Tickle Me Review

Just bubbling under the Top Ten Elvis Presley Movies is 1965's Tickle Me, a zany romp wherein Elvis plays a singing rodeo rider who gets a gig at a "beauty ranch" full of gorgeous gals. There are laughs galore, some rockin' songs, and girls, girls, girls!

It's one of my favorite Elvis movies from his mid-'60s assembly line period, probably because of all the beautiful women in the cast. Of all of Elvis's many co-stars, Jocelyn Lane is perhaps the sexiest, right up there with Ann-Margret in Viva Las Vegas. What a looker.

Playing the role of the older woman who lusts after EP is the lovely Miss Julie Adams (The Creature from the Black Lagoon). Add to the mix all the glamourous dolls at the all-girl dude ranch, and to quote the title of a song from a different Elvis Movie, it's a "Smorgasbord."

The would-be comic relief is provided by goofy character actor Jack Mullaney, also known as the poor man's Bob Denver, perhaps best known for his role as one of the astronauts on the 1966-67 sitcom "It's About Time."

Another thing working in the film's favor is that it features a slightly naughtier Elvis, with a little more sexual innuendo than most of his movies. Of course, it turns into a dopey sitcom half way through the film with a plot twist straight out of a Three Stooges short, involving hidden gold, a ghost, and bad guys dressed up like ghouls. Come to think of it, it's also somewhat reminiscent of Scooby Doo.

The movie features an above average soundtrack, which, rather than showcasing the usual bunch of whipped-together songs from hack songwriters, includes songs previously released on various Presley LPs and EPs, some dating back to 1960. The pick of the litter: "Night Rider", "Dirty, Dirty Feeling", "Slowly But Surely" and "Easy Question".

Available on DVD seperately or as part of Elvis - The Hollywood Collection from Warner Home Video.