Paramount Home Entertainment has selected Nov. 15 as the street date for a newly restored — from the original 35mm camera negative — 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition of director Norman Taurog’s landmark presentation of Blue Hawaii.
Elvis. Hawaii. The perfect match — the tourist industry exploded after the Blue Hawaii’s theatrical launch during the Thanksgiving season of 1961 and the companion soundtrack album was an immediate million-unit seller.
It was all set up to be a re-teaming of Elvis with Juliet Prowse, his co-star in G.I. Blues, and Taurog, who directed G.I. Blues, would once again be in the director’s chair. A winning combination, but Prowse’s demands proved to be a deal-killer, so Joan Blackman (Visit to a Small Planet, Kid Galahad, Macon County Line) got the call.
A few weeks of location shooting in Hawaii, another month on the sound stages at the Paramount lot in Hollywood and then blockbuster business in theatres nationwide in November! Plus, a keep sake soundtrack album that includes “Blue Hawaii,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Rock-a-Hula Baby” and the “Hawaiian Wedding Song.” Sweet!
Bonus goodies include commentary from film historian James L. Neibaur (“The Elvis Movies,” “The Monster Movies of Universal Studios” “RKO Features: A Complete Filmography of the Feature Films Released or Produced by RKO Radio Pictures, 1929-1960” … and more), plus the “Blue Hawaii Photo Scrapbook.”
