Later this year, EPE will release through distributor BMG new comprehensive DVD/video compilations of the material from Elvis Presley’s 1968 television special Elvis and his 1973 television special Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite. As part of the Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration at Graceland, EPE is offering free screenings of significant portions of the new releases.
As most fans know, for the 1968 special, Elvis taped two "sit-down" jam session shows and two solo "stand-up" shows for the portions of the special in which he is seen wearing black leather. At the end of his two stand-up shows, he taped some material to be used in the assembly of one of the big production numbers – thus the term "production number pickups" you see indicated on our screening schedule. The January screenings will include the two sit-down shows and the two stand-up shows in their entirety, plus the production number pickups. If you attended the screening event we had in August for Elvis Week, note that the edit you saw then was preliminary. This is a new edit. Also for the January screenings we’ve added the complete takes of the finale of the show, Elvis’s performance of If I Can Dream in the white suit. You’ll see all three takes and his false start, plus Elvis’s taping of the phrase "Huh-huh-huh,"(a la All Shook Up) for use in an NBC promo for the show.
As most fans know, for the 1973 Aloha from Hawaii special, the broadcast concert occurred on January 14. It went out live to some countries and on taped delay to others. It was first seen in America on April 4. For expanded content for the American broadcast Elvis and the band went back out on stage in the empty arena to record "nsert"songs. For the January screenings, we have chosen to focus entirely on the broadcast concert and on the uncut taping of the insert songs. If you attended the screening event in August, you saw the regular edit of the broadcast show with a few "lost" elements added back in. For our January screenings you will see the broadcast show completely re-edited from scratch, presented in its absolute entirety and with virtually all the montage screen effect (trendy for 1973) eliminated. You will also see in its entirety the taping of the after-concert insert songs. For those few who might have a concern, do note that the few instances of playful cursing in that after-show taping have not been bleeped out. (The rehearsal show Elvis shot on January 12 has also been re-edited from scratch for the new releases. But, we’ll schedule a screening of it some other time because the re-edit of the broadcast show is so exciting and we want everyone to have ample opportunity to see it. In August we screened the full-length "helicopter arrival" footage, but didn’t manage to squeeze it into the January screening schedule.)
Quite a lot to screen for you, but do keep in mind that there will be lots more in the new releases. We’re focusing on some of the more exciting elements for the January screenings and we’re offering repeat showings to accommodate everyone who wants to attend the screenings and to work around the other Elvis Birthday events.
Screenings are at the videotheater in Graceland Plaza. Tickets are free and may be picked up at Guest Services in the ticket office pavilion, starting January 7. Further ticket information will be posted later. Each screening is about 90 minutes long. We’ll update the calendar with actual running lengths soon.
As soon as all content for the DVD/video releases is absolutely finalized and the release date is locked in, we will post detailed information in News on our site and issue and E-newsletter. For now, our existing FAQ on this topic has the available details.
Here is what should be the final version of our screening schedule, barring any unforeseen needs for adjustments:
THE THREE SETS OF MATERIAL BEING SCREENED
In parentheses is run time of each component in minutes/seconds.
’68 Special – Sit-Down Shows
Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1 (52:11)
Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2 (51:30)
’68 Special – Stand-Up Shows, If I Can Dream & Pickups
Black Leather Standup Show & Black Leather If I Can Dream Pickup #1 (30:46)
Black Leather Standup Show #2 (17:36)
Black Leather Prod. # Pickups of Guitar Man & Exit Down Road (12:33)
Black Leather If I Can Dream Pickup #2 (4:15)
White Suit If I Can Dream Finale – All 3 Takes & False Start (11:09)
White Suit Huh-huh-huh Promo (3:00)
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
Aloha Broadcast Concert (64:18)
Aloha After-Show Taping of Insert Songs (27:00)
SCREENING SCHEDULE
Total run time for each screening indicated in parentheses.
Wednesday, January 7
6:00 PM
’68 Special – Stand-Up Shows, If I Can Dream & Pickups
(1 hr./20 mins.)
8:00 PM
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
(1 hr./32 mins.)
Thursday, January 8
9:00 AM
’68 Special – Sit-Down Shows
(1 hr./45 mins.)
1:00 PM
’68 Special – Stand-Up Shows, If I Can Dream & Pickups
(1 hr./20 mins.)
3:00 PM
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
(1 hr./32 mins.)
5:30 PM
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
(1 hr./32 mins.)
Friday, January 9
9:00 AM
’68 Special – Sit-Down Shows
(1 h./45 mins.)
11:30 AM
’68 Special – Stand-Up Shows, If I Can Dream & Pickups
(1 hr./20 mins.)
1:30 PM
’68 Special – Sit-Down Shows
(1 hr./45 mins.)
4:00 PM
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
(1 hr./32 mins.)
9:30 PM
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
(1 hr./32 mins.)
Saturday, January 10
9:00 AM
’68 Special – Sit-Down Shows
(1 hr./45 mins.)
11:30 AM
’68 Special – Stand-Up Shows, If I Can Dream & Pickups
(1 hr./20 mins.)
2:00 PM
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
(1 hr./32 mins.)
4:30 PM
Aloha from Hawaii Broadcast Show & Insert Songs
(1 hr./32 mins.)
Sunday, January 11
11:00 AM
’68 Special – Sit-Down Shows
(1 hr./45 mins.)
2:00 PM
’68 Special – Stand-Up Shows, If I Can Dream & Pickups
(1 hr./20 mins.)
Comeback And Aloha Sneak Preview Screenings
December 30, 2003 | Video Source:EPE - Elvis Presley Enterpriseslray wrote on
December 31, 2003
These will be fantastic. The 68 TV Special with all 4 concerts, different takes of production numbers, etc. will be the best Elvis video ever. But as far as more concert releases go, this is it from EPE. They can not release something they do not have. The only other possibility is the 1977 concerts and we all know that they do not wish to put them out. The 1972 Elvis On Tour concerts belong to Warner Video.
Big Boss Man wrote on
December 30, 2003
"Later this year, EPE will release through distributor BMG..." U_U Is this meaning that the July date is being delayed?What stupid then!They should release them on July, with all of the 50 Anniversary facts.And please, give it public promotion.
Steve Grayson wrote on
December 31, 2003
I think that the forth coming releases of these 2 tv specials is great news for all the Elvis fans , like me. It has been a while since we had any new material on Video./ DVD. Having been an Elvis fan, for many a year now , I feel that this will be great release for all the fans . I always sit here and wonder , if any other concerts that E.P. gave , during the 1970s , will ever be released. Lets wait and see if E.P.E. & B.M.G. will ever release any more good releases on DVD / VIDEO. I HOPE SO. I wish all E.P. fans a Happy and Prosperous 2004.
gribz wrote on
December 30, 2003
This is geat news. Now, how do we create the buzz in the general population, and generate the excitement needed to catapult this to the younger generation? I say the new 'If I Can Dream' video with Elvis in the Leather, out there in a way that they do for Led Zeppelin in the Cadilla commercials. Get some ideas going. The new generation need Elvis.