Reviews (8) 
Better than Prozac - or something..."naughty!"
When I'm not in a particularly pleasant mood, there are five movies that I watch as sort of "mood elavation." When I yearn for "days bygone," I sigh wistfully, think "been there-done that" and watch Cheech & Chong's "Up In Smoke." When my wife is in a rare cozy mood, we watch Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve in "Somewhere In Time." When I am angry enough to, say, send Usama Ben Dover a map of...somebody's hometown with the caption, "Yo Mama Eat Poke," I will gleefully watch Chevy Chase's "Modern Problems." And when I'm of a most irresponsible frame of mind, I will almost wet my pants laughing at Nicholas Cage in "Raising Arizona." But as an ex-musician, a Southern ex-musician, one who sadly acknowledges the grim fact that Rock and Roll did indeed DIE on August 16, 1977, "Heartbreak Hotel" defnitely tops them all. The plot is almost non-existent - indeed, it ADMITS in the opening credits that "there are many stories about the King...this is a fable." The..."fable," you ask? It's 1972, Johnny Wolfe's Mom, as portrayed by the GORGEOUS Tuesday Weld, runs (and evidentally owns) a decaying motel, and she seems to be suffering from depression. She even has a jerk of a drunken, abusive boyfriend to make things "dramatic" or something. So Johnny, in between school, babbling about Alice Cooper, playing with his band ("The Wolfe Pack"), and raising his little sister Pammy, comes to the conclusion that kidnapping >Elvis Presley!< will cheer up his Mom. See? I TOLD you! CHEESE! NO plot! Still, watching Johnny "kidnap Elvis" and transform him into "the '56 Elvis" ("that's when Mom said you were the coolest"), and then, the sight of David Keith as Elvis, singing "Love Me" as Mrs. Wolfe comes home from a date - this is Rock and Roll CHEESE at its absolute FINEST, folks. And Heaven knows, given the current state of the mung that calls itself "rock and roll" right now, we could ALL use a few cheeseburgers ("cheeseburgers," by the way, are featured quite prominantly in the movie). No use in recounting any more of the plot - except that the next-to-final-scene, where "Elvis" and the "Wolfe Pack" hijack Johnny's high school's talent show and perform the song "Heartbreak Hotel" gives me the EXACT SAME THRILL as ANYTHING in the movie "Woodstock" ("Gimme Shelter" - now that's ANOTHER story altogether...we'll discuss IT later...). No, "Heartbreak Hotel" will never win any awards for anything (and thank The Lord for THAT), but if you want a GUARANTEED grin...check it out, y'all: excellent, EXCELLENT cheese!
One of the best Elvis impersonations ever!
It's 1972 and Johnny Wolfe(Charlie Schlatter) and his band prepare for a performance for a talent show at their high school. His mom Marie(Tuesday Weld) is a die-hard Elvis Presley fan. So to "make her happy",Johnny and his buddies "kidnap" Elvis(David Keith) after a concert via an anesthetic,and drive him to the Wolfes' home. It was there when Elvis awoke. Johnny wanted Elvis to stay so his mom can meet him(Elvis). Elvis subtracts 16 years off his life. He shaved off his big heavy sideburns and wore an outfit that he regularly wore in 1956. Johnny told Elvis,"My mom says you looked the coolest in '56!) Marie had returned home from the hospital after being severely beaten up by her drunk and physically abusive boyfriend(Chris Mulkey). She finds "young" Elvis at the top of the Wolfes' staircase,playing guitar and singing one of Marie's favorites,"Love Me". A shocked Marie changes into a beautiful dress and invites Elvis to stay for dinner. Johnny's little sister(Angela Goethals) is so afraid to sleep in the dark until Elvis convinces her that doing that is not scary. Elvis even redecorates the Wolfes' home and in the process,discards Johnny's rock band posters. At the talent show,Elvis appears with Johnny and his band backing him up. Then Elvis' band of bodyguards fly to Elvis' whereabouts so he can go on with his touring elsewhere. Elvis was like a husband to divorced Marie and a father to Johnny and his sister. At one point in the film,Johnny beats up Steve,Marie's boyfriend,revengefully("You stay away from my mother!") At another point,while returning from a grocery store,Johnny is later beaten up by Steve and a couple of Steve's buddies in front of a bar where Steve and his buddies were shooting pool. I dedicate this film to the memory of Elvis Aaron Presley(January 8,1935-August 16,1977). HEARTBREAK HOTEL is strictly fictitious and is no way based on actual events that occurred during the real Elvis' life. The film was directed by Chris Columbus,who also wrote the story and screenplay. Columbus also directed ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING,a year before this film.
GREAT
My wife bought this movie used from a video store preveiwed for $$ many years ago. When she saw I had found it on DVD she was delighted. We watched it together (I have said no way for 10 years) We BOTH enjoyed the movie.
Good... but Kieth sounding and looking like Elvis?
I love this movie. Its a great feel good movie. And while other reviewers here have stated that Kieth sung ALL the music in this movie... is simply NOT TRUE. He did sing some in it... like the scene where he is coming down the steps. BUT... if anyone thinks he sounds like ELvis then they haven't listned to Elvis that much. If anyone thinks he sounds better than any impersonator... I would ask for you to listen to a man by the name of Doug Church. I have been an Elvis fan for a VERY VERY VERY long time. Kieth doesnt look anything like Elvis... however, as one reviewer stated, he DOES capture that essence superbly. He does a great job in this movie all things considered. This movie can be enjoyed by Elvis fans and non Elvis fans alike. ITs a good, humorous story with a feel good ending. It does Elvis justice and leaves you wishing that this had happened.
If you loved Elvis, you're gonna want to see this film
This is a great film. Of course David Keith is a great actor, but, in this he really shines. You get to hear the music of Elvis & the grand finale is worth watching over & over again. If you loved Elvis, you will really enjoy this film. It shows what could have been, & perhaps should have been. Maybe a small dose of the "real life" would have made Elvis go back to his down home roots & values that he was raised with. Be warned this film may be sweet, but it does have lots of swearing including the dreaded "f" word. So, be warned for young children.
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