Rock 'n Roll Disciples

March 14, 2007 9:05 AM

Rock 'n Roll Disciples [qt] (also known as Mondo Elvis and The Cult That Is Elvis) is a 30-minute 1984 indie documentary about Elvis worshippers.

Artie Mentz, professional Elvis impersonator, tells of how Elvis' death has altered his experience as an impersonator. "Now it's sort of like being a duplicate without an original." He also discusses his five year old son following in his footsteps. Artie's wife Ellie is obviously supportive of Artie's profession, despite financial hardships. Judy and Jenny Caroll, teenage identical twins, on their relationships with boys: "If they say anything against God or Elvis, they get thrown out on their ass." They reveal their belief that Elvis is their father. Frankie "Buttons" Horrocks tells us that her husband left her because of "excessive devotion to Elvis."

Poignant and hilarious. Also available on YouTube in three segment: 1,2,3.
posted by Armitage Shanks (7 comments total)

Image Union was one of my favorite shows back in the eighties. I didn't catch Mondo Elvis when it aired, but I rented it a couple of times. The twins are absolutely out there, with their earnest belief that Elvis is their father, and with their pact to name the first son of either of them Elvis Aaron Presley III.

Once that kid gets old enough to start asking questions:
"Mom, who's Elvis Aaron Presley II"
"Oh, that was this dog we once had."
posted by hydrophonic at 9:38 AM on March 14, 2007

Awesome. Thanks.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 10:12 AM on March 14, 2007

wow. i think i saw that back in the 80's. i'd completely forgotten about it till now.
posted by rmd1023 at 10:21 AM on March 14, 2007

Elvis worshippers (the Elvii) are a plot point in Mick Farren's The Armageddon Crazy.

William Henderson wrote an interesting study of Elvis impersonators in I, Elvis.
posted by Chrysostom at 10:39 AM on March 14, 2007

At least Elvis was real, unlike that hunky white jesus that the christianists believe in.
posted by 2sheets at 10:45 AM on March 14, 2007

"Now it's sort of like being a duplicate without an original."

So Artie, there's this guy named Baudrillard I wanna tell you about...
posted by adamgreenfield at 10:57 AM on March 14, 2007

Thanks for the post. I used to have this on a tape years ago. I always cringed when the twins came on and then cried a bit for humanity.
posted by sleepy pete at 12:56 PM on March 14, 2007