Harum Scarum (Elvis Presley) [1965]

Customer Reviews:

Harmless fun.......2008-02-22

Although I am a big Elvis fan of over 35 years I had not seen this film until very recently and was filled with no little trepidation at what I expected to be embarrassing viewing. OK its not brilliant and definately for fans only, as are most of Elvis' films, but not half as bad as I had been expecting. It is good clean fun and requires no greater suspension of disbelief than many of the current big budget movies. I really enjoyed the hour and a half or so spent in the company of the King, it was harmless escapism and at under a fiver I cant complain. If you dont expect too much you too may find yourself pleasantly entertained.

Camp fun!.......2007-06-14

Ok, this is not a good or even an OK film by the usual standards of film production and film criticism. However it's one of the most fascinating Elvis films simply because its soo bad...that it becomes good! Yes, good in a post-modern sort of way. Harum Scarum is obviously a B movie that can't even grade as kitch like so many of Presley's movies. In fact Harum Scarum seems to be a parody of the Hollywood exoctic Arab type stories, like Rudolph Valentino films and in some extent it even parodies B movies produced in the forties and fities like the Tony Curtis flick "The Prince who was a Thief".
What this means is that involuntarily Gene Nelson the director of this movie turned a lousy production into a delicious parody of Hollywood cliches and genre situations, resulting by today's standards as an interesting artifact of popular culture and commenting on the decline of Hollywood genre films (Cat Ballou, and Rocky Horror Picture Show are also examples of Camp).
Has a plus the soundtarck has some nice songs, very adequate to this type of film and setting, "shake that tambourine" comes to mind, but its regretable that the movie does't include the soundtrack's best tune, "Animal Instinct" that definetly deserves to be rediscovered since it has potential for a remix along the lines of "a little less conversation".
If you only enjoy Elvis best movies (like King Creole and Blue Haway, or Viva Las Vegas and Flaming Star) this film is not for you, but if CAMP is a concept you understand and enjoy...give it a try!

What a woeful film!!!.......2006-08-01

It is such a shame that The King had to make films such as Harum Scarum, with a weak plot, and songs that make your gut churn, I can truly understand why Elvis was so ticked off with the Colonel!

This is a film for true die hard Elvis fans, even though he looks amazing in the film, and very, very exotic.

Average customer rating:

Harum Scarum [1965] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: Elvis Presley , Mary Ann Mobley , Fran Jeffries , Michael Ansara , and Jay Novello
Director: Gene Nelson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Musicals | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

All Drama | Drama | Categories | DVD | Video

Musicals | Classics | Categories | DVD | Video

All Children's DVD | Children's DVD | Categories | DVD | Video

Region 1 | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000QXDEEK
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Elvis Triple Feature: Harum Scarum/Speedway/The Trouble With Girls [1965] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Average customer rating:

Elvis Triple Feature: Harum Scarum/Speedway/The Trouble With Girls [1965] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: Elvis Presley , Mary Ann Mobley , Fran Jeffries , Michael Ansara , and Jay Novello
Director: Gene Nelson , Stephen Low , and Peter Tewksbury
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Musicals | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Musicals | Classics | Categories | DVD | Video

Region 1 | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000HT38AI
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Average customer rating:

A Very Different Elvis Movie
The worst film ever????
Elvis As an Rudolph Valentino Character

Musicals | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Musicals | Classics | Categories | DVD | Video

All Children's DVD | Children's DVD | Categories | DVD | Video

DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00027JY8A
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Customer Reviews:

A Very Different Elvis Movie.......2006-04-28

This Elvis Movie Is One Of A Kind,Different From All His Others, It's The Elvis Movie You'd Like To See Now And Then, All People Has Different Vews But If You're A Very Big Die Hard Elvis Fan Like Myself Go And Get It Whlile You Still Can, If You Can Get This Movie Under The Original Tittle Then Go For It The Original Tittle Is "Harem Holiday" Under The Original MGM Lable, But Also Get This Version As Well, For People Who Ain't Elvis Fans And Like Somthing Different THen Give Yourslef A Treat,

The worst film ever????.......2003-07-25

This is terrible, no question. The acting is terrible, the songs are worse, the costumes look like my dog made them and the sets are so shaky I thought I was watching Crossroads.

I'm a big Elvis fan, but even I couldn't bear to watch. I go so embarrassed that I had to pause the video. The guy looks as if he wishes he was more stoned than he was. I'm sure this was not one of the films he and chums watched at the Memphian on one of his many film marathons.

Totally awful - has to be seen to be believed. I only gave it one star 'cos Elvis is in it.

Elvis As an Rudolph Valentino Character.......2001-02-15

Johnny Tyronne (Elvis Presley) actor and well known singer are on a tour in the middle east, together with some friends in a dance group, when they all of a sudden, gets kidnaped. After a couple of "moves" Johnny finnaly manage to escape, and climb over the palace wall, and for some reson ends up with the beautiful princess Shlimar (Mary Ann Mobley). She tell Johnny that she is a slave, and promise Johnny to help him escape from the kidnappers. She askes Johnny why he got kidnapped, and he tells her that it was done, because they needed him to assasin a "very important person."

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