EPE To License Talking Elvis Head
January 08, 2007 | Other
The Wowee company will release a 'living' Elvis head, under an official EPE license. The robot version of the comeback Elvis can sing 8 songs, has 30 quotes and a karaoke function. You can turn of Elvis voice and with the included microphone, you can hear your voice coming lipsync out of the head.
On YouTube is a short preview of a pre-production model. The company says that the final release will look a lot more realistic. Release date - offcourse - summer 2007, estimated price is $349 (€ 266).
Reaction EPE january 10, 2007:
It's an unfinished prototype. The maker previewed it at the big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. They still have work to do on the facial features and the animatronic operation before the product goes on the market later this year.
Source:ElvisMatters
elvissessions wrote on
January 08, 2007
Good gawd! A new low so low it makes the previous record low look like a high. So lame, so creepy, so dumb, so, so, so very bad. It's hard enough to imagine anyone would be dumb enough to build this crap, but that enough people would be stupid enough to buy it for $349 is simply impossible to believe. I'm actually stunned.
Steve V wrote on
January 08, 2007
Another nail in the credibilty coffin. This is insane. Would never happen with any other artist of note.
Dixieland Rock wrote on
January 08, 2007
This one shown don't even look like Elvis. It looks more like a "tribute artist".
stanton wrote on
January 08, 2007
Maybe a nail to the coffin of EPE someday. Then we take there heads and make them talk: I was silly, I was silly......."
garnet wrote on
January 08, 2007
The talking head doesn't even resemble Elvis at all. It's a shame. EPE should not have authorized this.
see see rider wrote on
January 08, 2007
Woohoo, just what I always wanted...NOT! and this was suppossed to be a great Elvis year? not if they start doin' stuff like this.
Colonel wrote on
January 08, 2007
Oh yes, better than a "On Tour"-DVD; this is the way to go if they want to save Elvis' legacy.... bullsh!t
fordy wrote on
January 08, 2007
I've heard that if EPE don't manage to sell them the 'Shakin Stevens' fanclub are willing to buy them at a discounted price !!! I know for sure that i'll be buying one......
Dixieland Rock wrote on
January 09, 2007
It looks like he is stoned out and trying to chew gum at the same time. A set back to Elvis music legacy as far as the general public taking it serious.
Wolfy wrote on
January 09, 2007
pretty cool? wha? I'd rather watch 48 straight of Harum Scarum over and over and over again, than have to view that one more time. ugh. I'm with you guys...give us 'ON TOUR' on DVD!!! Man alive.
David Brys wrote on
January 09, 2007
Some team of people actually worked on this (for probably) some years in order to gain a profit? Sure there will be people who buy it I guess... Why him Lord?
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on
January 09, 2007
That really does look like stamos(full house) funny thing is this gets more reaction that the release of the latest ftd,which im looking forward to, as for this nonsence, just another pointless disrespectful ploy to make money off of well whoever is nutty enough to buy it!
EspenK wrote on
January 09, 2007
Hehe - I think this one looked funny! Too expensive or I'd buy it - seriously. Yup, I dig electronic gadgets of all sorts.
Jim Hoff wrote on
January 09, 2007
Totally in the spirit of Colonel Parker. And if they can make the head sing "Dominick" I think they might have a hit. This is disgracing ....Lise and Cilla, are you in on this??? Hope not.
FLASHBOY wrote on
January 09, 2007
This is the most ugly thing i have seen on Elvis so far and it does not look like him at all. pure piece of crap. Come on show some respect for the man!
Lefty wrote on
January 09, 2007
This is almost as bad as the Elvis rubber ducky! I find it interesting that EPE shutdown the independent gift stores surrounding Graceland because they wanted to insure that the fans weren't subjected to junk Elvis products. Hmmm? Is this EPE's idea of quality? The sad thing about this "robot" is that some mentally ill person will buy it and think that Elvis is actually speaking to him. In terms of likeness, Keanu Reeves comes to mind.
Paul Reno wrote on
January 09, 2007
Companies have footage gathering dust in the vaults and EPE decide to licence a product that looks nothing like the man. Were there people sitting around a meeting at EPE and actually agreed to this tacky tasteless junk?! Unbelievable! It will take pride of place with the Elvis duck. I loved the Aloha set and the '68 Comeback - EPE deserve a recognition for that - but come on - a freaky Elvis impersonator head?? It's about time some Elvis fans were on the EPE board not money grabbing idiots who don't give a **** about Elvis or his image.
old shep wrote on
January 09, 2007
This is really tacky, the thing looks nothing like our man to start with.What a pity products of this ilk are being marketed when there are numbers of Elvis material in the vaults that could be either remixed and aimed at the charts. Or presented in album format for those music buyers who who have never heard some of the excellent styles of material which Elvis recorded from 1969 onwards.
