Tag Archives: Elvis Presley

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert – Movie Review

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TL;DR – A kaleidoscopic blend of restored archival footage and electrifying performance that cuts through the spectacle to reveal the man behind the myth.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Elvis banner in Las Vegas.

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert Review Introduction –

There are many reasons to watch a film, and sometimes that reason can just be the story of how it came together. A bunch of mostly unseen documentary footage, hidden in a salt mine, was found while Baz Luhrmann was researching for his Elvis movie. Missing audio and needed extensive archival work to bring back to life. Well, that is a narrative that begs you to take a look, which is why we are diving into EPiC or EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert or Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, depending on how you want to slice it.  

So, to set the scene, Elvis has been touring all over America, spent time in the armed forces after being drafted, and then spent years in Hollywood bringing so many films to life. However, at the end of that period, it was time to change things up and go back to what he loves doing, performing for people, and the best place to do it was Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Elvis – Movie Review

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TL;DR – A film that is equal parts electric, chaotic, and uncomfortable       

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film

Elvis about to perform

Elvis Review –

If there is one genre that has exploded across the screen in recent years, it is the Biopic. Everyone from Aretha Franklin to the Sparkes Brothers and all in between being brought to life in a dramatic presentation or documentary. Given the strengths of these films, it was only a matter of time before someone would attempt to contextualise the life of the “King of Rock and Roll”. This would be no easy task given the life and death of Elvis and the legacy he has left in the world. Today we look at a film that might still be flawed in many ways, but it excels in capturing his energy and passion. 

So to set the scene, we open in the 1990s, and a frail Col. Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) wants us to know the story of Elvis (Chaydon Jay), well, the story that he wants to tell. From here, we jump back in time as Elvis (Austin Butler), a young boy who discovers the power of music and movement and who incorporates it into his world. As he grows older, his sound spreads around the south when Parker runs a travelling show. Watching one show, Parker knew the skinny kid in the pink suit would be a star, and he needed to get in on the ground floor before someone else grabbed his meal ticket.    

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