Moviefone Editorial

Tag: elvis presley

  • ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ Interview: Baz Luhrmann

    CD1iVUbd

    Releasing exclusively on IMAX February 20th before being released theatrically on February 27th is the new film ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert‘, which was directed by Baz Luhrmann (‘Elvis’) and utilizes never-before-seen audio and video of Elvis Presley.

    w411rrIKtJ5P5G3ZwbtN53

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Baz Luhrmann about his work on ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’, why it’s not a documentary or concert film, discovering the lost footage and restoring the sound, and why fans need to see the movie on IMAX.

    'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert' director Baz Luhrmann.
    ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ director Baz Luhrmann.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Related Article: Austin Butler Talks Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’

    'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert' director Baz Luhrmann. Photo: Neon.
    ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ director Baz Luhrmann. Photo: Neon.

    Moviefone: To begin with, you’ve said that this movie is “not a documentary. It’s not a concert film. It’s something new.” Can you talk about that and what you set out to create with this project?

    Baz Luhrmann: Well, not new for newness’ sake, but because of the material we had, we had to find a way of binding this ’70s concert, this 16-millimeter footage of him on tour, and this 8-millimeter footage, and then we found this audiotape of him just talking about his life for 40 minutes. We went, “You know, let’s just get out of the way. Let’s let Elvis tell his story without talking heads.” Because you know with Elvis, bless his socks, but there’s always a lot of documentaries made where people talk about how great he is. He sings over 70 songs in it. This allowed him to guide us through his life through words and music. I think it gives you an intimacy that you don’t often get.

    Elvis Presley in 'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert'. Photo: Neon.
    Elvis Presley in ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’. Photo: Neon.

    MF: Can you talk about discovering this lost footage and the process of restoring the sound?

    BL: So, it was an accident, really, because Ernst Jorgensen, who’s kind of the scientist of all things Elvis, told us about this maybe missing real, and that it is very hard to get to because they’re buried in salt mines in Kansas City. They do that to protect the footage from moisture. I thought, maybe I can use some of that. I had the money so the guys go down and they start kicking the door in, like ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ style. They’re 61 reels of footage. 35mm, 16mm, some missing, and some mislabeled. So, we brought it back to Warner Bros., and honestly, it smelt very much like vinegar, which meant it was decomposing. So, first thing was to save it, scan it, and then the great Peter Jackson with his team helped us bring it back to IMAX quality, which, just to say, there’s no AI in this. This is just making the film as beautiful as possible, but there was no sound. Now we did find a mag tape, so you do have the original sound of voice and band, sometimes damaged orchestra, and sometimes not the best miking on ‘Sweet Inspirations’. So, this tape we found of Elvis just talking about his life motivated us to let that be our guiding light. It took two years to find the sound, two years to sink it by eye. We had a great guy who just sat in a room for two years (sinking it). Then we had to have these themes and then we reduced the themes down and we wanted it to be specific. We wanted to make sure that it was at a length that we could bring it to the highest possible quality. It was always like, “What would Elvis do?” What Elvis would do would want to be presented on the biggest screen in the best possible quality.

    Elvis Presley in 'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert'. Photo: Neon.
    Elvis Presley in ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’. Photo: Neon.

    MF: Finally, why is it important for Elvis fans to see this movie on IMAX?

    BL: I’ve just recently been seeing it on the IMAXs with audiences and they truly react like they’re at a concert. That’s what (Editor) Jon (Redmond) and I wished for, to give Elvis the tour that he never had.

    Elvis Presley in 'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert'. Photo: Neon.
    Elvis Presley in ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’. Photo: Neon.

    What is the plot of ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’?

    Long-lost footage from Elvis Presely’s legendary Las Vegas residency in the 1970s woven together with rare 16mm footage from ‘Elvis on Tour‘, and 8mm from the Graceland archive, plus recordings of Elvis telling “his side of the story” rediscovered during Baz Luhrmann’s research for his 2022 film, ‘Elvis’.

    Who is in the cast of ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’?

    • Elvis Presley as Himself
    'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert' opens exclusively on IMAX February 20th and in theaters February 27th.
    ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ opens exclusively on IMAX February 20th and in theaters February 27th.

    List of Baz Luhrmann Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Baz Luhrmann Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Priscilla’

    Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Ken Woroner.

    Opening in theaters in limited release on October 27th before expanding wide on November 3rd, ‘Priscilla’ is the latest film by ‘Lost in Translation’ and ‘The Bling Ring’ director Sofia Coppola, which serves as a counterpoint to last year’s ‘Elvis’.

    While Baz Luhrmann’s film was almost exclusively about The King, Olivia DeJonge popped up briefly as Priscilla, but she felt like an afterthought, since the focus was on Presley (Austin Butler) and manipulative manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).

    In this new film, it’s Elvis who drifts in and out of Priscilla’s life, and the Colonel is only ever heard as a voice on a phone.

