American Grotesque
Five long years after the publication of Alanna Nash's "The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley," producers David Permut and David Binder have acquired the screen rights. But given the tragic slant of the story, it sounds HBO-ish to me.
The film will inevitably register as a downer of some kind, as any kind of honest translation of the book will basically be the story of a greedy Svengali's brilliant promotion of Presley (from the mid to late '50s), followed by the slow ruination of his musical reputation and career (from the early '60s onward) by cutting Presley off from the world (i.e., no European concert tours), turning him into a joke by putting him in those godawful '60s movies, looking the other way at Presley's drug dependency and basically grabbing all he could until Presley turned things around somewhat with that 1968 TV concert comeback show.
It'll be, in short, a tragedy about how Parker went for the short-end money and all but killed the King's career, but also about how Presley was a none-too-bright soft touch who let himself get pushed around by Parker, lacking the character to say "you're fired" and not getting himself back into a semi-serious rock groove until it was almost too late.
Permut and Binder's film will be called The Colonel. The role has Randy Quaid's name written all over it. Parker was in his mid '40s when Elvis's career began to take off; Quaid is in his late '50s. Who else would be right or it? Somebody big and fat with a natural oozing-sleazeball quality.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on May 28, 2008 at 8:14 AM
comment #1
Mgmax, le Corbeau
says ...
Naah, Randy Quaid would be a caricature. Parker really was an evil genius, it needs to be someone who convinces you of the genius part, not just the sleaze.
I say Michael Gambon. He already played one Southerner (LBJ-- who, oddly enough, Randy Quaid also played) and anyway, Parker was really Dutch so a non-American faking it would be appropriate.
Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau
at May 28, 2008 9:25 AM
comment #2
Movie fan09
says ...
umm..
didn't Quaid already play the Colonel in an nbc bio pic with johnathan rhys meyers playing Elvis?
Posted by Movie fan09
at May 28, 2008 9:25 AM
comment #3
Movie fan09
says ...
cbs, sorry.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437714/
Posted by Movie fan09
at May 28, 2008 9:28 AM
comment #4
Mgmax, le Corbeau
says ...
Yes he did. I knew it was too obvious!
Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau
at May 28, 2008 9:29 AM
comment #5
dangovich
says ...
Good call on Michael Gambon.
Posted by dangovich
at May 28, 2008 9:34 AM
comment #6
actionman
says ...
I interviewed with David Permut. He was a funny guy. Complete character.
Posted by actionman
at May 28, 2008 9:34 AM
comment #7
T. S. Idiot
says ...
Ray Winstone.
Posted by T. S. Idiot
at May 28, 2008 9:59 AM
comment #8
Redmond
says ...
Please, no Randy Quaid. Gambon - nice choice.
Posted by Redmond
at May 28, 2008 10:23 AM
comment #9
thatrader
says ...
Easy, Paul Giamatti who was supposed to play the role in the Bubba Ho Tep sequel
Posted by thatrader
at May 28, 2008 11:11 AM
comment #10
Richardson
says ...
"Naah, Randy Quaid would be a caricature. "
Remember, pre-SNL, when Randy Quaid was a real actor?
Posted by Richardson
at May 28, 2008 2:38 PM
comment #11
Rich S.
says ...
I thought Philip Seymour Hoffman had some sort of exclusivity contract for roles like this.
Posted by Rich S.
at May 28, 2008 3:03 PM
comment #12
joe dante
says ...
This story was already filmed (by Henry Ephron, no less) in 1958 as SING BOY SING with Tommy Sands as the tortured Elvis character and Edmond O'Brien in the avaricious Colonel role.
I guess it was all pretty common knowledge even then.
Posted by joe dante
at May 28, 2008 5:47 PM
comment #13
jany
says ...
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Best regards,Jane, CEO of high availability software
Posted by jany
at April 22, 2011 5:44 AM