Elvis didnt do it for revenge, he was just insane.

I actually don't think it was his own twisted version of revenge. However, maybe he wanted to be a part of the family. Yes, he was attracted to Malerie, but he also fed on approval. Who better to give a handsome young man approval than a sixteen year old girl? He was twisted and narcissistic (yes, I know I spelt that wrong). Once he found that she was his sister, he persued her so much more. He killed Paul out of fear that he would take his new 'family' away. He seemed to behave himself as long as he was accepted in the family. Once it was evident that he would be thrown out when Malerie told her mother, he killed them. In his mind, he only wanted to be a part of the family.

I agree, he seemed very disturbed

I Worship The Goddess Amber Tamblyn

I agree that it carries the same theme as House of the Spirits with the character played by Vincent Gallo. Both I enjoyed immensely and hadn't made the connection yet, good job and thanks for pointing that out!

I think personally, he didn't necessarily know that Malerie was his sister from first sight ... but, as that scene showed clearly, he set his sights on her right away. The reaction from his father only made her more forbidden, and more than anything, the wedge he could create in dismantling the family.

I think he didn't go insane, nor was he "insane". He had an unknown past, one we can only ponder about. He obviously had a prostitute mother and joined the navy. One would be lead to believe he obviously didn't have the golden life and therefor, who knows what all played into the psyche of who he was. Whatever it was, obviously made him a person with little abandon and little to lose. He has only his car, and moves off to Corpus Christie to hitch his star on his never before met father.

His mother was dead, he obviously had probably no family left and he is faced with his father whom never was involved in his life before, living the "golden" or "righteous" perfect life right before him, and denying him. I think seeing the family only triggered what questions and emotions he had underlying. Once he was faced with having his only connection to the father taken away, he lashed out. I think that he relished the idea of tainting the perfect image his father tried to create. Killing the son was just a bonus.

Hey, I killed your son, f_cked your perfect, young daughter, and then got her pregnant. What better way to exact your revenge? Also, the son disappeared and low and behold, who comes drawing Elvis back in his place? That is when I was incredibly shocked. The fact his father replaced his missing son and Elvis walked right into his life, even driving his car. This is when the daughter realized what all his plans had been and how evil he really was. I think it was a pretty sad display of how much damage William Hurt had created.

I think he went overboard, obviously in trying to get revenge on his father, but more so was similar as said to the mentality that Vincent Gallo had in House of the Spirits. But, revenge is certainly what it was and deeming him as simply "insane" makes it filed away all too easily. He obviously wanted to be apart of his father's life. Had he accepted him from the beginning, he probably would've taken a completely different path. Does that excuse his actions, no. I don't know the exact word for what, if anything he was, psychopath, sociopath, narcissist, whatever you will. It leaves you guessing and I enjoyed the way the film ended.

Also, I couldn't wait for William Hurt to find out ... see what his love for aesthetics and righteous, religious fanatics had done to his family and own life.

i 100% agree with you, and its so funny to hear all of the misguided posts here.

I totally agree. I don't really buy the claim that he did all this to "get back at" his dad (although it would be great revenge, of course.) I also think he was just crazy, basically.

I tend to agree with the OP here. The word "revenge" suggests a carefully plotted and executed plan and I didn't get the feeling that Elvis had planned all this. The Elvis character was the (presumably) unwanted child of a prostitute, so it could be presumed he didn't have the best childhood. There are suggestions throughout the film that he's not on an even keel - he lies to Mallarie about his mother for example. When he's confronted with the possibility of having to take responsibility for his actions he responds with violence. So yeah for me, he's not really in control of his actions.

Each to their own interpretation of the film though!

i think the question of revenge and/or insanity is deliberately left open for discussion.

personally, i think he it was revenge and psychopathy at the same time because 1) when he first drives to the spot by the river that will later be the burial place, he had a look on his face like, "this would be a good spot to bury someone"; 2) he says "how does it feel" when he stabs his half brother; 3) he seems angry when he recounts how his mother died poor; and 4) his happiness upon finding out about the pregnancy. to me, these tend to show that he wanted revenge. the final "i need to get right with god" was a final f-you, saying "i've destroyed YOUR family, and now i'm going to destroy your faith (ie, just what exactly is this god of yours prepared to forgive?) "

that all said, he was still insane. he clearly had no empathy for others, no sense of right and wrong, no sense of remorse.

I do agree that he wanted Malerie from the first moment he saw her. As for him being insane, I would agree with the killing of Malerie and her mother at the end. Paul was stupid to go to his apartment and theaten him.