Features
Elvis Lives In Cyberspace
Elvis Presley Enterprises has unveiled a new design for Elvis’ Web site, where surfers can view – among other things – a live webcast of the annual Elvis Week candlelight vigil commemorating the rock icon’s 1977 death at age 42.
The August 15 “vigilcast” will be broadcast from 8:45 p.m. – 11 p.m. CDT. Cameras will be set up on the grounds of Graceland, the Presley estate in Memphis, and in the plaza across the street.
Web voyeurs will follow fans through the estate’s wrought-iron gates and up the driveway to the family grave site for the annual memorial.
In keeping with the tastefulness of the entire exercise, the ceremony will be hosted by ex-TV newscasters Joey Sulipeck and Rod Starns, who will also interview fans in what is described as a “traditionally solemn tribute.”
Presley’s memorial marks the Web site’s relaunch, which offers interactive touches “designed to bring Elvis to life on the Internet.”
New features include the singer speaking to trivia game players, a Flash intro combining audio, video and animation with Elvis singing “Hound Dog.” To accommodate international fans, the site provides automatic translation of content into five languages.
The site will feature panoramic views of selected rooms at Graceland, Heartbreak Hotel and Elvis Presley’s Memphis restaurant and nightclub. Visitors will be able to virtually step into and zoom in on items in a room, all with a 360-degree view.
Streaming video and audio clips of Elvis will present his life and career, and visitors will be able to purchase merchandise and collectibles directly from the site.
Links are being added and will include video clips of Elvis movie trailers, appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, newsreel segments, parts of a 1968 TV special, and his 1973 “Aloha From Hawaii” special.
Nancy Mitchell, Web site producer for the Little Rock company Aristotle, which designed the site, says a crew of 15 people has worked on the redesign since May.