Heartbreak Hotel (film) Aspiring rock ‘n’ roller, Johnny Wolfe, loves his mother but realizes the only person who can bring her out of the doldrums is her idol, Elvis Presley. Johnny arranges to kidnap Elvis after a nearby concert, and accuses him of abandoning rock ‘n’ roll. The idealistic youth’s questioning of the celebrity’s values causes Elvis to remain in the small town for a few days, and not only help Johnny’s mother, but reassess his own place in the music world and the type of person he has become in recent years. Released on September 30, 1988. Directed by Chris Columbus. A Touchstone film. 101 min. Stars David Keith (Elvis Presley), Tuesday Weld (Marie Wolfe), Charlie Schlatter (Johnny Wolfe). Filmed entirely on location in Austin and Taylor, Texas. When the call went out for 3,000 extras for a concert scene, the filmmakers were amazed that they all were able to come in 1970s outfits. Producer Lynda Obst remarked, “I could never have gotten these costumes in Los Angeles. What was most amazing is that people didn’t rent these outfits, they simply went into their closets and pulled out what they still had on the shelf.” Released on video in 1989.
