SPINOUT (1966)
Label: Warner Archive
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 93 Minutes 15 Seconds
Audio: English DTS-HD MA Dual-Mono 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Director: Norman Taurog
Cast: Elvis Presley, Shelly Fabares, Jimmy Hawkins, Jack Mullaney, Deborah Walley, Carl Betz, Diane McBain
Just to put this up front, this is my first-time watching any movie starring Elvis Presley, while I have always been a fan of Elvis's earlier rock n' roll music career his acting abilities have never really interested me all that much. I can certainly see why his star crossed over into the film world, cynically it makes total business sense, with millions of fans probably flocking to the cinema to Elvis the Pelvis wiggling and singing in the big screen. Here Presley stars as a touring rock singer named Mike McCoy, who tours the country with is three band members; guitarist Larry (Jimmy Hawkins, Zotz!), bassist Curly (Jack Mullaney, Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine), and a female drummer Les (Deborah Walley, The Severed Arm), who is a bit of tomboy, as well as a gourmet cook. Together the band are on tour in style, going from town to town in a sweet if unorthodox
touring vehicle, a 1929 Model J Duesenberg, towing behind it Mike's sporty Cobra 427, because Mike in not just and up and coming rock n' roller, because he's also a part-time racecar driver, which figures into the story.
After their latest gig Mike is approached by millionaire Howard Foxhugh (Carl Betz, 70's made-for-TV terror Killdozer), looking to pay Mike and his band the
exorbinent sum of $5K just to play just one song ("Am I Ready") at his daughter Cynthia's birthday bash. Mike refuses to change his tour schedule to accommodate a spoiled rich girl, but Foxhugh sets about sabotaging the next tour date, leaving Mike with little choice but to begrudgingly play the show and get on with his life.
After reluctantly playing the gig Cynthia (Shelley Fabares, Clambake) announces her intentions to marry the very single-and-happy rock n' roller, much to Mike's chagrin, but soon enough he has two more would-be wedding-minded paramours by way of best-selling author Diana St. Clair (Diane McBain, Thunder Alley), who is researching her next book, The Perfect American Male (and spoiler alert, Mike's perfect in her eyes), and then we have the band's own tomboy drummer Les who is totally crushed on her singer, and pretty tired of being referred to as one of the "fellas". It's a pretty breezy story with Presley's Mike having the oh-so-terrible predicament of too many beautiful women chasing after him, all wrapped-up in a threadbare musical comedy with some car racing shenanigans thrown in for good measure. The flick plays out like a series of loosely
connected vignettes, held together by the nine Elvis musical numbers that are sprinkled throughout, capped off with a decent car race and a cornball solution to the three marriage proposals aimed at the singer.
Super light and harmless, this musical-comedy didn't do a lot for me personally, but I can see why it would be appealing to others, it's a jaunty little flick, directed by Norman Taurog (Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine) who apparently made a ton of these Elvis vehicle, so he had the formula down pat I guess. Not for me, but still a very pleasing restoration from WAC, and if you're a fan it looks fantastic.
Audio/Video: Spinout (1966) arrives on Blu-ray from WAC in 1080p HD framed in 2.35:1 widescreen, looking quite vibrant with superior clarity and depth.. Spinout is another knockout restoration from WAC, the source looks spotless, and it highlights the colorful cinematography from Daniel L. Fapp (Our Man Flint), the 60's pastel colors really shine quite nicely here, especially the vibrant jackets and dresses worn by the characters, and skin tones look natural throughout, and fine detail in teh close-ups is excellent. Audio chores are capably handled by an English DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual mono track with optional English subtitles. The score from George Stoll (The Courtship of Eddie's Father) sounds terrific, but it's the tunes sung by Elvis that everyone remembers, all pretty rote 60's rock-pop numbers that didn;t do much for me, but when you see him singing them onscreen he's got that Presley charisma in full effect and they work well enough for this light-hearted Presley romp.
Extras come by way of a pair of classic Tom & Jerry Cartoons that look terrific in HD, the Theatrical Trailer which makes you appreciate WAC's new restoration, and the ability to jump ahead to the Song Selection of your choice if you just want to get to the tunes. The single-disc releases comes in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork with original illustrated movie poster artwork, which is replicate don the disc.
Special Features:
- Tom & Jerry Cartoon: Catty-Cornered (6:27)and Filet Meow (6:24)
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Song Selection:
- Main Title (Spinout)
- Stop, Look, Listen
- Adam and Evil
- All That I Am
- Never Say Yes
- Am I Ready
- Beach Shack
- Spinout
- Smorgasbord
- I'll Be Back
- End Cast
Screenshots from the Warner Archive Bly-ray:
Available from www.MovieZyng.com
