The controversial fame made Presley one of the most talked about names in America. Elvis Presley went from a poor boy to one of the greatest Americans.
In the mid-20th century, Elvis Presley emerged as one of the most influential names in popular culture. Few expected that the young truck driver for the Crown Electric company could make young girls across America go crazy, screaming his name and worshiping him as a god.
The teenage years were associated with poverty and enlightenment for music
The young Elvis Presley was born into a poor family in the state of Mississippi, often relying on the help of neighbors and government food subsidies. Presley showed an interest in music from an early age, his mother once recalled that when he was only 2 years old, the young Elvis “leaned out of his mother’s lap” and ran towards the choir, wanting to see them and sing with them.
Elvis got his first guitar at the age of 11, and this completely changed his life at that time. He knew how to play guitar, piano and bass, he taught himself everything with his own hands without going to any formal school. The young Elvis Presley, with his natural talent, increasingly found a strong connection between himself and music. In the 6th grade, when he transferred to a new school, Presley was often teased and shunned by his classmates when he brought his guitar and sang at school. However, the young Elvis Presley gradually “bloomed” in both appearance and talent. After the performance of “Till I Waltz Again With You”, Presley became extremely popular at school. Although he was determined to choose a music career from a young age, the path to pursue his passion was not easy for Elvis Presley, especially with his family background. After graduating from high school, Presley began working at Crown Electric as a truck driver, although he had already released two records, he was still criticized as “unfit for singing”. Not giving up, Presley continued to make more recording sessions, and the performance of “That’s All Right” was the turning point for his career.
One of the greatest models of American pop culture
In the mid-1950s, the name Elvis Presley suddenly rose to fame, becoming one of the hottest stars of the time. Presley’s unique performance style, unique body movements never seen before, all drove young girls crazy. At that time, Presley, standing in the spotlight, also received countless criticisms. Young girls went crazy for him, while teenagers were angry, boycotted, and even had extremist groups stalking and hunting Presley. Presley’s music was both praised and criticized by experts, and his controversial popularity made him one of the most talked about names in America. From a poor boy to one of the greatest Americans, Elvis Presley was the real-life embodiment of the phrase “American Dream”.
Despite the controversy and the idea that Presley relied on vulgar movements to attract attention, his music quickly climbed the charts and became popular. The recording of “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” in 1965 – the year Presley first appeared on national television – reached number one on the Billboard country music chart. Twelve weeks after its release, Elvis’s debut album, released that same year, became the first rock n’ roll album to ever reach number one on Billboard, and even held that position for 10 weeks. Elvis Presley’s subsequent singles and albums, notably Hound Dog, Love Me Tender, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, Stuck on You, and Can’t Help Falling in Love, were all huge successes, selling millions of copies and staying on the charts for long periods of time.
Elvis Presley’s music is synonymous with the word “innovative”. He was one of the most important figures in the rockabilly genre – a rock n’ roll style that combined country music, rhythm and blues – in the 1950s, with its wildness, emotion and sensitivity to sound. The smash hit That’s All Right, which brought Elvis Presley to light, is a prime example. His debut album contained 7 songs in a variety of genres, from pop, country music to R&B, which redefined the genre at that time. Elvis Presley’s voice also became more and more perfect, affirming that Elvis’ success came from his natural musical ability, not just his sexy dance moves.
Moments associated with life
1954 marked the first performance of Elvis Presley with his band in front of a crowd – the first time people saw the explosive effect he created on his audience. With his wide-leg pants that accentuated his leg movements, Presley created a shockwave for the audience present, as young women began to scream. With his guitar, he created crazy, wild sounds, causing the crowd to become extremely enthusiastic. The Elvis Presley effect with his seductive, daring performance style that drove young girls crazy also received a lot of criticism, as well as orders from officials asking Elvis Presley to “control himself”. In response, he boldly asserted: “I will show you what Elvis is really like”, or just wiggled his fingers throughout a performance as a protest and irony for the unreasonable orders imposed on him.
All of those memorable and significant moments in Elvis Presley’s life will be brought to the big screen when the first feature film about him – ELVIS – hits theaters this summer. The life of the music legend in the context of the current chaotic American society will be shown through the lens of genius director Baz Luhrmann, who created the blockbusters Moulin Rouge! or The Great Gatsby. The film received a 12-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival last May and a high score on the review site Rotten Tomatoes.
With stunning visuals from Catherine Martin – Production and costume designer who won 4 Oscars and is also the partner of director Baz Luhrmann, along with a heavily invested music score performed by the male lead Austin Butler, ELVIS will be the perfect cinematic experience for movie lovers, as well as Elvis Presley fans at the theater./.
