Elvis Presley The King of Rock and Roll is now a Playmobil Fi?ure - some squeezing required

2012 marks the 35th Anniversary of Elvis Presley's death since 1977 when the King of Rock was found to be unresponsive on his bathroom floor. The world mourned his death then, but it's ready to party now.

Graceland will kick off a year-long celebration with a slew of special events, including tribute concerts, according to release from Elvis Presley Enterprises. The King may have left the building, but he has not left the branding. Elvis Presley would have turned 77 on January 8 and maybe he's not with us anymore but he now lives again as a Playmobil action figure ;p

This PLaymobil ELVIS figure is from the Playmobil Fi?ures Series 2 for boys which I had blogged about on my toy blog recently (see my post HERE). Playmobil does not outrightly say that this is an ELVIS figure (nor did they say that they had released a Lara Croft figure either but they did ;p) but it is just obvious to everyone :) The reason is Playmobil's philosophy: Playmobil figures do not have names, thus allowing children to invent their own characters. But we all know this figure needs no inventing - he's who he's supposed to be: ELVIS the KING!

Presley is regarded as one of the most important figures of 20th century popular culture. He had a versatile voice and unusually wide success encompassing many genres, including country, pop ballads, gospel, and blues. He is the best-selling solo artist in the history of popular music. Nominated for 14 competitive Grammys, he won three, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36. He has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.

In January 1973, Presley performed two benefit concerts for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in connection with a groundbreaking TV special, Aloha from Hawaii. Presley's costume became the most recognized example of the elaborate concert garb with which his latter-day persona became closely associated. This Playmobil Fi?ure is obviously based on his 1973 Aloha from Hawaii performance and is instantly recognizable as him because of the costume and hairstyle, including the trademark sideburns ;p

Here's how he looks without his cape. As described by Bobbie Ann Mason, "At the end of the show, when he spreads out his American Eagle cape, with the full stretched wings of the eagle studded on the back, he becomes a god figure." [source: wiki]

This one is just too iconic not to have ;p and hey, it only costs SGD3.95. You can't even get a McDonald's Value Meal at this price, or any food item at a food court nowadays.