"Elvis" (2022) - Baz Luhrmann Film Reviews/Discussion!

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by EternalReturn, Feb 14, 2022.

  1. GillyT

    GillyT Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wellies, N.Z
    Chris, I have so much to say on that subject, that it's all probably going to tumble out in a jumbled mess, but here goes...

    I think that Elvis was the most exciting performer to ever be captured on film - when he was performing and singing music of his own choosing.* As Elvis put it himself in 1976, "I'm an emotional SOB. I get carried away very easily." Those moments when he got carried away by the music, which were captured on film - Tiger Man and Trying to get to you in 1968, for instance - just crackled with gospel-infused emotional intensity. They're powerful and mesmerising performances to this day. We're lucky to have them and the 1970s footage.

    Yet it's frustrating that the Colonel's approach of taking the now money and 'always keep 'em wanting more', severely limited how much of that lightening in a bottle was captured on film. The fact that we only have snatches of film of Elvis out on the road in the 1950s and nothing from 1969 or Feb 1970, when Elvis was at his performing peak, is a spectacular demonstration of how he failed his artist. Especially when compared to the acres and acres of footage of other important artists, like Sinatra or the Beatles.

    Here's the thing. Lots of people praise the Colonel for what he did for Elvis in the 1950s to achieve stardom so quickly. However I ask yeah, but who benefitted? People with anti-social personality disorder/sociopathy are motivated by self-interest, no.1. No.1 - above everything else! Like someone with narcissistic personality disorder, they lack empathy, but whereas a narcissist will often feel remorse, a person with APD does not. They are often very charming and charismatic too, which makes them hard to spot and they are experts at mirroring you back to you. You get pulled into their orbit before you know it's happened. I totally get what happened to Elvis because it happened to me.

    Guralnick compared Elvis' relationship with Colonel to a bad marriage. That's a really, really great and accurate analogy. When people wonder why women (and some men) don't leave abusive partners, think of Elvis. They end up finding it hard to believe that they can make it on their own, because the experience of being 'love-bombed' (as psychologists call it) then denigrated in equal measure, leaves you second-guessing everything. Especially yourself and your self worth.

    We saw excellent examples of this play out in the film. One minute the Colonel's pulling Elvis in close, framing their relationship as a partnership ... "the snowman strikes again", then in the next breath he says "They only clapped because the applause light told them to". It's about power and control. I recognised those tactics which is why the film hit me hard when I first saw it. Baz I think gets it. He depicted the Colonel's tears in 1969, post-performance as manufactured. I laughed out loud in the cinema when I saw that scene. Elvis should be commended for trying to get out, even if he didn't quite make it, not condemned for his failure to. See, I look at it through a very different lens to most people.

    So to answer you Chris, I think the Colonel was the worst thing that ever happened to Elvis. Elvis would have made it without the Colonel, because he was a great artist. He would have been even bigger though. Others may disagree and that's cool.

    Just my 5 cents and sorry for being so long-winded. :D

    * I don't say that lightly. I lived in London from 1984-88 and was in the audience at Live Aid. I've also been lucky to see a ton of great live acts, from Sammy Davis Jnr, through to the White Stripes.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
  2. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I don't necessarily disagree with that assumption, but I do remember reading something about Vernon being the one behind the firing of the three bodyguards because they had roughed up some fans that were trying to get to Elvis and they had litigation against Elvis because of it. I don't think Elvis was entirely happy about them being let go. Now, maybe I read this in Jerry Hopkins second biography on Elvis, but I really cannot remember my source on this one, but I do recall reading this story in one of the dozens of books on Elvis I have read. That whole thing went down poorly on Elvis or Vernon's part, but I did not like the way the three former bodyguards and friends tried to air Elvis's problems in a public domain. This is not the way to get somebody you care about to change their behavior. Public humiliation is usually not an effective means of persuasion.
     
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  3. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Me too, Lol. I actually don't have one yet, but seeing the rich color and unbelievable sound in this movie at a theater makes it now a necessary investment!
     
