JAILHOUSE ROCK (PG) Presented in Glorious 35mm

Jailhouse Rock at Revival House Perth

Elvis Presley at his absolute peak—raw, dangerous, and impossibly charismatic in the 1957 film that best captures why The King ruled American culture. This isn't just Elvis' finest film; it's one of the grittiest and most adult-oriented musical dramas of the 1950s, proof that rock 'n' roll had real teeth before Hollywood smoothed them down.

Elvis plays Vince Everett, a construction worker sent to prison for manslaughter after a bar fight goes wrong. Inside, he learns to play guitar from his cellmate (Mickey Shaughnessy) and discovers he has genuine talent. Upon release, Vince claws his way to stardom with the help of music promoter Peggy Van Alden (Judy Tyler), but success transforms him into an arrogant, ruthless star who alienates everyone who helped him rise.

The film's most famous sequence—the title number choreographed by Elvis himself—remains one of cinema's most electrifying musical performances. Shot in a single take with innovative camera work, it's pure rebellious energy captured on film. But what makes the movie special is its willingness to let Vince be genuinely unlikeable, a talent corrupted by ego and the music industry's exploitation.

Director Richard Thorpe and cinematographer Robert Bronner shoot in stark black and white that emphasizes the noir edges of the story. This is Elvis before the Colonel sanitized him for family audiences—sexual, dangerous, and magnetic. Tragically, co-star Judy Tyler died in a car accident shortly after filming, and Elvis reportedly never watched the completed film.

Rock 'n' roll cinema at its most potent and uncompromising.

Present in authentic 35mm film for the true cinematic experience!

When: Sunday, November 30th at 2:00 PM
Where: Revival House Perth
Rating: PG - Themes and mild violence

Elvis at his most dangerous—the film that shows why he changed everything.