'The Elvis Files Magazine'

The seven Elvis Files volumes 1-7 are a very ambitious project by Erik Lorentzen that will carefully document almost every single day of Elvis' life from 1954 to 1977, covering everything from what he wore on stage, to who he met, rare interviews, candid photos and newly discovered images. Not only is Erik Lorentzen releasing his beautiful Elvis Files books but now an associated quarterly magazine is available! His collection of Elvis articles and exclusive photos is so extensive that he has more than can fit into his books.   EIN checks out the June 2014 - Issue #8 of this new magazine below ...

'Elvis Files Magazine Vol.9' OUT NOW: Erik Lorentzen notes that the new 'Elvis Files Magazine Vol.9' is BETTER THAN EVER and Out Now. Includes the articles... - The Day Elvis Became an Elvis Fan - The August 1st 1969 Press Conference - Las Vegas September 1974 - Chet Atkins, Charlie McCoy, Paul Evans - Elvis and Judy Spreckels - What Elvis Thinks Of His Fans   The annual subscription cost including postage is €58 Go here to the Elvis Files for more purchase info

Published June 2014, issue 8 of The Elvis Files Magazine.

Elvis Files magazine issue eight arrived in EIN’s mailboxes last month, hard to believe that this neat magazine has already has been going for two years, how time how time flies.

EIN however has been busy moving home so we haven’t had a chance to check out this June issue until now.

The front cover features an absolutely sensational quality photograph of Elvis and Ann-Margret dancing in Viva Las Vegas (sorry, I had to include again in large format!) and when you turn the page and there is a full-page photo of Elvis in Clambake - Boy, what a difference three years can make!

Clambake is always hard for Elvis fans to get their heads around being just a year before the Comeback special and released at the time Elvis was back making some great studio music. What a weird contrast. In this magazine Alan Hanson provides an interesting article about Clambake the movie (EIN - Poor Elvis!) and it is accompanied by some fabulous shots of the period, some in some truly stunning quality and full-page.

"The New York Time had given Presley mixed reviews in the past, and was not impressed with this one, which the review of December 14, 1967, made perfectly clear.
"Elvis Presley hit a real Christmas clinker yesterday with 'Clambake,' a silly, tired little frolic that could have used a few clams. Even staunch Presley admirers - and we're one of them when he delivers the likes of 'Fun in Acapulco' and 'Viva Las Vegas!' - will have to strain to justify this one ... it's mighty slim, Presley pickings."
….. The film contains more than its share of stock backgrounds behind Elvis as he operates car, boat, and motorcycle. Many of the action shots actually filmed in Florida are dark, evidently to mask the use of the actors' doubles. The cumulative result is, as Thompson noted, a pasty backdrop compared to the colourful, exotic settings of some earlier Presley pictures."

This issue of the magazine and has plenty of full-page photographs of our man, thirty-four in all.

The magazine starts with more new prints of Frank Powolny’s September 1956 Elvis studio session. While some are similar to poses you may have previously seen, there are plenty of full page-size alternate shots.

One of the most interesting articles in this magazine is ‘My Memories of Elvis’ by his "best friend" Cliff Gleaves. It runs the nine pages and includes some delicious shots and cools stories from the late fifties.

"But he got his biggest surprise when we got to our suite at the Hawaiian Village. The management had delivered about 2,000 letters from his fans all over Hawaii. They were piled two or three feet high on one big table in the center of the room. Elvis looked at those letters for a long time - then walked out on the patio by himself. After a few minutes, I followed him. He was standing at the end of the patio, his head down. I said, "What's wrong, Elvis? What's the matter?" He looked up, the tears shining in his eyes. "I can't explain it to you, Cliff," he said. "All those letters! All those people 'way over here like me that much. It makes me feel so small." This is just an opinion, but I think Elvis outdid himself in his shows over there, to please the Hawaiian people. I never saw his so affected that way over fan mail. He was tremendously impressed with their appreciation for him.

... Elvis has had more than a few dates with big stars, but when he dated Rita Moreno in Hollywood it was more than just two big-name people going out. They really had fun together. Rita came on the set while we were making "Loving You," and Elvis was introduced to her. Later that day he said to me, "She's cute, Cliff, don't you think? I'd like to date here." A day or so later, he called Rita and asked her to go out with him the next night. I could tell he was happy that she accepted.

