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Elvis Presley 1955-1957 and 1968 [DVD] Release Date: z Label: Anonymous Film Archive Rating:

The problem with this unauthorized DVD compilation is not in the content, but in the presentation. Even leaving aside the obvious things like the absence of bonus features and chapter markers, this footage -- as great and historic as it is -- has appeared on some commercial releases, most notably Rhino's three-volume =The Great Performance series of DVDs. What's more, the image quality here is not as good as what you'll see on those other, authorized releases, though it's not bad (especially by the standards of the erratic Anonymous Film Archive label). If you do happen to find this for cheap and aren't an Elvis Presley completist, however, it might actually satisfy basic needs. It has 50 minutes of the mid-'50s TV appearances from his early career, including live performances of big hits like "Heartbreak Hotel," "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender," "Blue Suede Shoes," and "Too Much," as well as lesser-known quality tunes like "Love Me" and "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again." The "1968" portion of the disc has nearly 50 minutes of rehearsals from his famous 1968 comeback TV special, and these show Elvis in perhaps the most relaxed and playful mood in which he was ever caught on film, singing well (and even playing some guitar) on a series of classic oldies and R&B-oriented covers. You'd like to slam this disc because it's so obviously an illegitimate exploitation of material that's obtainable in superior form. But the performances are so excellent and historic that it can't be said that it's not an enjoyable DVD. Just be aware of what you are getting. Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide




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