A year of the King

We have spent the last year watching Elvis movies on Wednesday nights with some friends. We did take weeks off for various reasons - holidays, vacations, illness, etc - so it took us just under a year to complete the series. Wil loves Elvis and recognizes him on the radio or in movies now. He likes to play guitar and wiggle his hips.

As we watched, I made notes about the movies - which are the best, which should be avoided at all costs. So here is the list from most recent to the first we watched.

• This is Elvis (1981) *** interesting documentary

• Aloha From Hawaii (1973) **** good concert

• Elvis on Tour (1972) **** good concert

• That's the Way It Is (1970) **** a little drawn out getting to the concert

• Change of Habit (1969) .... Dr. John Carpenter **** essential

• The Trouble with Girls (1969) .... Walter Hale *** average • Charro! (1969) .... Jess Wade *** average, but only title song

• Elvis ('68 Comeback Special) (1968) ***** essential, Elvis at his absolute best! • Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) .... Greg Nolan **** essential • Speedway (1968) .... Steve Grayson **** Entertaining • Stay Away, Joe (1968) .... Joe Lightcloud ** worst. Elvis. movie. ever. • Clambake (1967) .... Scott Hayward/'Tom Wilson' **** average • Double Trouble (1967) .... Guy Lambert **** very entertaining, one of the better movies • Easy Come, Easy Go (1967) .... Lt. (j.g.) Ted Jackson **** entertaining with trippy yoga song • Spinout (1966) .... Mike McCoy **** entertaining • Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966) .... Rick Richards *** Blue Hawaii wanna be • Frankie and Johnny (1966) .... Johnny *** average • Harum Scarum (1965) .... Johnny Tyronne ** one of the worst • Tickle Me (1965) .... Lonnie Beale/Panhandle Kid ***** surprising, highly entertaining, maybe essential • Girl Happy (1965) .... Rusty Wells **** average • Roustabout (1964) .... Charlie Rogers **** average, but entertaining • Viva Las Vegas (1964) .... Lucky Jackson **** essential • Kissin' Cousins (1964) .... Josh Morgan / Jodie Tatum ** 2nd worst Elvis movie • Fun in Acapulco (1963) .... Mike Windgren **** average, but entertaining • It Happened at the World's Fair (1963) .... Mike Edwards *** boring • Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) .... Ross Carpenter **** average • Kid Galahad (1962) .... Walter Gulick **** hanging plot line • Follow That Dream (1962) .... Toby Kwimper **** average • Blue Hawaii (1961) .... Chad Gates ***** essential, master of formula • Wild in the Country (1961) .... Glenn Tyler **** average • Flaming Star (1960) .... Pacer Burton **** Elvis in a western • G.I. Blues (1960) .... Tulsa McLean **** 1st formulaic • King Creole (1958) .... Danny Fisher ***** essential • Jailhouse Rock (1957) .... Vince Everett ***** essential • Loving You (1957) .... Jimmy Tompkins (Deke Rivers) ***** essential • Love Me Tender (1956) .... Clint Reno *** essential