Elvis called at Rita's apartment that night in his Cadillac Limousine, wearing a black suit, white tie and black shoes. Rita met him in a black dress cut low in the back, wearing the white orchid Elvis had sent her in her hair. We then went over to the Moulin Rouge for dinner and to hear Dean Martin, who was headlining to bill there. Rita and Elvis got to know each other right away. I think the big thing that brought them together was that they are both very fond of Spanish music, and a group of Spanish musicians were playing there that night. They chatted all through dinner - talking about acting, the movie business, and the city of Hollywood, which Elvis loves. .... afterwards a pizza-feast followed, and at 3:30 the gathering began to break up and then Elvis dropped Rita off. He visited her several times after that, and took her to a movie once."

It is a crying shame that no one has ever done a proper interview with Ann-Margret about Elvis and their love affair. However eight pages of this magazine are dedicated to an interesting overview, "Elvis and Ann-Margret, the hot summer of 1963". Again featuring interesting comments and great photos.

.... "During their private time together, Elvis opened up to her, perhaps more than he ever had with any other person in his life. Ann-Margret felt she came to know his heart intimately:
"Like everyone else, Elvis had dreams and desires, hopes and hurts, wants and weaknesses. He didn't reveal this vulnerable side until everyone had disappeared, until those private moments when we were alone, after darkness had blanketed the city and we'd parked somewhere up in the hills and could look down upon the sprawl of L.A. or up at the stars."

The only threat to their relationship during the Viva Las Vegas shoot was their egos. Ann-Margret admitted she had one, and no one would deny Elvis did as well. A case in point is the favoritism director George Sidney allegedly gave Ann-Margret during filming. Elvis cronies Red West, Lamar Fike, Joe Esposito, and Sonny West have all accused Sidney of giving Ann-Margret favorable camera angles at Elvis's expense."

Alan Hanson again provides another article about how Colonel Parker and Hal Wallis controlled Elvis’ film career in the 1960s. It is always an interesting topic to discuss. (In fact "Elvis Films FAQ" author Paul Simpson recently wrote a spotlight for EIN about the ‘Big Boss Man’ Parker).

In the magazine Hanson provides some different, as well as interesting, viewpoints.
For instance..

"Parker is normally assigned the majority of the blame for the deterioration of Elvis's film career in the mid-1960s. Interestingly, though, one of the Colonel's defenders was long time Presley friend and confidant, Lamar Fike. Harboring an intense personal dislike of Parker, Fike nevertheless endorsed the manager's movie policy while fixing most of the blame on Elvis.
"This isn't a very popular view, but Colonel's formula was correct. The serious stuff - the movies that didn't have many songs in them - flopped. That's a pretty good argument. On the other hand, by the time Elvis figured out he was being screwed around, it was too late. He signed too many contracts. If the Colonel handed him a contract, he'd sign it and never look at it ... And when you've already been paid for the pictures, and you've already spent half the money, you've got to do them. All those pictures were presigned. So Elvis had no choice."

In fairness to Colonel Parker, although his demand for leaner budgets was a major factor in the deterioration of Presley's films after Viva Las Vegas, he did try to improve the situation. After viewing the first cut of Harum Searum in 1965, Parker sent a letter to MGM criticizing the picture's quality and suggesting that more time be spent filming the next picture to get a better result."

Super-fan Elaine Christan as always provides an exclusive article for the magazine, this time looking at Elvis at his "That’s The Way It Is" concerts from August 14, 1970. How topical with the SONY box-set just being released this month.

Includes .... "We sat in the third tier of the balcony for the second show that night, nearly center stage. Elvis wore a white jumpsuit with chains across the front and a red snakeskin belt. I have seen many times on internet sites that this red belt from the August 14 midnight show was a macrame belt, but it was not. Elvis kidded about this red snake skin belt, he said it was "hard to find a red snake, not too many of them hanging around." I believe it was the belt to the jumpsuit known as the Ladder Jumpsuit (worn during this engagement and on tour in San Francisco, CA). Elvis was in a really goofy mood this show. He introduced himself as Johnny Cash, and then did a few verses of "I walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison Blues". I was amazed at how much he could sound like Johnny Cash. He seemed to be really enjoying this show, despite the cameras and the house lights being up so MGM could film him. He changed the words to the several songs and really had fun messing them up. He even did a few bars of "Blueberry Hill" which he sang as follows: "I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill, when they found my STILL, on Blueberry Hill." At the close of the show he even laid down on the stage and directed the orchestra with his foot! Back in our room Mom quickly pulled out her cassette player to check the tape. Success! She got a really nice tape of that show."