It is bad enough having to put up with these Elvis clowns in human form who think they look like The King, but this latest product is literally digging in the bottom of the trash bin.What a shame that the name of the greatest entertainer ever, should be used for this sort of s***.
EspenK wrote on
January 09, 2007
Why is this more crappy than any other Elvis souvernir out there? Is it worse than a mug or a towel, a soap or a watch? Why? You can't compare this to a DVD-release of Aloha or In Concert - this is a souvernir, a toy...!
old shep wrote on
January 09, 2007
Of course it's a toy and what happens to toys?They soon get broken and then thrown away. Perhaps this should have happened to the initial concept too. No, the name of Elvis Presley is worth more than this is ugly dust gatherer. What we need from both the custodians of the estate and the record company is something that will last forever. And it can be easily found in the wealth of material left by Elvis.
Steve V wrote on
January 09, 2007
Its products like this that prevent me from taking the latest poll about 2007 being a great Elvis year. So far from what I've read about EPE's 2007 ambitions I'm not so sure it will be and when I see a product like this, I am more convinced it will not be. I can't believe so many voted yes. What's the baisis? Just because it is the 30th anniv doesnt guarentee a thing. I think youre more likely to see this kind of stuff than the dvds we so desire to be released. FTD will do thier thing but they do that every year. So, the 30th? Dont get your hopes up!
Mystery Rider wrote on
January 09, 2007
Maybe it will be a new TV show, remember Max Headroom??? when you pay all this money for EPE you gotta get it back some how and from the Elvis suckers out there this is a dream come true, Man he is dead, enjoy the music thats whats all about.
old shep wrote on
January 09, 2007
I can not see the point in voting for 2007 too.If this is one of the EPE's better better moves i shudder to wonder what they have in line for the run up to August.Perhaps they have plans to licsence some company in China with a doll that breaks wind to to Love ME Tender, perhaps.
Dixieland Rock wrote on
January 09, 2007
What's next? Painted Canarys standing on a hot plate under a banner saying "Dancing Chickens".....lol.
Brian Quinn wrote on
January 09, 2007
Personally, I think that in this product we are looking at the future. I think it is fantastic and I expect the technology, when perfected, to be used in future productions of 'Elvis In Concert' and 'Cirque de Soleil'. New technology is the way to go for Elvis. The model featured is only a prototype but just imagine a few years down the line.
chrisc wrote on
January 09, 2007
This is in the most atrociously evil taste. But it's obviously aimed by EPE at people who think Elvis is the funniest thing ever and who will buy jokey souvenirs for the people at work to show them what a hoot Graceland is. After this August's gargoyle fest competition they will probably sell a lot of these.
Renan Augusto wrote on
January 09, 2007
I don´t believe that I saw this. This is crap and ludicrous.
byebye wrote on
January 09, 2007
The doll look like one of those freak impersontors that unfortunately had plastic surgery with a bad result. Otherwise I think it´s a funny gadget. Could have been done better though..
John4126 wrote on
January 09, 2007
Does Lisa have one in her bedroom? This defies belief. Do they not give a damn about Elvis?
wayup wrote on
January 09, 2007
I have heard rumors that EPE will "release" an official Priscilla Presley blow up rubber doll soon. Available in all special shops with this kind of rubber and leather stuff.
PaulFromFrance wrote on
January 09, 2007
Obviously, 2007 will be a very good year for Elvis. What a crap !
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on
January 09, 2007
Lisa has one of these in her bedroom......has she lost her mind. Who modeld this , were they blind, doesn't even resemble Elvis, this is the ultimate insult !
Lex wrote on
January 09, 2007
How can you compare this to impersonators??? You can turn this thing off... so I love it :-)
Sandi wrote on
January 09, 2007
This is a total insult to Elvis & his fans. The price is out of this world & it doesn't even resemble our man. There's so many other ways to pay Elvis his due respect, this just feeds the media more material to poke fun at Elvis. PLEASE EPE, let's not make the 30th anniversary a carnival didn't the Colonel do enough of that????
Lex wrote on
January 09, 2007
Wayup, you can do that with imposters too... and that is much more satisfying :-).
kev11467 wrote on
January 09, 2007
Is it just me, or does this thing remind you of the taxi driver in the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie "Total Recall" ???
tcbndixie wrote on
January 10, 2007
OMG!!! So the part sell of Graceland was suppose to help the EP image and make it more widely known?!?!? I think the man did that for himself... I hate to even ponder what they may think of next!?! We want the younger generation to know what the real Elvis Presley was really like. How will this ever happen with bobble heads, bird houses and rubber ducks??? SHAME...SHAME...SHAME!!!
vulcandude wrote on
January 10, 2007
I thought that selling Elvis bicycles in the catalog was ridiculous, but this? And who in the world has $350 to spend on something like this? If I had that kind of money I'd go visit Graceland.....
vulcandude wrote on
January 10, 2007
In addition, at least in the picture shown above, it looks more like Tom Arnold in black leather than it does Elvis! Good grief!
