PLOT: An in-depth look at Elvis Presley’s iconic Las Vegas residency, and what it meant for his career and legacy.
REVIEW: I feel like there’s at least a generation of people out there who may not appreciate just how big of a force Elvis Presley was during his heyday. People either take him for granted or — worse — misunderstand exactly what he was. If anyone has been hellbent on ensuring Presley’s legacy in the 21st century, it’s Baz Luhrmann, who, close to four years after his epic Elvis biopic (which made an overnight star of Austin Butler), is back with another tribute to the King of Rock ’n’ Roll: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert.
This movie does what his own biopic couldn’t — it shines a light on just how electrifying a stage presence he was back in his time. It’s ironic to think now that his hip gyrating was so controversial that, in his early Ed Sullivan appearances, he was shot from the waist up, as it was thought he would send teens everywhere into a frenzy. Oh, what an innocent time that was. Yet, when we think of Elvis in concert, it’s either through the veil of these early appearances or his iconic ’68 Comeback Special. The last decade of his life, however, was dominated by his Las Vegas residency, forever associating him with the city.
When we think of this period, we can’t help but picture an aging Elvis in decline, but Luhrmann’s movie aims to change that thinking, establishing at least the first few years of his residency as an iconic cultural touchstone — now immortalized in a way that wouldn’t have been possible just a few years ago, with footage restored so thoroughly it’s as if his shows were shot on vintage 70mm film stock.
Indeed, watching this movie on a giant IMAX screen was a real joy, and I say this as someone who’s not even a major Elvis fan. I have respect for him, but my view of him was tainted by the never-ending series of terrible movies he made (although he made a handful of good ones), which aired all the time while I was growing up. With my folks both being Beatles fans, he seemed stodgy to me in comparison. However, I walked away with a new appreciation for Elvis as a performer, with the footage Luhrmann unearthed and restored to breathtaking clarity being a game-changer.
What the film is not is a traditional documentary. While a career-spanning interview is used as commentary throughout much of the movie, the emphasis is on Elvis building the residency show and how, at least early on, it brought him new life as a performer. Presley proves to be more self-critical than you’d think, admitting his movies were awful. It’s wonderful seeing him rehearse with his band, work out new songs, and eventually perform them. You get a sense of what he must have been like as a collaborator — joshing with his band, being flirty but also quite gentlemanly and reverent toward his group of Black female backup singers.
You also get a sense of how the love of a crowd nourished him on stage. His running commentary throughout his shows is pretty inventive, with him barely able to get through a song without naturally cracking wise or telling a story. It’s the way he must have been, and Luhrmann allows us to appreciate how intimate the shows must have felt at their best.
The songs, of course, are great, with him powering through “Burning Love,” “Suspicious Minds,” and even some of the popular songs he covered. He had a special affinity for the work of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Many also view him as an inherently conservative figure, but Luhrmann pushes back on this, presenting him as more ahead of his time than one might imagine, with his ode to inner-city life, “In the Ghetto,” and the way he respectfully dodges political questions. Sure, he never takes a real stance on the topics that may have been important to him offstage, but he also doesn’t throw anyone under the bus — he presents himself as a truly apolitical figure whose music works for — hopefully — everyone.
While Luhrmann does indeed seem to be pushing back at those who attack Presley’s legacy. His hero worship is pretty obvious, as is his contempt for “Colonel” Tom Parker – Elvis’ manager (let’s not forget Tom Hanks’ over-the-top, demonic performance in the movie). But it’s hard not to get caught up in the footage. While I’m still not the world’s biggest Elvis fan, I do feel like I’ve gotten a bit of an education on his power as a performer and a new appreciation for his music. As such, this is a movie well worth checking out. It’s a no-brainer for an Elvis fan, but even if you’re an Elvis dilettante such as myself, give it a try.