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  4. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    I don’t think they needed to recreate any scenes from the 60s movies shot-for-shot, although if you’re gonna recreate sequences from the ’68 Comeback or That’s The Way It Is shot-for-shot, why not? But I was frankly shocked that they didn’t feature or allude to the iconic dance sequence from Jailhouse Rock. But dismissing the entire 1960-68 period with a silly montage of Elvis riding on a surfboard was a reductive and shallow take on that period, although, of course, it fits in with received narrative that Elvis was castrated by the Army and the Colonel, and his career was “in the toilet,” as he says in the imaginary sequence filmed at the Hollywood sign, and then we get the triumphant ’68 Comeback, blah blah blah. While the movies Elvis made clearly weren’t the Serious Dramatic Vehicles that their critics wish they were, from Jailhouse Rock to Viva Las Vegas, there was a lot more good than bad, and later films such as Live a Little, Love a Little and Change of Habit are interesting artefacts of their time in their own strange way. Simply writing off this whole period as Bad, Dumb Elvis is reductive and simplistic, in my opinion. Whether or not modern rockist tastes appreciate or value Elvis singing, dancing, and charming his way through movie musicals, those movies did happen, were very successful for quite some time before the quality took a nosedive, and are part of his legacy. However much modern fans love seeing their hero portrayed on the big screen, Luhrmann’s narrative repeats reductive and simplistic takes on Elvis’s career that sadly will probably never go away. This movie only reinforces them.
     
  5. Jamey K

    Jamey K Internet Sensation

    Location:
    Amarillo,Texas
    I saw it over the weekend and loved it.
     
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  6. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Once again Spencer, that scene from Jailhouse Rock has been shown ad nauseam across media for decades and decades. Baz also barley gave a shout out to Aloha From Hawaii, a concert I enjoy immensely. The fact of the matter is that he chose to emphasize the three greatest moments of his live career; 50's Elvis, 68 Comeback leather suited Elvis, and peak Las Vegas Elvis of 1970. His movie was almost three hours long, but Elvis's career covered three separate and very diverse decades. I think Baz emphasized the same peak periods that I would have if I had made the film. The difference is I don't begin to have Baz Luhrmann's skill, talent or creativity. I also am not married to Catherine Martin.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
  7. adam_777

    adam_777 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Duncan BC, Canada
    Saw this film last weekend and really enjoyed it. Plan on seeing it a couple more times with some friends and family who are wanting to see it as well. I'll add my praise to Butler's portrayal he really nailes it in my opinion. Elvis is such an icon that its hard for anyone to ever measure up too, Austin did about as close as I ever think anyone will get and it really worked for me. Most people here have detailed already many of my praises and criticisms so I wont rehash but a few things I havent seen listed much that I noticed were:

    - Regarding Tom Hanks accent, it seems to me the choice to do the Dutch accent probably had less to do with Parker and more to do with Hanks. Tom Hanks voice is so recognizable and overtly familiar as a good honest guy. Add to that he has narrated documentaries as well and basically if you hear Hanks do a vouce anywhere near his own sound and it would not only take you out of the character, but also apply some of Hanks good guy cachet to the role which is clearly not the intended outcome. I mean did they really want people envisioning Forrest Gump and Mr Rogers when they heard Parker speak? As Priscilla said, it was an artistic choice and I think he did it as an attempt to disguise his own voice.

    I love how ominous Luhrmann makes the International Hotel seem. The way he shoots it from the exterior makes it seems like this opposing menace from which there is no escape similar to when you see the flyover of Shawshank Prison near the beginning of the Shawshank Redemption. There is something very captivating about that, clearly intentional by Luhrmann as well as he not only focuses on it in ways he doesnt with other venues from Elvis' career but the soundtrack is littered with Suspicious Minds particularly the "We're caught in a trap" lyric.

    - I'm surprised by the awarenss of this film by people my age and how interested they seem to be in seeing it. In the past Id never really met anyone in my age range who was really interested at all in Elvis, but when I've mentioned this film to friends they have almost all said it's something they're planning to see and are excited about.

