Red Elvis - Der Rote Elvis

The suggestion that East German audiences once had their own version of the King might sound like a bad joke, but within it lies the true story of one fascinating and controversial man. Born in Denver, Colorado, Dean Reed rises to fame as a pop star in his home country breaking many a girl’s heart, but experiences a sudden communist awakening during a tour in Latin America. His decision to publicly denounce his country’s crimes turns Reed into a godsent tool in the hands of East Germany propaganda. Always the restless spirit, Reed takes arms against the Israelis, reveals his dark side in his personal relationships and regularly incites the American public with his statements. Following the rise and fall of a man that managed to look beyond his rare talent ?not to mention his ravishing looks- Leopold Grün’s documentary is so real it’s almost unreal. The film was presented in this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

Director: Leopold Grün
Screenwriter: Leopold Grün
Cinematography: Thomas Janze
Editing: Dirk Uhlig
Featuring: Dean Reed, Isabel Allende, Renate Blume, Peter Boyles

Germany, Color
English / German / Spanish / Russian, 90΄
Format: Digibeta Pal