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The Worst Film Ever

Simply A Masterpiece

Just perfect...

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

One of my personal favourite Elvis films - this is in my Top 4. Once again Elvis is playing a racing driver - this time Nascar ace Steve Grayson - who is racking up a small fortune but unbeknown to him his friend and dodgy accountant Bill Bixby (Kenny) hasn't been declaring it all, and has even been losing the cash on horse bets. When Elvis' off track attention is taken by the sexy, gorgeous Nancy Sinatra it later turns out she's an employee for the IRS monitoring his every earning and reporting it back to "Uncle Sam" (hence the reason for fun song and funny scene "He's Your Uncle, Not Your Dad") After being hauled in to see the tax man it turns out Grayson and Kenny owe the government close to $50,000 thus losing their lavish lifestyle (in it, perhaps a bit nudge-nudge, wink-wink to his real life persona) Grayson generously donates large sums of money and cars to struggling individuals whom he believes to be decent people. I suppose if you were going to be critical, there isn't really a point to 'Speedway'. Elvis never recoups all the money he owes the government in the movie, and he doesn't even win the big race at the end in this Movie - he gets collected and taken off the track by two lapped cars tangling...but nevertheless it's still a really good, entertaining movie with some great dialogue, better humour and a more modern feel than any other Elvis movie in the 60's up to this point (Viva Las Vegas excepted!) and the chemistry between Elvis and Bill Bixby is good. Elvis looks fantastic in 'Speedway' too. It was filmed shortly after his wedding to Priscilla in 1967, and he really looks great - as does Nancy Sinatra who is quite possibly Elvis' closest opposite Ann-Margret aside. Not the best of actresses by her own admission, but stunningly beautiful and in "Your Groovy Self" she sings arguably the song of the film. It's a tough call between that and "Let Yourself Go" which is one of my Top 10 Elvis songs. Bill Bixby is also good in this I thought...despite being a sleazy lech and not a particularly good friend to have around!!

You might not think of Elvis to be a great actor. but it sure is fun to see him try and sing some great songs along the way.Enjoy this film with Nancy Sinatra and Gale Gordon.Bill Bixby plays scene stealing womanizer, remember the "hulk".You'll see Elvis racing car number 6 in the Charlotte 100 race.Along for the ride are Richard Petty,Buddy Baker Cale Yarborough,Dick Hutcherson and Tiny Lund.Elvis sings the hit song "let yourself go" and Nancy Sinatra sings "You groovy self" Premiered in Charlotte,North Carolina on June 12 1968.Two not known facts about this film are:Sonny & Cher refused roles in this film and Petula Clark turned down role of Susan Jacks.Available from Warner Brothers in 1968.If You enjoyed this one try "Spinout" also by Elvis.

This is basically a neat reworking of IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD’S FAIR (1963) by the same director, no less: Bill Bixby replaces Gary Lockwood as Elvis’ scoundrel sidekick (and results in being quite amusing), Nancy Sinatra stands in for (and easily upstages) Joan O’Brien – Ol’ Blue Eyes’ daughter, a singing star in her own right, makes a better-than-usual match for The King – and, instead of one Asian child, we get six homeless kids and their ex-racer father, etc. Besides, the songs are also above-par and rockier than usual and even Sinatra gets her own “impromptu” number.The instances of crazy comedy – usually brought on by Elvis’ frustration with I.R.S. ”agent” Sinatra’s doggedness – are also present here and anticipate the next, and last, Presley/Taurog collaboration, LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE (1968); among the highlights are Elvis punching through a hotel-room door and knocking out a passerby and then punching his racing rival in the hotel lobby who consequently slides on his back all the way into an empty elevator! The racing-car scenes themselves are okay – a milieu with which Elvis was quite familiar, having already played similar roles (or so I hear) in both VIVA LAS VEGAS (1964) and SPINOUT (1966).

Typical Elvis movie of the period. A kind hearted stock day driving Elvis is quick on and off the track. This movie is a must see for any modern day NASCAR fan not so much for the action, but for vintage scenes from Charlotte Motor Speedway (now Lowe's Motor Speedway). Note the lap times compared to today...wow. The gadgetry in his trailer is classic. Gale Gordon is excellent as a senior IRS investigator. Bill Bixby is hilarious as Elvis' sidekick. Sadly, there really wasn't enough chemistry with Nancy Sinatra. The film is, of course, safe to view with the whole family with nothing more than some cartoon-like fight scenes. Not Elvis' best effort, but a good, lighthearted enjoyable film.