Why Elvis channeled Marlon Brando in iconic leather look

“It is a crime. To put him in that situation and sing that song. It made him a laughingstock. And he knew it.”

Elvis’s film career had been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. While he initially starred in a string of successful films, his later years in Hollywood felt increasingly limiting.

By the mid-1960s, his roles in formulaic, cash-grab musicals frustrated him. His dream of being the next James Dean or Marlon Brando seemed more out of reach than ever. Jason Hehir reveals that Elvis sometimes became “physically ill” thinking about his film career.

“He was frustrated, but he was also disillusioned. He wanted more.”

Elvis frustration boiled over

In 1968, after seven years of no live performances and increasingly mediocre films, Elvis was at a crossroads. His frustration boiled over, and he decided to make a bold move — returning to the stage.

The former teen idol was eager to reclaim his throne, but few realize just how uncertain and terrified Elvis was before stepping back onto the stage.Continue reading…