    - I've been really enjoying the soundtrack, I think there is some fantastic material on there. I was worried about the use of modern music in this film because while I did enjoy Luhrmann's Gatsby, my biggest criticism was the random Hip Hop music which I felt cheapened the movie. But it didnt bother me at all in Elvis. Id love for the soundtrack to get a vinyl release although at 36 tracks Im assuming such a release would probably be sequenced down to about 15-20 of the more stand out songs.

    Anyways very much enjoyed this film, its very much had me on and Elvis kick and digging deeper into his catalog and I can't wait to see it again tomorrow!
     
  8. MikaelaArsenault

    MikaelaArsenault Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire
  9. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    So who exactly were all the prescient rock managers in the 1950s hiring film crews to document their artists’ tours? Looking forward to seeing all the great Chuck Berry and Little Richard live footage that their managers had the foresight to film. Blaming the Colonel for not doing something that no manager of the period did makes little sense.

    We do have scads of pro-shot live Elvis footage from 1970 and 1972, as well as the Aloha special from 1973. While I agree that I wish every single Vegas engagement and tour had been filmed, again, it’s kind of disingenuous to complain that Elvis wasn’t filmed enough, when, by the standards of the day, he was filmed quite a bit. After 1969, Peter Grant famously kept Led Zeppelin off of TV, and before The Song Remains the Same, the only comprehensive pro-shot footage of Led Zeppelin is the 1969 or 1970 Albert Hall concert, which I believe was not widely released at the time. Was Peter Grant a horrible manager for wanting to create a mystique around his clients and for not putting them on TV all the time or filming all of their concerts? People routinely apply 20/20 hindsight and wishful thinking to Elvis’s career that just doesn’t hold up.
     
  10. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    As an older guy who tries to keep up with some current music, yes even some rap and hip hop when its good, you don't know how heartwarming and exciting this is to hear from a younger generation of music fans. I just asked my son in law his opinion on the Elvis film that he saw with me and his mother yesterday. I wanted to let it sink in for 24 hours before I really quizzed him about it. He told me that going into the movie he had absolutely no expectations about the film. He said he has told all his friends that they need to see this new Elvis film and many are planning to do so. Never underestimate the next generation of music lovers.
     
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  11. garyt1957

    garyt1957 Forum Resident

    Location:
    mi
    The problem with that is, some things go up more than the rate of inflation, for instance concert tickets. Elvis sold a ton of tickets in the 70's, probably more than anybody today yet if they went by money brought in, even adjusted for inflation he wouldn't be close
    I just see the "get help" aspect as a cover your ass move for totally betraying your long term friend and employer. As in "We're not bad guys, we just want him to get some help". Yea right.
     
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  12. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    I agree with your observation that there is only so much that can be crammed into two or two-and-a-half hours, which gets back to one of the chief problems of the biopic genre. One might well ask why isn’t Ann-Margaret in this film, or Chips Moman, or Scottie Moore (he is in it, but not really), and on and on. This is by necessity a condensed look at Elvis’s full life. However, I’d rate Elvis’s iconic dancing in the movies - from Mean Woman Blues to Jailhouse Rock to Return to Sender to Bossa Nova Baby - as among the peak moments of his career, but contemporary sensibilities do not, and, accordingly, outside of the sex/Elvis the Pelvis scene at the Hayride, that aspect of Elvis’s talent is simply erased from this movie as if it never existed. In this film, all of the Elvis movies, both the good and the bad ones, are written off as an embarrassing interlude between the peaks of 1956 and 1968, and that’s just simply wrong and shallow.

     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
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  13. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Here's a very positive review from noted Hollywood writer (and former DJ) Ken Levine, who points out that at least the new Elvis movie will remind younger viewers who Elvis was and why he was so important in pop music history:

    By Ken Levine: ELVIS: My review

    I like his concluding line: "How odd that it’s better to see a movie about Elvis than a movie starring Elvis.

