Viva Las Vegas (HD DVD)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brian Wortz on November 10th, 2007
If you’ve started reading this review, and have yet to have the title song stuck in your head, watch the preview and you’ll be hard pressed to forget it before the end of the day. Viva Las Vegas is arguably one of Elvis’ best films known especially for the on-screen chemistry between the King and Ann-Margaret. Some catalog high definition releases have been of less than desirable quality, but Warner Bros has put out a real winner here that’s sure to stun friends and family. If you wanted something to show your parents, or grandparents (gasp!) the value of high definition, look no further. Oh yeah, and the movie’s fun too!
Viva Las Vegas tells the story of Lucky Jackson (the King), a Grand Prix driver who accidentally loses all his money while trying to woo Rusty Martin (Ann-Margaret). So he gets a job as a waiter at the hotel where Rusty serves as the lifeguard (High School Musical 2 anyone?) All the while rival driver Elmo Mancini (Cesare Danova) also has eyes for Rusty and attempts to charm her with his European ways. Can the King earn enough money to purchase the engine he desperately needs for his car? Will he win the big race? The girl? None of that really matters as the plot is basically just a set-up for the musical numbers and that’s really where the fun is.
In Pulp Fiction, Tarantino alluded to a person being an Elvis man or a Beatles man. After watching this film, I think I’d call myself an Ann-Margaret man. While the King’s performances are as electrifying as ever, Ann-Margaret’s numbers are equally as entertaining. While the King shakes his hips, Ann-Margaret bounces and shakes with mind-boggling flair. Forget J.Lo, if you want to see some serious booty-shaking (yes I did just write “booty-shaking”) check out Ann-Margaret.
What this amounts to is pure entertainment. No one would ever claim Elvis was a top notch actor (he basically plays himself in every movie), but it’s light-hearted and swingin’ enough to keep anyone watching. This is why I believe this film has become a classic that stands above the King’s mostly forgettable films. With the release of this (and Elvis’ other classic Jailhouse Rock) on HD DVD, the King’s legacy continues.
Video
A large part of my gushing over this film has to do with just how great a presentation we’ve received. This 1080p/VC-1 encode is nothing short of phenomenal. Up until now, The Searcherswas my demo for restored catalog releases, but this film looks almost brand new. The colors of Las Vegas leap off of the screen with three dimensional pop. Black levels are rock solid, and the print is unbelievably clean looking. It really must been seen to be appreciated. While a few stock footage Vegas shots dont’ look quite as great as the rest, and there did appear to be some minor edge-enhancement, I can’t imagine the film looking any better or more consistent.
Audio
Not only do we get the original mono track, a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, but also a TrueHD 5.1 mix. Being that this is a musical, it is very important for the audio to have been done right and thankfully it has been. All three tracks sounded good with the TrueHD track giving us something special. Elvis never sounded this good, and like the video, the audio is surprisingly clean. Never did I feel like I was listening to a 40 something year old soundtrack. The mix was well balanced, dialog was clear, and bass was plenty heavy especially during the musical numbers. Great job, Warners!
Features
Not a lot here, but worthwhile nonetheless. A nice commentary by Elvis enthusiast/expert Steve Pond adds a lot of insight into the film and the possible relationship between the King and Ann Margaret. What I really enjoyed was Kingdom: Elvis in Vegas which chronicles Elvis’ career in Vegas from a historical/biographical perspective. The only thing I really missed is it would have been nice to hear something from Ann Margaret.
Overall
I obviously enjoyed this film and can’t say enough about the presentation. It’s a keeper if nothing else than to show off the benefits of high definition on an older film. I would highly recommend this HD DVD for any Elvis fan, or anyone looking for a family friendly musical.