Dixieland Rock wrote on
January 10, 2007
They need great minds & visionaries like a Steve Binder or a Moman or a Phillips running the business. Those guys focused on the man and the music instead of being carny hucksters like is seen here. This is embarrassing.
Steve V wrote on
January 10, 2007
Yes Dixieland Rock - so true. When you think of it, most of Elvis' career was run by a carny type mentality. Only the folks you mentioned and maybe a few others like Leiber & Stoller treated Elvis like the musical talent he was. He needed to be around more peoplel involved with musical growth. Thats why its a damn shame he didnt write music. I now know why folks say songwriting is very important and why some people dont think of him as much as a Dylan or Lennon. But this kind of stuff just makes it worse. Damn the Colonel , Hal Wallis & RCA for all those wasted years.
tmorelli@hughes.net wrote on
January 10, 2007
I think it looks like Goran Visnjic for ER wearing black leather and a black wig. As far as the concept goes - if executed well and backed with live material instead of the original version of Heartbreak Hotel it would at least be...oh what the hell am I talking about - this suuuuuucks! There is no way to put a positive spin on it. How long do you think it will take before some lame comic like Jay Leno is demoing the thing on his show? Unless I can carry mine with me and get a personal tour of Graceland with it doing the talking "and hey man, look over there. Yes to the right. That's where they buried me, and there's daddy too..." I would rather shell out $350 to a good charity and donate it in Elvis' name.
Crawfish wrote on
January 10, 2007
Absolutely stunned. Everytime you think they can go no lower, they prove us wrong. It seems that they have totally forgotten Elvis was a real (in every sense of the word) and loving human being. And I am pretty sure Vernon would have fired them for less!
EspenK wrote on
January 10, 2007
Again - why is this anty worse than any other Elvis-toy out there? Why all these reactions? I just don't get it...!
JerryNodak wrote on
January 10, 2007
It's hard for EPE to focus on the music when they don't own the rights to anything except the TV specials. "Comeback" and "Aloha" have been beat to death. We know their feelings about releasing "Elvis In Concert". Feelings I happen to share in large part. Focusing on the music is Sony/BMG's job. But wait!! Most people disagree in large part with how they're doing their job as well. I guess as Elvis fans we're just focked.
EPE wrote on
January 10, 2007
It's an unfinished prototype. The maker previewed it at the big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. They still have work to do on the facial features and the animatronic operation before the product goes on the market later this year.
Paul Reno wrote on
January 11, 2007
EPE are sitting tight on the last professional footage of Elvis Presley ever filmed. How can they say releasing 1977 concert footage can be more damaging than this? I could go through the tapes myself and put together a decent concert from what they have - for the fans. The concert could be released through fan clubs, for fans who want it. The talking head is aimed at the public, who will have a good laugh at it. Crazy thinking for an organisation who are trying to protect the image and likeness for future generations. They choose to license this product. It's a shame 2007 starts with a freaky, talking impersonator head. What about the man and the music? An amazingly bad decision.
Steve V wrote on
January 11, 2007
Paul Reno is right. The CBS TV Special may not show Elvis at his peak, but at least it is Elvis and not some freaking doll. It cannot be more damaging than this. And the price? What audience are they targeting? Rich people who want to sit around at cocktail parties and make fun of Elvis? If these are the decisions EPE is going to be making now and in the future, I dont believe it will have a future.
big heart wrote on
January 13, 2007
this is the worst thing i've seen yet come out of epe !! i've been a fan for many years of elvis and love the man, and it just breaks my heart to see how they just keep damaging his image. it's like they are trying to make him into a disney character. this is just a shame.
Jerry 79 wrote on
January 15, 2007
Who is supporting such crap in EPE???? What will be next - Robocop in jumpsuit singing Love me Tender??? Give us new interesting DVD's and CD !!!
everett001 wrote on
January 16, 2007
This reminds me of colonel Parkers DANCING CHICKEN routine. Are his grandchildren running EPE?
potluck62 wrote on
February 06, 2007
Hey,why don't they put out a It Feels So Right toiletpaper or perhaps A Dirty Dirty Feeling toiletpaper and have photos of Tom Parker and Priscilla on it.