ElvisNews.com: Showroom Internationale - After Midnight

Showroom Internationale - After Midnight

By ElvisNews.com/ Kees, Jun 6, 2009

Did Joe Tunzi's JAT Publishing go into the restaurant business? It may appear so as he published an oversize menu. Fortunately for us fans, it contained a CD.

Design

The main part of this release is of-course the design. I don't own an original Vegas menu from an Elvis Presley engagement, but thanks to this commemorative re-print of the July 31, 1969 Las Vegas Menu I know what a lot of collectors are talking about.

This is the menu that was used for Elvis Presley’s first Las Vegas engagement in 1969 at the International Hotel, now The Las Vegas Hilton. The cover has a die cut hole through which a color photo of Elvis can be seen.

Among collectors it is the “Holy Grail” of Elvis Presley menus as it is the hardest to find and therefore the most sought after. Originals are valued at around $1200. Below is an image of an original Las Vegas menu. This one is different from the Tunzi re-print.

Personally I think it is an original idea to use this format as the cover of a CD; it is a nice collectible if you are into this stuff. It beats interview CDs in a plain and simple cardboard or jewel case package. Personally I would have stuck to the size of a Follow That Dream Classic Album release as I have no idea where to fit this release in my CD cabinet ... Joe Tunzi did forget one thing while designing this package, the tracklisting.

The design is nominated for the 2009 Printers / Concept Awards.

Content

The menu is as a matter of fact the sleeve for the CD "After Midnight", containing many celebrity interviews recorded after the much celebrated July 31 V.I.P. Show. The interviews are with - famous - people attending the return of Elvis to live performances; entertainers actors, actresses and International Hotel management. It is fun to hear both the build-up of excitement for the show to come or the excitement of a reporter sharing his experiences in a radio interview on the other side of the US. How I wish I could have been there, but I guess I'm not the only Elvis Presley fan who wished a time-machine was available.

In between these audio fragments we get several commercials for "Elvis: That's The Way It Is". Although nice to hear the many commercials they don't entirely fit the '69 packager. As the plans for the film were still in the making or did not even exist. If only I would say ...

Conclusion

Joe Tunzi came up with a nice package for a fun release, fun for the fans who are into this stuff. Personally I would have preferred to hear these interviews as part of a Follow That Dream re-issue of a concert from this engagement. It would complete a concert release nicely.

Real thing

Real menu opening night 1969

We received this picture of a real menu inside, autographed by Perry Como, Jerry Lewis, Paul Anka, Carol Channing, Rouvaun, Henry Mancini, Hugo Montenegro and Wayne Newton. The inside of this menu differs from the printing inside the Tunzi re-issue.

Give Your Opinion

Reactions

circleG (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 17, 2009report abuse

absolutely Steve they were baaaaad decisions on the colonels part. I can only conclude that by not allowing filming by the press or hollywood at the conferences and opening nights he must have had reservations about elvis' ability. That if he 'bombed' it wouldn't be greatly reported. Glad he was wrong. Sad he didn't allow filming. Press people check your basements - there are audio recordings somewhere!

benny scott (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 10, 2009report abuse

Hi ponygirlup, this time I re-checked your reaction of April 22nd more carefully. Boy , I mean girl, was I wrong. Because you wrote " I own one (menu)" , I concluded you must have been there that night. So my sincere apologies ! Hope you consider it as a misunderstanding from my side. Of course I do believe you . Also very nice you own the original menu + VIP box . As Steve V wrote it must be a very collectable item. I'm glad for you you have the items ! Always El.

ponygirlup (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 10, 2009report abuse

benny, i wasn't there. i just have the menu & vip box -- bought from ebay years ago -- i have seen one or two since. the outside is the same as the aug menu. inside, the left side has only the hotel name and the year, the right side has appetizers, dessert and coffee. no prices. wish i had been there, but i was 'just a child!' don't have to believe me , that's up to you...

Steve V (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 10, 2009report abuse

circleG - ditto for the 68 TV Special press conference. We've seen the photos but no recordings have surfaced. Two major events in Elvis history and no recordings exist. And they say the Colonel was shrewd? Please!

circleG (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 10, 2009report abuse

I can't understand why no audio or visual recordings of the conference haven't surfaced. there are photos of journalists tripping over themselves at the conference Elvis gave so there MUST be some recordings somewhere!

Steve V (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 9, 2009report abuse

Hi Benny - you are welcome. Perhaps the July 31 menu is different since the true opening night was for VIP's only and I think that menu was part of a gift box (very highly collectible). So it may just be different from the standard 69 menu I have described.

benny scott (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 9, 2009report abuse

Hi Steve, thanks a lot for the info . I didn't know how the original looked so i had my doubts after reading Ponygirlup's remarks( see "NEWS" of April 22 on this site), saying her's was the original and that there was no pricelist printed on it. She wrote she was there in person on the July 31 1969 and even had some signed autographs from celebrities on it, celebrities who were there that night. But I can hardly believe that there was no pricelist printed, so I'll stick to your description and statement . Thanks again ! Always El.

Steve V (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 9, 2009report abuse

Hi - I don't have a Tunzi repro to compare it to but I have the original in front of me. Here is a description. It has a sort of textured black cover with a cut-out hole left od center. The gold emblem is in raised letters on the cover. Approx 17" high and almost 9" wide. Inside the menu, is picture of Elvis in the right side that peeps out of the cut-out hole. Wines are listed on the left side, top price is 19.00! On the right side is the appetizers, salad, entrees & desserts with all entrees at 15.00. Hope this helps.

benny scott (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 8, 2009report abuse

Hi guys. Can someone tell me if this repro is the coreect repro of the July 31, 1969 menu ?
Member "ponygirlup" stated on 22 April that she also had an original menu of that date and that's it not the same as the reprint. So who's right here : ponygirlup or Steve V. ? Always El.

Greg Nolan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 8, 2009report abuse

I agree it's a pretty neat idea, but hold onto your wallets: this Tunzi fellow knows the way to the out-of-his-mind Elvis completist's heart! Given all the great imports and continued FTD output, I'll probably have to wait on this one! But I'm glad it's out there.

Steve V (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 7, 2009report abuse

I have an original and this is a normal idea. After all they've repro'd Sun singles, rare EP's & covers, so why not a menu? Its just that with Tunzi you know its gonna cost a lot.

mature_elvis_fan75 (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 6, 2009report abuse

Mister neagtive here,um yea a menu? no thanks,goodnight!

Greg Nolan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 6, 2009report abuse

Sounds interesting, but who can afford all the product coming out? I can barely keep up with FTD and the imports. But I'm glad Tunzi is out there with this stuff. The menu idea sounds unique. I do agree with Kees that the TTWII commercials are a bit out of place unless you consider it as an overall "Elvis in Vegas" circa '69'-70" sort of experience...

benny scott (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 6, 2009report abuse

What about "ponygirlup"-s remarks of april 22nd that this repro is NOT the correct menu of July 31,1969 ? Anyone ? Always El.