Book Vs Movie: Elvis & Me
Priscilla Beaulieu Presley’s 1986 Autobiography & the 1988 TV Movie
What was considered “racy” in the 80s is viewed quite differently now (and for good reason!)
Are you lonesome tonight? Listen to this episode of Book Vs Movie with the Margos and feel like you are part of an 80s Book/TV Movie club! Elvis & Me is Priscilla Beaulieu Presley’s 1985 autobiography and wow, this caused quite a stir when it was first published.
Her extraordinary life story began at 14-years-old meeting the King Of Rock & Roll (Elvis Presley) in 1959 when he was stationed in Germany in the U.S. Army. He was 24 at the time and the person who introduced them, Currie Grant, was married and 27 at the time. (We have THOUGHTS about THAT guy!)
None of this would be okay in these times and we realize that this is going to be a very delicate situation to discuss. We want to honor Priscilla’s truth while acknowledging that this is not an ideal situation for anyone.
Elvis Presley was the biggest star in the world when they met. Priscilla spending her senior year in high school living at Graceland was tabloid fodder for years. So were the sexual dalliances of Elvis who had a thing for his co-stars Ann-Margret, Shelley Fabares, and Juliet Prowse. Also, he was long known to have a fascination for very young girls which may be the reason his manager Colonel Tom Parker told Elvis to marry Priscilla in 1967.
Priscilla goes through much of the gossip at the time and gives an unflinching look at the man who would be the father of her daughter--Lisa Marie. Drug use, infidelity, and the King shooting TV shows that featured Robert Goulet get their due. Plus., we learn about how she managed to bring Graceland back from the brink of financial ruin after Elvis’ death in 1977.
Listen to this episode to hear us talk about the book & TV movie and decide which we like better.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- Priscilla’s fascinating life (and how true is her autobiography)
- Why her version of their relationship is controversial
- The King’s peculiar life
- Our love for TV movies of the 80s
- The cast: Susan Walters (Priscilla,) Dale Midkiff (Elvis,) Linda Miller (Ann Beaulieu,) Jon Cypher (Priscilla’s stepfather,) Billy Green Bush (Elvis’s father,) Hugh Gillin (Colonel Tom Parker,) and Anne Haney (Elvis’s grandmother.)
Clips used:
- Elvis & Me trailer
- Priscilla meets Evlis
- Elvis meets her parents
- Singing in the film by Ronnie McDowell
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
Coal Miner’s Daughter
The Margos Head to Butcher Hollow to Talk About One of the Top Country Music Artists of All Time
Loretta Lynn is a multi-hyphen: singer, songwriter, musician, wife, mother, and author. The Margos were thrilled to discover that the 1980 movie Coal Miner’s Daughter was based on her 1976 autobiography of the same name. As superfans--we needed to bring this episode to our followers--you are all welcome!
Loretta began her life in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky and later became one of the most revered & successful artists in recorded music. She was the oldest of eight children and by the time she was just shy of 16--she married her life mate Oliver “Doolittle” Webb. The film stars an incandescent Sissy Spacek as Lynn, Tommy Lee Jones as “Doo” Lynn, and Levon Helm (of “The Band” fame) as her father, Ted Webb.
Sure, you can argue that the movie follows the “music biopic” re the humble beginnings, the creation of the first hit song, drugs, loneliness, and the downside of fame. But dammit if this film isn’t first-class entertainment features incredible live singing performances and a complicated love story. And the hair in this film? To die for!
Spacy won an Academy Award for her performance and the film aired on cable TV in the United States repeatedly throughout the 1980ss which means there is an entire generation that knows this movie backward & forwards.
Lynn just released her second book Me & Patsy: Kickin’ Up Dust which is all about her friendship with the legendary Patsy Cline. At 87--she continues to be creative and vital. An example of resiliency to us all!
So between the autobiography and the movie, which did we like better? Click on the link below to find out!
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The life story of Loretta Lynn
- How Sissy Spacek got into character for the part of her lifetime
- Behind the scenes tidbits from the set
- The cast Sissy Spacey (Loretta Lynn,) Tommy Lee Jones (Doo Lynn,) Levon Helm (Ted Webb,) Phyllis Boyens-Liptak (Clary Webb,) William Sanderson (Lee Dollarhide,) and Beverly D’Angelo (Patsy Cline.)
Clips Featured:
- Coal Miner’s Daughter trailer
- Doo walks Loretta home
- Doo and the “studio engineer”
- Beverly D’Angelo as Patsy Cline
- Doolittle in the studio
- Outro music Coal Miner’s Daughter (Performed by Loretta Lynn)
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/