Elvis!

Elvis is obviously a major recurring motif (or whatever you want to call it) in the film. He is one of the constants in the three vignettes, and yet I found it interesting how in each vignette, the characters have a very different relationship with him.

The japanese couple admire and idolize him.

For italian woman, Elvis represented a return to emotion of sorts. She seemed unusually detached for someone who just lost their husband, she didn't seem to be affected by his death at all. Up until the moment she sees Elvis' ghost, she's generally indifferent. But this apparition touches a chord in her, it's the first thing that really seems to move/excite her (she has a strong reaction of surprise). After that, when she's about to leave the room, she looks sad, as if the realization of her husband's death had just dawned on her. Elvis makes her believe again, this is the rebirth of her faith and feeling.

Johnny is annoyed at Elvis: his black friends are always calling him Elvis, and he's sick of it (he hides his picture in the hotel room).


In some way the characters view of Elvis reflect their general feeling towards the city.

However, when Blue Moon comes on the radio, I had the sense that all of the characters had a similar reaction to the song. The characters were connected by Elvis, as he reminded each of them of their loneliness and lost love.

So, Elvis is a kind of embodiment of Memphis. Each vignette's main character(s) react differently to him, and yet he brings out the similarities in the characters. He's familiar in this film about (mis)communication and (not)belonging, a common reference that all the characters have.