Customer Reviews
Elvis on TV! 
2008-07-25
This DVD documents the year 1956. Elvis begins recording for RCA and makes his first appearances on television. The included TV appearances are worth getting the DVD alone. If you are looking for a great place to start learning the history of the "King" I recommend purchasing this DVD first. I bought this DVD as a companion to "Elvis: The Birth of Rock n' Roll."
Elvis '56 In the Beginning 2007-10-10
You can't beat the young Elvis. In 1956 Elvis was just 21 years old...and the hottest thing on the planet....this and the recently released Ed Sullivan appearances are in my opinion the best live Elvis performances you can view.. Rock'n Roll Baby!!! Elvis '56 - In the BeginningElvis Presley - Ed Sullivan Shows
Takes me back! 2007-07-02
The first time I heard Elvis they were playing his hit song over the pa system at the PX in Turkey and I was probably [...] I think it was Hound Dog...I didn't get to hear him again until the following year when Love Me Tender came to the Base Theater in Athens, Greece, and then he went into the Army and I became a teenager...and the rest is history! I was too busy putting myself through college and life after high school, so I missed out on those years too! Now I'm 62, retired, and reliving my youth!
This filled me in on his earlier hits and his beginnings. I never saw him on TV as we didn't have that overseas at the time. I really love this DVD; well done!
An excellent way to learn about Elvis 2006-12-03
The first record I ever bought was the 78-rpm version of 'Heartbreak Hotel', so 1956 is a special year for me. This documentary does a great job of bringing back the feeling of what it was like in this early era of Rock 'N' Roll. This really shows Elvis at his peak. I would highly reccomend it.
Old Fart 2006-08-22
I remember watching E on a B&W telly in a drug store while 10 of
us shared a coke as a reason for being there. Who had a name
like "ELVIS" in 1955. Nobody I know and certainly not in Canada.
I watched the Dorsey Brothers Show and E and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. The number 1 song on the "Hit Parade" was
Doris Day, "How Much is that Doggie In the Window"
As John Lennon says during the intro to ELVIS'56- "before
Elvis, there was nothing"
Old fans will love this DVD. New fans will appreciate the changes.
Old and new will get to know the world shaking change E made.
One of the very best E early years docu/dvds
Interesting early Elvis 
2005-07-09
1956 was Elvis Presley's breakthrough year and this program takes you back including his early television performances on the Dorsey Brothers Show and the Ed Sullivan Show and an entire hour of rare footage and performances captured during the amazing year when Elvis Presley became not only a star but a phenomenon.Running Time: 61 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 085365408524 Manufacturer No: A54085
Elvis Presley's Early Years - A Terrific Video 2005-02-17
This video of Presley's early career is wonderful. It may be the best of all the Presley videos. Don't miss it. You will be there for the early music and the meteoric rise of this rock n roll legend. The quality of the reproduction is excellent for the time period 1956. On this video you will see Elvis Presley at his best before he was spoiled by all the fame and money that came later in his life.
YES, HE STILL HOUNDS US WITH HIS LEGACY 2003-01-07
Just when you thought it was safe to finally put away those blue suede shoes, along comes yet another piece of Presley paraphernalia, the time on DVD. Actually, this is a superb collection of rare, early recordings and never-before-seen black-and-white and color footage that proves just why we still love him tender. Narrated by Levon Helm of the band, the DVD time travels back to the year when-rock-and roll was still in its infancy and a young man hip-swiveling Southern boy was about to Make It Big. Even after all these years, the King's infamous appearance on Ed Sullivan's show still hounds us with delight.
Great for Elvis' movie fans 2001-03-20
I noticed another reviewer said the sound of the DVD was bad. Honestly, I didn't notice that, but I may not have great sound on my TV! However, this is a favorite video of mine, so I was thrilled to have it on DVD. Basically, this covers his early (and best) film years. Everyone on the tape says Elivs was a much better actor that he was given credit for--and I agree. It also contains some of his best performances from "Jailhouse Rock," "Loving You" and "King Creole."
Simply the best... 2000-07-02
As an American raised in the second half of the 20th Century, I have been steeped in the legend of Elvis throughout my entire life. Prior to seeing "Elvis '56" on TV, I had seen footage of his early performances that I thought demonstrated a degree of brilliance. That being said, I must state, emphatically, that this brilliant film, which encapsulates his meteoric rise to fame, has made me a fan forever of this remarkable American artist. We can all go on to note how, after 1956, Elvis became a "boy in a bubble" and the sad effect that had on his personality and music. But this film is the unadulturated 100% pure Elvis Presley of which the legend is made. It's not just the music - which is incredible - but this fascinating young man himself, that makes this video so rewarding. And, finally, I have seldom seen a film - documentary or fiction - that so vividly rekindles the look and feel of an era. If you lived through 1956, this will take you back. If you didn't, watch this and you'll know what it was like.
