Good story, Not enough for a whole film

best movie i've ever seen.

Best movie ever!

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Good music with a pretty good story. Worth a watch for any fan of the King!

After serving time for manslaughter, young Vince Everett (Elvis Presley) becomes a teenage rock star.I was never a big Elvis fan. I liked some of his songs, had not seen any of his movies, and never really understood the obsession some people had with him. While the "obsession" still confuses me, after seeing a few of his movies I can really begin to understand the appeal. This one in particular is quite good.Who knew Elvis was not just a lover but a fighter? He is cast as a kid with a short tempter and even kills a man in the first few minutes. I never expected to see that, especially after the silliness of things like "Blue Hawaii". This is not edgy filmmaking like that of Sam Fuller, but i guess I need to give Elvis more credit.

I suppose back in 1957 I would have given it maybe a 5 or 6 but now it just looks so .....tired, pathetic and ...... GAY. The song Jailhouse Rock is just appalling, and if you don,t agree with me calling it GAY, you just check out the lyrics. "Number forty-seven said to number three "You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see I sure would be delighted with your company Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me"I can tell you now that if I ever got banged up in a US prison the last words to come from my lips would be "You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see". I;d be well and truly banged up in more ways than one. No wonder Elvis walks funny in that song.

No need to recap the plot.Seeing the movie again after so many years, I'm more impressed than in 1958. Of course, teens then were mainly watching Elvis as a singing idol, not much caring about the rest of the movie. But now, I'm impressed by his acting in what was only his third film outing. He's particularly good at being dislikable as the surly ex-con. That was something of a risk for a movie newcomer, and it's to his credit that he went ahead and did it. To lessen the risk, Paramount backed him up with a solid supporting cast, plus a good script that made into an involving story. Then too, Elvis has to go through a number of shifting moods, not the one- note requirements of his later formula films.I'm also impressed that the screenplay would reveal the dark side of record companies, knowing the audience would primarily be record buyers. I'm just sorry that Elvis signed that long-term deal with Hal Wallis after leaving the army. That contract, unfortunately, locked him into the dreary series of low-grade musicals that eventually sapped his talent and morale. Too bad he didn't fire the Colonel and buy out his contract. That way he could have expanded into more serious movie roles he wanted and was clearly capable of, as this film proves.Anyway, the movie can stand on its own as entertainment, Elvis or no, and also features what experts claim is his best on-screen musical number. So, if you're a younger viewer and wonder what shook up the placid 1950's, this is a movie to catch.