Post by whip it good! on Apr 25, 2004 5:33:13 GMT -5
ANOTHER SLANDER ON ELVIS
Little wonder we Elvis fans are considered freaks of nature when Elvis project like these are sanctioned by State Councils and film-makers believe will be a money spinner.
Where is EPE Inc? Counting the dollars from the copyright?
SANTA FE - Elvis not only left the building, he took $7.5 million with him. The State Investment Council has voted unanimously to loan that amount to a private company to underwrite nearly the entire cost of a film it will produce in New Mexico. "Elvis Has Left the Building," starring Kim Basinger and directed by Joel Zwick of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" fame, begins shooting in the Albuquerque area next month.
Corny jokes abounded Tuesday during a meeting of the State Investment Council, which unanimously approved a $7.5 million loan to the producers of "Elvis Has Left the Building," which will begin shooting in New Mexico next month.
The loan will nearly cover the cost of making the dark comedy, which will star Kim Basinger and a host of Elvis Presley look-alikes. It will be directed by Joel Zwick, who directed the low-budget smash "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."
Basinger will play a cosmetics peddler who, while travelling from Memphis to Las Vegas, leaves in her wake a trail of dead Elvis impersonators who die "hilariously and accidentally," according to producer Tova Laiter. Elvis impersonators have been lined up for cameos in the movie, she says, among them several well-known stars.
The producers also held an open casting call at an Albuquerque nightclub on Tuesday, attracting about 100 more impersonators. "I've never been in a production where people clamoured so much to be in it," she said.
Elvises Packed the Building. There were young Elvises and old Elvises. There was an Elvis on a walker. There were girl Elvises and boy ones and one Elvis who was just 3 feet tall.
The film's producers were looking for 100 hip-shaking impersonators to work as extras in the modestly budgeted black comedy about a serial killer who stalks Elvises. "I prefer to say Elvi for the plural," said casting director Jim Graebner.
The audition consisted of filling out an info card, posing for a Polaroid headshot and performing a two-minute Elvis karaoke in front of the 150 or so people who packed the Downtown bar to watch the spectacle.
Elvises sweated in polyester jumpsuits. Elvises sipped beer. Women with teased hair stuck pins in their bewigged husbands' bell-bottomed Elvis pants. Elvises crowded around the bar and stood in line at the restroom. A tiny Elvis sat in his mother's lap and cried. Some of the Elvises were great.
Like Mike Ridgeway, a 55-year-old pharmacy technician from Santa Fe who had the crowd cheering after he belted out an Elvis song karaoke tape. Some were so bad that filmgoers will empathize with the psycho killer who murders them. We won't tell you who stank, because that would be mean and we might get sued.
Tavia Schwartz of Albuquerque showed up as a Vegas Elvis. She wore a white polyester jumpsuit festooned with beads, a black pompadour wig, aviator glasses and platform boots. "I have a crease on my head from the pantyhose on my head under this wig," Schwartz griped. Sweat glistened on the wig hair she had glued to her chest in an attempt to look more Elvis-like.
Alan Curtis travelled from Dallas for the audition. The 47-year-old has been working as an Elvis impersonator at Texas nursing homes for five years. He's so into Elvis that he wears his hair in a shoe-polish black pompadour even when he's working his day job as a machinist.
Those who land parts, as extras in the film will only earn $75 a day, so the job is hardly worth the price of a plane ticket.
Eleven Elvises in red satin jumpsuits auditioned as a group, identifying themselves as the Flying Elvises, Corrales Chapter. "We came as a joke," said Gale Maxwell of Rio Rancho as she fixed her wig in the ladies room.
Veteran Elvis impersonator Jerry McClure drove to the audition from his home in Santa Fe while wearing his Elvis getup. "Cars would slow down and they would look, then look again," said the 58-year-old. "It was great."
Judging from the costumes worn by the impersonators, it is the Vegas Elvis who is most firmly implanted in the popular imagination. There were a few hepcat Elvises in 1950s plaid coats.
One 1968 Elvis in leather. But most of the Elvises looked like The King circa 1975: bloated, bleary and headed for that solid gold Cadillac in the sky.
Graebner, the casting director, said all the Elvises who showed up Tuesday night would probably get a part in the film. Even the woman with long dark hair who showed up as a sexy female Elvis in a vinyl halter top, jewelled pants and stiletto heels?
“The movie is a comedy," Graebner said. "We want goofy. If we had someone come in really looking like Elvis, we'd have to tell them to leave."
The film is scheduled for release next year.
www.elvispresleynews.com/article2023.html
At least if they're gonna make a movie about Elvis, pick actor who are not " bloated, bleary and headed for that solid gold Cadillac in the sky" Elvis wasn't in the best shape in 1975 but he wasn't gross either. What a waste of money.
