El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll

Running time: N/A

He may be a vision in gold rip away pants and drive the women wild with erotic gyrations, but Robert Lopez is no ordinary Elvis impersonator. He is El Vez, the Mexican Elvis, and his goal is to educate as he entertains. Once the curator of an L.A. folk art museum, the thoughtful Lopez is now almost as much an icon as his hero. With hits like "Ain't Nothing but a Chihuahua," and "Immigration Time," El Vez adapts lyrics to familiar Elvis melodies to inform about a number of historical and political topics. His songs and his act are equal parts Vegas kitsch, Chicano studies and labor relations course. Considering himself more an "Elvis translator," El Vez uses his sexy humor and outrageous talent to prove that he truly is El Rey. Reviewed by Meredith H. Sherter