    Did you read the book Elvis: What Happened? written by Red West & Sonny West, and released just a few weeks before Presley's untimely death in 1977? The West brothers claim they had been fired six months before after begging Elvis to get off all his prescription medications, and that they were concerned because he was completely out of control. I thought the book made a lot of sense at the time, and I don't think they were betraying Elvis at all -- I think they sincerely thought the shock of the book getting published would actually help him. They had no idea the problem was just going to get worse and would quickly kill him.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
  14. 80steen

    80steen John McClane

    Location:
    West Virginia
    All true, but all fans, including young ones and even non fans, know about Jailhouse Rock and look it up on YouTube, and are coming across Instagram Reels on IG and FB, as well as YouTube Shorts and TikToks of it and Mean Women Blues
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
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  15. Oh yeah, the reason I mentioned the book was simply because someone had asked why those around Elvis didn’t say/do anything and I pointed to it as an example of people ‘perhaps’ saying something :)

    This interview - which I think was shortly after Elvis’ death - is fascinating and the authors actually state the information you share in your post!

     
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  16. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    As of this last Tuesday, when once again Elvis beat Top Gun Maverick at the box-office, our Elvis movie is now over $40 million in North America and almost $61 million worldwide in less than a week of showings.

    Elvis - Box Office Mojo
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
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  17. 80steen

    80steen John McClane

    Location:
    West Virginia
    Is the dude with the beard Sonny or someone else?
     
  18. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I believe so.
     
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  19. JABEE

    JABEE Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I think the movie made the case that Tom Parker used Elvis like a carnival trick rather than a serious artist/musician.

    He talked about robbing the movie people and then moving on to robbing the TV people. Elvis's career should have been more than a series of cons and burned fans.

    I think the film was making the case that Colonel Tom Parker had no long-view for Elvis and saw him in a similar way to the way Capitol looked at the Beatles fad initially. The expectation was the bottom was going to drop out, and you better get the money before they move onto someone new or figure out you aren't worth it.

    I don't know if Tom Parker was that short-sighted, or didn't think about the toll this would have on Elvis the person, the brand, and the actualized artist.
     
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  20. JABEE

    JABEE Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    How did Elvis's career in films end? Was he tired of them? Did Parker burn too many bridges or did people just stop going to see his movies? I would think someone in the film business could have guided him to better projects?

    Just like you have to imagine Elvis was making enough money for a lot of people that they would have made sure he didn't die at 42.
     
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  21. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    It was a bit of both. Elvis was definitely tired of the musical format where he couldn't really test his acting chops or take on a serious non-singing role, but Parker was no longer able to secure the one million dollar guarantee for future films. Keep in mind that was a lot of money in the 1960's. In fact, in order to secure the guarantee of one million for his last movie, Parker agreed to the NBC Singer Special (now known as the 68 Comeback Special). Hollywood was still interested in Elvis as evidenced by Barbara Streisand meeting Elvis in person to try to talk him into her remake of A Star Is Born. When Parker basically nixed the deal by making ridiculous financial demands as well as star billing for Elvis, the role eventually fell to Kris Kristofferson.
     
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  22. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    And yet Elvis had a career from 1954 to 1977. By most reckonings, he is one of the top three recording artists of all time, alongside the Beatles and Michael Jackson. Too bad the short-sighted Colonel ruined his career. The notion of the post-Sgt. Pepper “serious recording artist” simply didn’t exist in the mid-1950s, of course, much as several people have argued here in this thread that, way back when, adults routinely had sexual/romantic relationships with teenagers, because “times were different then” or “people died younger then.” Yet while we bend over backwards avoid judging Elvis’s personal life by contemporary standards, we expect his manager to have guided his career as if he were the manager of U2 or some other post-Beatles “serious artist.”
     
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  23. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Comparing Tom Parker's managerial style with how people feel regarding the sexual mores of the 1950's is a rather strange analogy in my opinion, but carry on if you wish.
     
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  24. 80steen

    80steen John McClane

    Location:
    West Virginia
    No Elvis film ever lost money. Given, many were pretty low budget, but people still went to see them. Elvis wanted out of the movie contracts so he decided that after his obligation was up in 1969, he wasn't going to sign anymore movie contracts. He wanted to keep performing live after the 68 Special, so he did. Unfortunately, the Elvis concert eventually became similar to the Elvis movie. A lot of contracts with little creativity.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2022
  25. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
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