The pairing of director Michael Curtiz and Elvis Presley seems at odds with one another, but after seeing the New Orleans set music-infused film noir King Creole, it’s a pairing as good as chocolate and peanut butter. Or as the King would have said… it’s about as good as a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.
Curtiz was the kind of director who, like Howard Hawks, could do anything. A man whose Classics (with a capital “C”) ranged from Casablanca to The Adventures of Robin Hood to White Christmas to Angels with Dirty Faces and on and on. The film always dictated the style in Curtiz’s films. There was almost a utilitarian way that the director handled the artists he worked with and the tools at his disposal. This unbiased approach worked well for Elvis, as the director approached him as a collaborator rather than someone to be dealt with.
The result is a film that is better than most of Presley’s movie confections. A movie that’s a film that carries some weight to it and has consequences. The way that Presley’s Danny Fisher gets weighted down by circumstance and his musical talents (by those who would abuse and exploit them) is a classic noir trope but an effective one. It helps that Curtiz casts who’s who of truly great actors against Presley. Walter Matthau as the devil in a suit, French Quarter gangster Maxie Fields is ounce for ounce a hidden menace that Presley is charm. Though it’s Carolyn Jones, Dolores Hart, and Jan Shepard as the trio of women in Danny’s life that really shine here. Jones as the bad girl/femme fatale impresses, as her chemistry with Presley is off the charts.
Of course, the true highlight is the musical performances made stylish by Curtiz’s work with cinematographer Russell Harlan and their insistence on shooting in Black and White. Harlan leans into the noirish elements, giving the film more of a feel like Double Indemnity than Guys and Dolls. In fact, the entire film with its rough play-for-keeps attitude is more James M. Cain than Frank Loesser.
King Creole is one of the few out-and-out great films that Elvis ever made.
The Transfer
The 2020 HDR/Dolby Vision Master by Paramount Pictures – from a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is an excellently sourced edition. There isn’t a bit of dirt or nary a scratch through the runtime of the film. The transfer is sharp with beautiful, luminous blacks and contrast levels breathing life into the noir-inspired images from cinematographer Russell Harlan. The Dolby Vision encoding is especially luminous during those controlled studio-bound environments. The pop the HDR gives King Creole’s contrast and black levels mirrors other film noirs of the 1950s that have gotten similar treatment by labels. Another great 4K Upgrade for the label.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith
Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin discusses King Creole
Theatrical Trailer (Newly Restored in 4K)
The all-new Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith begins with the critical consensus about King Creole and the multiple reasons why it is considered the best film Elvis made. Some of the other details include the adaptation of the novel by Harold Robbins and its development and how Elvis was eventually cast; the diegetic nature of the songs and music that appear in the film and how they use Elvis as a performer; the fights that director Michael Curtiz made for changes and the ones he won and the ones he lost and how they affected and made the film better and worse (or would have if Curtiz had won those arguments); how the film’s production coincided with going into the army and his mother’s death; the work and career of screenwriters Herbert Baker and Michael V. Gazzo; the appropriation of black music by Elvis, even here, and its portrayal here and the songs that were taken by black musicians and which were written by white writers; the personal and career of actor Walter Matthau; the work and career of director Michael Curtiz; a larger discussion of the various songwriters that worked on the film and how they related to Elvis and his career; a larger discussion of the actors that appear in the film, their work and careers in the context of their careers; and much more.
Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin discusses King Creole (6:11) – in this archival featurette, Maltin discusses Elvis and his collaboration with director Michael Curtiz on what the King called “his favorite film,” King Creole.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for King Creole (233) [Newly Restored in 4K]; Change of Habit (2:49); Clambake (2:45); Frankie and Johnny (2:53); Lonely are the Brave (0:54);
The Final Thought
Kino Lorber has given us another great 4K upgrade. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Elvis is King Creole in this unique music-infused crime thriller, new to 4K UHD from Kino Lorber.
The Film
The pairing of director Michael Curtiz and Elvis Presley seems at odds with one another, but after seeing the New Orleans set music-infused film noir King Creole, it’s a pairing as good as chocolate and peanut butter. Or as the King would have said… it’s about as good as a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.
Curtiz was the kind of director who, like Howard Hawks, could do anything. A man whose Classics (with a capital “C”) ranged from Casablanca to The Adventures of Robin Hood to White Christmas to Angels with Dirty Faces and on and on. The film always dictated the style in Curtiz’s films. There was almost a utilitarian way that the director handled the artists he worked with and the tools at his disposal. This unbiased approach worked well for Elvis, as the director approached him as a collaborator rather than someone to be dealt with.
The result is a film that is better than most of Presley’s movie confections. A movie that’s a film that carries some weight to it and has consequences. The way that Presley’s Danny Fisher gets weighted down by circumstance and his musical talents (by those who would abuse and exploit them) is a classic noir trope but an effective one. It helps that Curtiz casts who’s who of truly great actors against Presley. Walter Matthau as the devil in a suit, French Quarter gangster Maxie Fields is ounce for ounce a hidden menace that Presley is charm. Though it’s Carolyn Jones, Dolores Hart, and Jan Shepard as the trio of women in Danny’s life that really shine here. Jones as the bad girl/femme fatale impresses, as her chemistry with Presley is off the charts.
Of course, the true highlight is the musical performances made stylish by Curtiz’s work with cinematographer Russell Harlan and their insistence on shooting in Black and White. Harlan leans into the noirish elements, giving the film more of a feel like Double Indemnity than Guys and Dolls. In fact, the entire film with its rough play-for-keeps attitude is more James M. Cain than Frank Loesser.
King Creole is one of the few out-and-out great films that Elvis ever made.
The Transfer
The 2020 HDR/Dolby Vision Master by Paramount Pictures – from a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is an excellently sourced edition. There isn’t a bit of dirt or nary a scratch through the runtime of the film. The transfer is sharp with beautiful, luminous blacks and contrast levels breathing life into the noir-inspired images from cinematographer Russell Harlan. The Dolby Vision encoding is especially luminous during those controlled studio-bound environments. The pop the HDR gives King Creole’s contrast and black levels mirrors other film noirs of the 1950s that have gotten similar treatment by labels. Another great 4K Upgrade for the label.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
The all-new Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith begins with the critical consensus about King Creole and the multiple reasons why it is considered the best film Elvis made. Some of the other details include the adaptation of the novel by Harold Robbins and its development and how Elvis was eventually cast; the diegetic nature of the songs and music that appear in the film and how they use Elvis as a performer; the fights that director Michael Curtiz made for changes and the ones he won and the ones he lost and how they affected and made the film better and worse (or would have if Curtiz had won those arguments); how the film’s production coincided with going into the army and his mother’s death; the work and career of screenwriters Herbert Baker and Michael V. Gazzo; the appropriation of black music by Elvis, even here, and its portrayal here and the songs that were taken by black musicians and which were written by white writers; the personal and career of actor Walter Matthau; the work and career of director Michael Curtiz; a larger discussion of the various songwriters that worked on the film and how they related to Elvis and his career; a larger discussion of the actors that appear in the film, their work and careers in the context of their careers; and much more.
Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin discusses King Creole (6:11) – in this archival featurette, Maltin discusses Elvis and his collaboration with director Michael Curtiz on what the King called “his favorite film,” King Creole.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for King Creole (233) [Newly Restored in 4K]; Change of Habit (2:49); Clambake (2:45); Frankie and Johnny (2:53); Lonely are the Brave (0:54);
The Final Thought
Kino Lorber has given us another great 4K upgrade. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD Edition of King Creole is out now.
Share this:
Like this:
Discover more from The Movie Isle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.