 The film consists of three stories that take place on the same night in downtown Memphis . The three stories are linked together by the Arcade Hotel , a run @-@ down flophouse presided over by the night clerk ( Screamin ' Jay Hawkins ) and bellboy ( Cinqué Lee ) , where the principal characters in each story spend a part of the night . Every room in the hotel is adorned with a portrait of Elvis Presley . 
