Elvis is More Than His Pelvis in New Biopic

One of the biggest films of the summer, Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS, hit theaters on June 24th and proved that Elvis is still king. With a great box office weekend, people are continuing to head out to theaters to see this masterpiece about the King of Rock & Roll.

Going into this movie, I was unsure what to expect. I had grown up listening to a lot of Elvis’s music and I was also aware of the controversial history of his music. I was hoping this movie would give us some insight into who Elvis actually was as well as shed some light on the people who inspired his music. My hopes were granted because this movie did exactly that. It was brilliantly written along with the wonderful cinematography that Baz Luhrmann can only do.

If you aren’t aware of who Baz Luhrmann is, his glamorous worlds have brought us movies like the 2013 version of The Great Gatsby and the 1996 version of Romeo + Juliet. Both of these transported you into the time periods of these adaptations and Luhrmann did a phenomenal job transporting us once again, this time into the life of Elvis.

The Snowman

This movie begins with intricate transitions that bring you into the chaos of a life of lies, fame and supposed fortune. It is narrated by Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s manager. This perspective was an interesting choice since most people do not know Colonel Tom Parker that well. His only true claim to fame was being the reason for Elvis’s passing.

Played by Tom Hanks, Parker is the one character that Hanks has played that you can’t love. He is a terrible human being that just wants to use Elvis for his talent. Parker refers to himself as The Snowman throughout the entire movie. The reference is to prove that he is the man who will help you make the snow (money). This scheme that Parker creates helps Elvis spiral out of control that would eventually lead to extreme exhaustion, a divorce and to his death.

Although Tom Hanks played a great villain, the true star of the show had to be the Elvis casting. I was weary when Austin Butler was doing promotion for the film, but I was proven wrong the second he came into frame. He exudes Elvis so well and I truly felt like I was watching Elvis on the screen. He perfectly got the accent and could even sing exactly like him. While watching the movie I thought Butler was lip-syncing to the songs, but immediately came home and listened to the soundtrack to find out Austin Butler can SING! The impersonation is uncanny and I would not be able to tell a difference between the original version and Butler’s version.

Can’t Help Falling in Love with Elvis

Butler will make you fall in love with Elvis, not only for his good looks, but his demeanor. In his early years, Elvis is just trying to make money so that his parents never have to struggle and this leads him into the hands of The Snowman. As he becomes more famous, Elvis is forced to limit the way he moves because it is considered vulgar and proves that he hangs out with black people. This leads Elvis to make a decision on how he wants the world to see him. The decision to stick to his roots, forces him into the military, where he finds the love of his life, Priscilla.

Priscilla Presley, played by Olivia DeJonge, was a stunning look into what it was like to be married to someone whose true love was music. Although Elvis was a family person, his love for music and applause, caused him to not always be there for Priscilla and Lisa Marie. DeJonge and Butler’s chemistry is undeniable. They perfectly recreated the love that Priscilla and Elvis had for each other even after all the betrayals, fame and lost fortune. Their relationship was not always great, but in the end they truly just wanted the best for each other, even if it meant not being together.

Bringing Light to Elvis’s Origins

I cannot do a review without mentioning the impeccable way that Elvis’s roots and inspiration were shown throughout this biopic. You get to see all of the amazing gospel and soul music that he grew up around. Elvis grew up in a predominately black community and it truly is one of the only reasons he was exposed to the high energy rhythm that brought out the “wiggle” and his soulful sound. Throughout this movie, we get a glimpse into the origins of some of his most famous songs, including Hound Dog. Willie Mae Thornton, played by Shonka Dukureh, was a true powerhouse. Dukureh showed audiences what true soul music is.

Seeing Elvis’s background was enlightening. I had never realized that he had a connection with B.B. King, brilliantly played by Kelvin Harrison, Jr. There was also a scene where we got to see Little Richard perform. It was amazing to see Alton Mason dominating as Little Richard. Mason completely embodied Little Richard.

Final Thoughts:

I think this is the best biopic I have ever seen. It is brilliantly done with little to no drag time. Although the movie did feel pretty long, there was never a time that I wanted it to end. I was completely drawn into the life of Elvis. I wanted things to go well for him and even though audiences know the ending of this story, you still have this hope that something will go right, that something will change. This is definitely a heartbreaking story of a man who just wanted to sing and help his struggling family. It is the story of a man who put his faith in the wrong hands and that led him to his demise. Elvis was not perfect by any means, but he sure did try to do a hell of a lot of good while he was on this earth.