Little wonder we Elvis fans are considered freaks of nature when Elvis project like these are sanctioned by State Councils and film-makers believe will be a money spinner.
Where is EPE Inc? Counting the dollars from the copyright?
SANTA FE - Elvis not only left the building, he took $7.5 million with him. The State Investment Council has voted unanimously to loan that amount to a private company to underwrite nearly the entire cost of a film it will produce in New Mexico. "Elvis Has Left the Building," starring Kim Basinger and directed by Joel Zwick of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" fame, begins shooting in the Albuquerque area next month.
Corny jokes abounded Tuesday during a meeting of the State Investment Council, which unanimously approved a $7.5 million loan to the producers of "Elvis Has Left the Building," which will begin shooting in New Mexico next month.
The loan will nearly cover the cost of making the dark comedy, which will star Kim Basinger and a host of Elvis Presley look-alikes. It will be directed by Joel Zwick, who directed the low-budget smash "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."
Basinger will play a cosmetics peddler who, while travelling from Memphis to Las Vegas, leaves in her wake a trail of dead Elvis impersonators who die "hilariously and accidentally," according to producer Tova Laiter. Elvis impersonators have been lined up for cameos in the movie, she says, among them several well-known stars.
The producers also held an open casting call at an Albuquerque nightclub on Tuesday, attracting about 100 more impersonators. "I've never been in a production where people clamoured so much to be in it," she said.
Elvises Packed the Building. There were young Elvises and old Elvises. There was an Elvis on a walker. There were girl Elvises and boy ones and one Elvis who was just 3 feet tall.
The film's producers were looking for 100 hip-shaking impersonators to work as extras in the modestly budgeted black comedy about a serial killer who stalks Elvises. "I prefer to say Elvi for the plural," said casting director Jim Graebner.
The audition consisted of filling out an info card, posing for a Polaroid headshot and performing a two-minute Elvis karaoke in front of the 150 or so people who packed the Downtown bar to watch the spectacle.
Elvises sweated in polyester jumpsuits. Elvises sipped beer. Women with teased hair stuck pins in their bewigged husbands' bell-bottomed Elvis pants. Elvises crowded around the bar and stood in line at the restroom. A tiny Elvis sat in his mother's lap and cried. Some of the Elvises were great.
Like Mike Ridgeway, a 55-year-old pharmacy technician from Santa Fe who had the crowd cheering after he belted out an Elvis song karaoke tape. Some were so bad that filmgoers will empathize with the psycho killer who murders them. We won't tell you who stank, because that would be mean and we might get sued.
Tavia Schwartz of Albuquerque showed up as a Vegas Elvis. She wore a white polyester jumpsuit festooned with beads, a black pompadour wig, aviator glasses and platform boots. "I have a crease on my head from the pantyhose on my head under this wig," Schwartz griped. Sweat glistened on the wig hair she had glued to her chest in an attempt to look more Elvis-like.
Alan Curtis travelled from Dallas for the audition. The 47-year-old has been working as an Elvis impersonator at Texas nursing homes for five years. He's so into Elvis that he wears his hair in a shoe-polish black pompadour even when he's working his day job as a machinist.
Those who land parts, as extras in the film will only earn $75 a day, so the job is hardly worth the price of a plane ticket.
Eleven Elvises in red satin jumpsuits auditioned as a group, identifying themselves as the Flying Elvises, Corrales Chapter. "We came as a joke," said Gale Maxwell of Rio Rancho as she fixed her wig in the ladies room.
Veteran Elvis impersonator Jerry McClure drove to the audition from his home in Santa Fe while wearing his Elvis getup. "Cars would slow down and they would look, then look again," said the 58-year-old. "It was great."
Judging from the costumes worn by the impersonators, it is the Vegas Elvis who is most firmly implanted in the popular imagination. There were a few hepcat Elvises in 1950s plaid coats.
One 1968 Elvis in leather. But most of the Elvises looked like The King circa 1975: bloated, bleary and headed for that solid gold Cadillac in the sky.
Graebner, the casting director, said all the Elvises who showed up Tuesday night would probably get a part in the film. Even the woman with long dark hair who showed up as a sexy female Elvis in a vinyl halter top, jewelled pants and stiletto heels?
“The movie is a comedy," Graebner said. "We want goofy. If we had someone come in really looking like Elvis, we'd have to tell them to leave."
The film is scheduled for release next year.
www.elvispresleynews.com/article2023.html
At least if they're gonna make a movie about Elvis, pick actor who are not " bloated, bleary and headed for that solid gold Cadillac in the sky" Elvis wasn't in the best shape in 1975 but he wasn't gross either. What a waste of money.