Other articles include
- Elvis in Scotland his March 2, 1960 stopover.
- How a couple in Beverly Hills couple nearly lost their car due to Elvis Fans in 1957.
- Elvis’ featured jumpsuit is the 1973 ‘American Eagle’.

As always the magazine seems to nicely fill in the areas and articles that were perhaps missed from the Elvis Files book series.

All the glorious full-page photographs are also tasty reminder how fabulous the Ultimate Elvis Sessions book will be when published later this year.

Overall Verdict: Check out the few selected photos and article extracts above and I think its pretty obvious why the Elvis Files Magazine has been a success over their first two years of publication. Yet another very enjoyable magazine issue - and I am already looking forward to their next publication.

NOTE - If you are an Annual Subscriber to the Elvis Files magazine then now is time to renew your subscription.
Erik Lorentzen says the quickest method is PAYPAL € 58 TO: sales@elvisfiles.no - FOR A NEW SUBSCRIPTION and fill in your details.

Click here to ORDER 'Elvis Files Magazine' at The Elvis Files website> www.elvisfiles.no

COMING SOON.... September 2014 - Issue 9

The Seven-Volume series and proposed publishing dates are:
The Elvis Files Vol. 1,1953-1956, (April 2013)
The Elvis Files Vol. 2,1957-1959, (November 2010)
The Elvis Files Vol. 3,1960-1964, (April 2010)
The Elvis Files Vol. 4,1965-1968, (December 2011)
The Elvis Files Vol. 5,1969-1970, (August 2012)
The Elvis Files Vol. 6,1971-1973, (August 2013)
The Elvis Files Vol. 7,1974-1977, (Late 2014)

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'Elvis Files Magazine ISSUE 7' Review: The march issue, once again featuring Elvis stories and new unpublished Elvis photos that would be missed from Lorentzen's "Elvis Files" series of books. One of the treats of this issue is that there are several articles and interviews featuring Elvis himself that capture him in some candid moments and thoughts. - Elvis At The Shrine - One of the key articles in this issue and an impressive 12 pages are dedicated to Elvis' live appearances in Los Angeles and boy there are some stunning images of Elvis here. - Elvis Presley "I’ll never do it again"- a fascinating article about Elvis being so disgruntled with being forced to appear in that tuxedo on the Steve Allen show. - "Why Do Canadian Youngsters Worship Elvis Presley?" - Recently discovered the dress rehearsal documents from King Creole. Once again Elaine Christan, daughter of super fan Virginia Coons, supplies some good articles including some candid photographs from 1969 and even a positive view of November 1976. - 'Elvis talks To Roxy' - a delightful interview from 1960. Plus plenty more Rare Candids not featured in previous Elvis Files books. Go HERE as EIN checks the new issue- with plenty of rare photos. (Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

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'Elvis Files Magazine ISSUE 6' Review: The December Issue of the Elvis Files magazine sadly got stuck in the Christmas post but what a treat it is! Once again featuring Elvis stories and new unpublished Elvis photos that would be missed from Lorentzen's "Elvis Files" series of books. The key article in the magazine is a stunning 20-page feature on Elvis’ last concerts of the fifties in Honolulu, Hawaii. Written by Elvis expert James Roy I found it the most interesting and well-researched story published by the Elvis Files Magazine so far. In another feature Lorentzen has also discovered seventeen fabulous new photos of Elvis in Jacksonville Florida from February 1956, showing Elvis and the Colonel hanging out and making surreptitious arrangements at the hotel. There are of course plenty of other articles in the magazine including .... - Super fan, Virginia Coons Beverly Hills 'Spring 1969' - Love Me Tender, unseen photos - It’s A Miracle Elvis Is A Star - by former schoolteacher - Elvis Cracked Up in Anaheim, November 30, 1976 - Elvis’and Danny Thomas’ complete interview Plus plenty more Rare Candids not featured in previous Elvis Files books. Go HERE as EIN checks the new issue- with plenty of rare Elvis photos. (Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

