for August 3.

Back when the deluxe edition of the ’68 Comeback Special was coming out a few years ago, a similar exhibit for an expanded version of the ’68 special hit theaters. As someone who was too young to have seen Elvis in concert, let me tell you how incredible of an experience that was for me.

I’m looking forward to the same for Elvis On Tour! If you’re an Elvis fan at all and this shows anywhere near your area, I encourage you to go see it. I’ll post more details once I know them, and hopefully my fever will be gone by then and I’ll be able to do a better job than this.

[Update 6/12/2010: I’ve updated the Fandango and AMC links above, as both web locations slightly changed since last weekend. I was able to successfully order Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration tickets on the Fandango link so be sure to try them out to see if the event will play in your area. Sadly, there has still been no official announcement on this from Elvis.com despite the fact that tickets are already on sale. I suppose they are too busy promoting the potato head.]

[Update 6/18/2010: Elvis.com finally made it official today. See follow-up story for ticket links.]

Elvis On Tour: The Official Audio Releases

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Elvis On Tour (1972)

Elvis On Tour (1972)

This is an updated re-posting of an item I first placed on my sci fi/pop culture blog back in January – prior to rolling out The Mystery Train Elvis Blog.

Warner Home Video is releasing Elvis On Tour on Blu-ray and DVD on August 3. The MGM movie features Elvis on the road and in rehearsals in the spring of 1972.

Sandwiched between 1970’s colossal That’s The Way It Is and 1973’s Aloha From Hawaii, the Golden-Globe-winning documentary often seems to be overlooked among Elvis events.

At the time, Elvis On Tour ultimately did not even garner a soundtrack album release – trumped by the As Recorded At Madison Square Garden and Aloha live albums.

Nevertheless, Elvis On Tour shows Elvis in good form, with the effects of his marriage problems with Priscilla only beginning to show their toll. It is a well-assembled film, capturing an important moment in the entertainer’s life. The second documentary produced about him, Elvis On Tour also represents Elvis’ 33rd and final completed movie.

When Warner Home Video remade That’s The Way It Is in 2000, RCA/BMG released a corresponding boxed set of audio material recorded during the filming of the movie. There have since been a number of other That’s The Way It Is themed audio releases.

Since the record label also recorded many of the rehearsals and concerts during the filming of Elvis On Tour, it seems likely that this Blu-ray release will open the floodgates for related audio material.

To celebrate the Blu-ray release, this is one of a series of Elvis On Tour related posts this year. Today, I want to take a look back at what has been officially released to this point on audio from the material recorded for this movie.

Most of these performances were not used in the actual film, though some were. Believe it or not, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the audio recordings made for Elvis On Tour. 2010 may turn out to be a very good year indeed for Elvis fans.

This Is Elvis (1981)
Always On My Mind (Rehearsal)
An American Trilogy (Live-April 9, 1972, Hampton Roads, Virginia)

Amazing Grace (1994)
Bosom of Abraham (Rehearsal)
I, John (Rehearsal)
Lead Me, Guide Me (Rehearsal)
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus/Nearer My God To Thee (Rehearsal)
You Better Run (Rehearsal)

From The Heart (1998)
Separate Ways (Rehearsal)

6363 Sunset (2001)
A Big Hunk O’ Love (Rehearsal)
All Shook Up (Rehearsal)
Heartbreak Hotel (Rehearsal)
See See Rider (Rehearsal)
Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel (Rehearsal)
Until It’s Time For You To Go (Rehearsal)

Close Up: Live In Texas 1972 (2002)
(Live-April 18, 1972, San Antonio, Texas)
All Shook Up
An American Trilogy
Burning Love
Can’t Help Falling In Love
For The Good Times
Funny How Time Slips Away
Heartbreak Hotel
Hound Dog
How Great Thou Art
I Can’t Stop Loving You
Love Me
Love Me Tender
Never Been To Spain
Polk Salad Annie
Proud Mary
See See Rider
Suspicious Minds
Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
Until It’s Time For You To Go
You Gave Me A Mountain

Elvis On Tour: The Rehearsals (2005)
A Big Hunk O’ Love
Burning Love
For The Good Times
Funny How Time Slips Away
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Hound Dog
Johnny B. Goode
Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
Love Me
Never Been To Spain
Polk Salad Annie
Proud Mary
Release Me
See See Rider
Separate Ways
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Young And Beautiful

(The Elvis Session Notes by Oven Egeland site was a valuable resource in compiling this information.)

Elvis On Tour Blu-ray/DVD coming August 3

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Elvis On Tour (1972)

Elvis On Tour (1972)

This week, Warner Home Video and Elvis Presley Enterprises announced the Elvis On Tour Blu-ray and DVD release date as August 3. There will also be a special screening of the movie on August 14 in Memphis during Elvis Week.

You read that right, we’re only four months away from the Elvis On Tour release!

Elvis On Tour features Elvis on the road and in rehearsals in the spring of 1972. Sandwiched between 1970’s colossal That’s The Way It Is and 1973’s Aloha From Hawaii, MGM’s Golden-Globe-winning documentary often seems to be overlooked among Elvis events. The second documentary produced about him, Elvis On Tour also represents Elvis’ 33rd and final movie.

Previously available in wide release only on VHS, Elvis On Tour is finally making its debut on Blu-ray and DVD. So, it is a little late to the DVD party, but just in time for the high-definition Blu-ray party!

While there will apparently not be any previously unreleased footage in this release, the press release does mention a number of songs that were featured only in the 1992 home video Elvis: The Lost Performances.

My hope is that the 1972 songs from The Lost Performances will be available as fully restored bonus features, along with the original theatrical version of the film. Blu-ray movies also allow for the possibility of “branching” — where you can choose between variations of a movie.

As we count down the months to the Elvis On Tour release, The Mystery Train will have more articles celebrating this event. Keep checking back, folks.

This is a great time to be an Elvis fan!