Elvis: That's the Way It Is tells the musical story of Elvis Presley's 1970 concert in Las Vegas. Besides the show at the International Hotel, the off-Strip locale now called Westgate, there is also footage from an Arizona performance and some rehearsal scenes from a Los Angeles soundstage included. If you're a fan of Elvis the singer, and not Elvis the actor, you will find a treasure trove of tunes to make you happy. From "Mystery Train" to "Suspicious Minds," the hit list is lengthy. I count 19 songs, some of which were hits for The Big E, while others are cover versions.
As a kid, I wondered how it was that Elvis got so bad so fast. The local radio station I listened to as a kid featured Golden Weekends that were packed with his brilliant '50s rockers, but also jammed with what I heard as the lousy stuff, post-1960. It's all in That's the Way It Is, performed by an Elvis who was making his big return to the concert stage after years of playing dumb roles in tedious movies. I'll drink to that.
Let's get some Elvis wine. Not because it's so great, which it may be, but because it's Elvis wine. The Elvis Presley Collection is sold under the Wines That Rock umbrella, and it features the incredibly named Belt Buckle, The King, Blue Christmas Pinot Grigio, and Blue Hawaii White Blend, which is actually blue. A friend of mine once advised me to "never eat blue food." In this case, I'll make an exception. Each of the wines cost less than $20.
In 1959, Go Johnny Go hit the silver screens. The film stars famous disc jockey Alan Freed as a talent scout. The release date was a scant five months before Freed became infamous for losing his gig in the big payola scandal. Like many rock careers, Freed's was short and sweet. The one-sheet bills him as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll," which was a reach, even before the pay-to-play scandal. Let's give him credit for coining the phrase of the genre, but making him the king of rock 'n' roll? Everybody knows that's Jimmy Clanton, right?
Jimmy C is in this movie, as are Chuck Berry, Richie Valens, and Eddie Cochran. The latter two stars both died within a year of the film's release. Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck appears, tickling the ivories on a Chuck Berry tune.
It seems a little harsh to pair an alcoholic beverage with a movie that starred a guy who died at age 43 from cirrhosis of the liver. But here we go. I heard a radio commercial from Freed's show that had Nat King Cole shilling for Italian Swiss Colony California Pale Sherry. Unfortunately, that's no longer an option.
Even though DJ no longer means what it meant when Freed was a DJ, you can get DJ Daddy Kool's Strawberry Moscato for the sweet price of just $8.99. From Moldova, the wine is actually made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains grapes, not strawberries. BTW, there actually is a performer named DJ Kool. Anyone who recorded a song entitled "Let Me Clear My Throat" has to be worth a listen.
The artist we all know as Prince starred in and scored Purple Rain in 1984. It's a romance at heart, but it deals with dark subthemes while showing off the musical talent of its star. This film, with its charismatic frontman, huge hit soundtrack, and four top ten hits, pushed Prince into a limelight he hadn't known before.
Some critics bashed Purple Rain for its misogyny, and one even called for it to be pulled from the National Film Registry. Others heaped so much praise on it that those who hadn't yet gone to the theater to see it had to wonder what they were missing. They were missing a lot.
Purple Wines of Ohio offers some sweet-leaning bottles, none of which appear to be purple. They are cheap, however. But, how about an actual wine for Prince? Prince Vineyards has several lines of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons that sell for around $100 a bottle. Sip on that while you watch a superstar in the making.
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