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'Elvis Files Magazine ISSUE 5' Review: The September Issue of the Elvis Files magazine once again features Elvis stories and new unpublished Elvis photos that would be missed from Lorentzen's "Elvis Files" series of books. The amazing discovery this time is the twenty-one never-before-published photographs of Elvis in November 1956 with Alis Lesley, the ‘Female Presley’. Other features this time include Lloyd Shearer "How Elvis Changed His Public Image" and the important 1957 African-American JET magazine article about Elvis and racism. There are of course plenty of other articles in the magazine including .... - Shelley Fabares & Elvis - Interview with William A Graham (director of ‘Change Of Habit’) - ‘Elvis My Best Man’ Interview with George Klein - Super fan, Virginia Coons Meeting Elvis Plus plenty more Rare Candids not featured in previous Elvis Files books. Go HERE as EIN investigates the new issue- with plenty of rare Elvis photos. (Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Elvis Files Magazine ISSUE 4' - Review: Published last month, the June Issue of the Elvis Files magazine once again features Elvis stories, as well as new unpublished Elvis photos, that would be missed from Lorentzen's "Elvis Files" series of books. EIN has been overseas recently so we've been running a little late with reviews. Favourite features this time include 'Elvis attending Nancy Sinatra’s 1970 opening night' and ten years earlier 'Elvis’ April 1960 train journey to L.A.' - plus the ten pages dedicated to Elvis and Debra Paget. There are of course plenty of other articles in the magazine including .... - Elvis Live October 1976 at Fort Wayne - Elvis Live October 1957 in LA and San Francisco. - Elvis and his famous luxury gold Cadillac. - Hedda Hopper "He is the Greatest Phenomenon" Plus plenty more Rare Candids not featured in previous Elvis Files books. Go HERE as EIN investigates the new June issue- with plenty of rare Elvis photos. (Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Elvis Files Magazine ISSUE 3' - Review: Released March 2013, this magazine was created by Erik Lorentzen in order to feature Elvis stories that would not fit into his "Elvis Files" series of books - as well as a place to include all the extra new unpublished Elvis photos that he has recently purchased. The real score here is of course that Erik Lorentzen has managed to get hold of Frank Powolny’s 1956 September photographs - and there are plenty here over twenty good size shots - and in great quality too. There are of course plenty of other articles in the magazine including .... - A look at Elvis and Mary Ann Mobley - Rare photos from 'Follow That Dream'. - Personal fan stories of meeting Elvis - Elvis Gospel in his 68 Maroon suit - Ann-Margret: The Girlfriend Who Isn’t One. Plus plenty more Rare Candids not featured in previous Elvis Files books. Go HERE as EIN investigates the new March issue- with plenty of rare Elvis photos. (Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Elvis Files Magazine Issue 2' - Review: Released last month, this magazine was created by Erik Lorentzen in order to feature Elvis stories that would not fit into his "Elvis Files" series of books - as well as a place to include all the extra new unpublished Elvis photos that he has recently purchased. I have seen little about this December magazine publication elsewhere on the Internet and yet I found it another excellent magazine, and for me even more interesting than the first issue. The real treat here is Lorentzen’s personal story of meeting Elvis and visiting Graceland, as well as lots of exclusive on-stage photos taken during that 1975 tour by the Norwegian fan club. There are of course plenty of other articles in the magazine including .... - Elvis and The Martial Arts – by Master Kang Ree. - "The World of Elvis Jumpsuits" – Featuring the unusual Black PasSaRyu Karate jacket from August/ September 1974. - Elvis and The DIG magazine. Four great pages of candids from April 1956 - A rare Elvis Interview from 1964. Plus plenty more Rare Candids not featured in previous Elvis Files books. Go HERE as EIN investigates the new publication - with plenty of rare Elvis photos. (Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

The Elvis Files Magazine - ISSUE 1 : Not only is Erik Lorentzen releasing his beautiful Elvis Files books but now an associated quarterly magazine is available - and issue #1 recently arrived in Australia. Lorentzen's collection of Elvis articles and exclusive photos is so extensive that he has more than he can ever fit into his books. EIN recently asked Erik Lorentzen a few questions to clarify a few points for magazine subscribers and to find out more. We also feature a review of the magazine and some delicious example photographs. Click here to find out about this great magazine. (BookReviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)