by Alice-Ginevra Micheli, Contributing Writer
We all have that feeling. You know the one: you finish watching a movie and something about it hits you in just the right spot. Whether it was the theme, the story, or even the characters, there was a quality about it that almost makes you want to turn around and go back a second, third, or even fourth time!
Bar the reality of living in the movie theater for the rest of your days, you turn to the rest of pop culture and start to look for other avenues where you can find that same feeling.
Well I’m here to make this plight easier for all. Each month, I take a piece of pop culture that was prevalent in the social consciousness — whether it is a movie, TV show, or something else — and then recommend other forms of media for those who want to stay in that world a little bit longer.
Welcome to your One Stop Pop, internet!
June was a big month, that’s for certain. In fact, it’s been quite a big first half of the year, and hey, who’s mad at being spoiled for once? But which movie is worthy of being picked apart in order to find all the different elements that make it great, and give the people more of what they want?!
Well, this month it’s Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, a story about constantly giving people what they want, beyond what you ever should have. It’s a movie full of life, color, music, vivacity, and depression — deep depression — and manipulation. So it’s no surprise that it hit many audiences in many ways, the least of which being Austin Butler’s superb performance as the singer. However, you’re not here for a review; you’re here to find out where you can get your further Elvis-esque fix!
So without further ado, let’s begin.
Book: Rock Hudson: His Story by Sara Davidson
Maybe what you most felt affected by was Elvis Presley’s story — one of control, or lack-of-control, and of others deciding your fate based on selfishness, and greed. Unfortunately this is not a solitary tale. No, this has in fact happened to many across history, and there is no better example than the life of Hollywood Hunk, Rock Hudson.
In the only official and licensed re-telling of his life, Rock Hudson: His Story was written at the subject’s request with the cooperation of his closest friends, and is the definitive portrait of one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars. Considered the biggest celebrity of his time, with oodles and oodles of women in love with his tall, dark, and handsome ways, Hudson had to live a lie in order to get by in an industry he loved.
It’s heartbreaking to learn of all the different ‘changes’ he had to undergo in order to fit a certain mold that Hollywood had decided for him, resulting in Hudson being made to stay in the closet up until his death from AIDS in 1985.
This is an intimate look into an extremely private life, which is told in a caring and evocative way, and which I highly recommend.
Pick it up online, or at your favourite library (if they stock it!).
TV Show: Physical
Ah the ‘80’s. A time of big hair, vibrant color, and of course, aerobics. Vigorous group exercise that’s meant to trick your brain into thinking you’re just having fun, and not working out (yeah, right!).
What better era than this to set a low-key psychological drama about suburbia? Not following? Let me break it down a little further. Physical follows Sheila Rubin (played by Rose Byrne), a quietly tormented San Diego housewife who, behind closed doors, battles extreme personal demons and a vicious inner voice. However, things change when she discovers the new exercise craze, sparking a journey toward empowerment and success.
To call this a comedy would be going too far but, then again, to call it a drama is also a mislabelling of the highest degree. This is one of those shows that lives somewhere in the middle, an in-between area where what’s happening on screen seems serious, dark, and intense — but it’s all just so ridiculous and out of our norm that you can’t help but see the humor in the situation.
Byrne shines as the anti-heroine at the centre, illustrating that just because you have the ‘perfect life’ doesn’t mean that you know or feel the same way.
Each episode is around 30 minutes long, making this series as snappy as one of the exercise regimes it’s built its story around. It’s got the loudness in tone that Luhrmann’s biopic gave out in spades, but in an easier to digest package. Just check it out, trust me.
Find Season 2 streaming on Apple TV+ now.
Album: Ball n’ Chain by Big Mama Thornton
Okay, but we can’t forget the music. After all, that’s a pretty important part of Elvis, as a symbol, movie focus, and a person. Further, it seems that the new movie infers that his love of the melodic stemmed from his integration with African-American culture as a child.
If you’re like young Elvis, and you’d like to hear more of what he did before he set out to become The King, then there’s no place I can better auditorily direct you then the album, Ball n’ Chain by legendary Blues singer, Big Mama Thornton.
Touting such infamous songs like Hound Dog (the ORIGINAL) and Sweet Little Angel, the album is a terrific collection of late-’60s recordings that will transport you right back to the era, and then some.
It’s powerful, it’s ingenious, and there is a reason that her name has stood the test of time amongst music fans. There’s something here that’s sure to hit many different kinds of listeners in a way that’s personal to them, and in the way that you can truly feel the emotion of her words, her beats, her rhythm, and her blues.
You can find the album on Spotify, Apple Music, or at your favourite record store.
Video Game: The Artful Escape
There are two things which come to mind when you think of Baz Luhrmann. The first is maximalism — the absolute cacophony of color, sound, and vibrance that he brings to his films no matter the subject matter. The second, partly as a result of the first, is the music, which always seems to play a vital role in any of his films (Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom, and The Great Gatsby to name a few).
So what better video game to recommend, than one that is all about its color, art style, and music?! This is where I leave you with The Artful Escape. The game follows a teenage guitar prodigy, who sets out on a psychedelic journey to inspire his stage persona, and confront the legacy of a dead folk legend.
The best way to describe this experience is as a ’70s/’80s era rock space opera, heavily inspired by the music and psychedelic era of the time. The visuals and the music are really why you come to play, as the game — while excellent in design — is nothing new to a seasoned player.
Instead, much like Elvis’ music nowadays, it looks to be an elevated version of what one might have experienced before. So much so, that it won the BAFTA Games Award for Artistic Achievement this year!
Available on all the platforms including PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Switch, this is a platformer that will get you feeling the vibes more than ever before.
So that’s it folks, a series of recommendations based on the eclectic, yet tragic life of one Mr. Elvis Presley. Whether you’re looking for more muchness, a deeper look into another affected icon, or just some nostalgia to hit you in the right ways, hopefully there’s something here for you.
I’ll be back next month to see what has hit hearts and swayed emotions in this month that is July. But until then, thank you for visiting SiftPop’s One Stop Pop, and we hope to see you again soon!
You can follow Alice-Ginevra Micheli on Instagram and Letterboxd