So we got The Slater Factor here, looking a lot like Kurt Russell's iconic Captain Ron, eye patch and Hawaiian shirt and all. That's enough to warm my heart, sure, but it's not particularly unusual, particularly for 1993, a year that was veritably rife with Hawaiian shirts and zany, ocean-themed antics. But wait– Slater's character Clarence is pictured here with his son Elvis, so named because of his Elvis obsession which permeates the film. Now, let's take a trip back in time to 1963 when a 10-year old Kurt Russell made an on-screen appearance with the real-life Elvis in IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR, where he was permitted to kick Elvis in the shins. Later, in 1979, in John Carpenter's ELVIS, Kurt received the opportunity to play "The King" himself. Even later, Kurt Russell would cross paths with a Quentin Tarantino script as well, appearing as the memorable Stuntman Mike in DEATH PROOF. But before then, Kurt Russell and Christian Slater teamed up in the Elvis impersonator-centric heist movie 3000 MILES TO GRACELAND. What does it all mean? I don't think that I can venture a guess. Yours is as good as mine. I suppose all that I know is that the paths and destinies of Christian Slater, Kurt Russell, and Elvis are somehow, mysteriously, and incontrovertibly intertwined, and I'm more than okay with that.
...Annnnnnd I'm going to go to bed now.
Wow. All these pop culture connections are making my head hurt. That is really spooky. And even more so because it probably wasn't planned in the slightest, just a weird confluence of coincidences.
ReplyDeleteI guess I've always been drawn toward finding these little bizarre connections among films and across careers. Plus, I always mention CAPTAIN RON whenever I can.
ReplyDeleteSean, thats a good question. Elvis works in mysterious ways
ReplyDeleteHe does indeed, Maurice!
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