    How well does ‘Priscilla’ bring her story to life?

    Cailee Spaeny in director Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla.'
    Cailee Spaeny in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.

    How many people can have claim to have caught a music icon’s eye as a dewy-eyed teenager and actually ended up married to them? Not many.

    ‘Priscilla’, though it covers a more limited time period than ‘Elvis’, actually makes an advantage of that tighter focus, since it probes more deeply into its title character’s psyche than Luhrmann’s film did, albeit without laboring the points it wants to make. This is no cradle-to-grave examination of Priscilla’s world, preferring instead to chart her younger days. And let’s be honest: did anyone really need to see Cailee Spaeny made up to look like a mid-1990’s Priscilla acting in ‘The Naked Gun?’ Didn’t think so.

    While ‘Elvis’ was all about the clash between Elvis and his manager, ‘Priscilla’ has her story at its core, charting the burgeoning relationship and the challenges it faced. It has space for Presley’s commitment to no sex before marriage but also his adulterous ways.

    ‘Priscilla’ script and direction

    Jacob Elordi, Cailee Spaeny and director Sofia Coppola on the set of 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi, Cailee Spaeny and director Sofia Coppola on the set of ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.

    Coppola naturally has a keen eye (and ear, since she also adapted the script from Priscilla Presley’s memoir ‘Elvis and Me’, written with Sandra Harmon) for the story of a young woman dealing with the pressures of fame as they grow up. After all, she has a little experience in that regard.

    And as a filmmaker, she’s long proved able to deliver compelling stories that forefront female characters, and Priscilla Presley’s is a notable example. Coppola truly runs with the idea, sensitively handling the chaos that was her life with Elvis and the pain and sorrow of being somewhat sidelined by the man she devoted her early life to.

    Given its much more limited budget and schedule, it’s impressive how much Coppola was able to pull off with this movie.

    If there are problems with the film’s, it’s in the pacing, and that Coppola sometimes has to indulge in unnecessary montage to show the passage of time –– did we really need to see Elvis and Priscilla shooting guns in the grounds of Graceland? Or see him take a bulldozer to the house of a deceased family member on the grounds because he doesn’t like it (if it is to be a metaphor for how his quirks such as demanding she indulge in his philosophical patterns demolish the relationship between him and his wife, it’s a leaden one).

    And for all the examination of Priscilla’s inner life, there are times when she is frustratingly difficult to read, important moments passed over. Still, it remains a successful look at a woman that so many people think they know through footage and biographies but has rarely had her story told so keenly.

    ‘Priscilla’: performances

    Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Sabrina Lantos.

    This is, without a doubt, Cailee Spaeny’s film. She embodies Priscilla at different ages with empathy and grace. Working with some superb costume and make-up teams, you’ll easily believe that this is the same woman as she grows up with the iconic singer.

    Spaeny never overplays the role, even in some big melodramatic moments, and she acts everyone else off the screen. For his part, though, Jacob Elordi makes for a convincing Elvis Presley (he’s not charged with much of the music side of things the way Austin Butler was) and he’s very natural as the man in the quiet moments (and not-so-quiet ones) with Priscilla.

    Elvis himself has been brought to the screen many times, but Elordi never seeks to pull off a basic impression –– in concert with Coppola, he finds fresh shades to play and embodies the spirit of the man. He also nails the voice at times. The film, by its nature, had to dive more into the quieter, more intimate moments of the relationship, rather than needing to portray giant concerts (there is clever use of archive footage to show the couple in Vegas and one big musical moment is only briefly glimpsed on TV).

    Around them, there is a fully immersed supporting cast, from Priscilla’s stalwart parents (even if they do fluctuate being very protective and somehow ready to let their young daughter fly off to see her older boyfriend) to Elvis’ family and coterie of friends and hangers-on (who enjoy more of his attention than his wife at times).

    Related Article: Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi Talk director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla’

    ‘Priscilla’ final thoughts

    Cailee Spaeny in 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Sabrina Lantos.

    ‘Priscilla’ doesn’t live in the shadow of ‘Elvis’ or previous examinations of its subject’s life. In Sofia Coppola’s assured hands, it works on its own terms, and is helped along by two excellent central performances.

    If you were wanting to see the story of one of the most famous women in the world brought to compelling life, ‘Priscilla’ is the film to watch.

    ‘Priscilla’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

    AkQe8SYzYPGREQDsgLY28

    What’s the story of ‘Priscilla’?

    When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) meets Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock- and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend.

    Through Priscilla’s eyes, the film tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, covering the time between their first meeting and their fraught final separation.

    Who else is in ‘Priscilla’?

    Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi in 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Philippe Le Sourd.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Priscilla’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Priscilla’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Sofia Coppola Movies on Amazon

    ZyWAHOTs

  • ‘Priscilla’ Interview: Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi

    afZghOAh

    Opening in theaters in limited release on October 27th before opening wide on November 3rd is the new biopic ‘Priscilla,’ which was directed by Oscar-winner Sofia Coppola (‘Lost in Translation’).

    Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny star in director Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny star in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi about their work on ‘Priscilla,’ bringing her story to the screen, how Spaeny prepared for the role, Elordi’s performance, showing a different side of Elvis, and working with Sofia Coppola.

    Cailee Spaeny in director Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla.'
    Cailee Spaeny in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Spaeny and Elordi, as well as music supervisor Randall Poster.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Cailee, how did you prepare to play this role and what was it like bringing Priscilla Presley’s story to the screen?

    Cailee Spaeny: Well, it was first the book that she wrote in the 1980s and the script leans heavily on it. Then it was sitting down with Priscilla Presley herself, which I got the honor to do, and just taking the time and letting her walk through this section of her life. She shared little details and moments, and how she was feeling on certain nights or inside jokes they had together. To watch her go back to that time, and maybe she’d giggle a bit thinking about a memory they had together. Those were so precious to have in putting this puzzle piece together.

    Jacob Elordi in director Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla.'
    Jacob Elordi in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.

    MF: Jacob, how did you prepare to play Elvis Presley, arguably one of the most famous people in modern history, and what was it like examining his darker side?

    Jacob Elordi: For me it was less about what side of him was being portrayed and more about trying to find the human being in him and make it a believable and real person. There were just months of boring study, reading, watching and listening. It would do your head in, just like it did mine in getting ready for it, if I told you about it all.

    Related Article: ‘Priscilla’ Trailer

    Jacob Elordi, Cailee Spaeny and director Sofia Coppola on the set of 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi, Cailee Spaeny and director Sofia Coppola on the set of ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.

    MF: Cailee, can you talk about collaborating with Sofia Coppola on set and what she was like to work with as a director?

    CS: She really creates a safe space for everyone to feel like they can collaborate and share their thoughts and opinions. She knows exactly what she wants, but she also knows when to have fun, and remind everyone we’re making a film, and we should all enjoy it while we’re doing it. It was a quick 30-day shoot, but we had a lot of laughs in between and it was a real treat. She was a dream director for me to work with. She was the director I wanted to work with, and it was more than anything I could have imagined.

    Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Sabrina Lantos.

    MF: Finally, Jacob, what was it like for you to work with Sofia Coppola? Was it as much fun as you had hoped it would be?

    JE: More fun. She let us know immediately that you didn’t have to be dark and brooding and go through all these heavy things to make a good movie. She is the artist. She’s everything that you would want as an actor and more. I love her so much.

    AkQe8SYzYPGREQDsgLY28

    What is the plot of ‘Priscilla’?

    The film follows Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) and her life with Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi).

    Who is in the cast of ‘Priscilla’?

     

    Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in 'Priscilla.'
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Philippe Le Sourd.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Priscilla’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Priscilla’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Sofia Coppola Movies on Amazon

  • Lisa Marie Presley Dies at 54

    Riley Keough, Lisa Marie Presley and Priscilla Presley at 'Elvis' Memphis event 6/11/22.
    (L to R) Riley Keough, Lisa Marie Presley and Priscilla Presley at ‘Elvis’ Memphis event 6/11/22.

    Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of music icon Elvis Presley and actor Priscilla Presley, has died at the age of 54 following a cardiac arrest.

    Presley was born in Memphis, Tennessee on February 1, 1968. She grew up living in her father’s Graceland estate until the age of four, when her parents separated. Presley moved with her mother to Los Angeles, California. Even though her parents were separated, she continued to see both, splitting time between both Los Angeles and Memphis. When she was 9, Presley’s father died of an apparent heart failure associated with prescription drug abuse.

    Her early life was, despite the seeming advantages of her parents, not an easy one, and Presley struggled with addiction. At 17, Presley was sent to Scientology’s Celebrity Center rehab facility. There, Presley met musician Danny Keough. Presley and Keough married on October 3, 1988. and had two children, actress Riley Keough and a son named Benjamin, who died of apparent suicide in 2020.

    Presley and Keough divorced in 1994. Only 20 days after her divorce to Keough was finalized, Presley married superstar Michael Jackson, who reportedly proposed over the phone after only four months of dating. Their relationship was short-lived, however, and Presley filed for divorce from Jackson in January of 1996. In 2000, while engaged to musician John Oszajca, she met Nicolas Cage. She soon broke off the engagement to Oszajca to date Cage. The couple married soon after in Hawaii on August 10, 2002 but divorced a mere 108 days later.

    On January 22, 2006, Presley married for the fourth time, this time to guitarist, producer and director Michael Lockwood. The couple welcomed fraternal twins, Harper and Finley, on October 7, 2008. In 2016, Presley filed for divorce from Lockwood.

    Priscilla Presley, Riley Keough, and Lisa Marie Presley, at 'Elvis' Memphis event 6/11/22.
    (L to R) Priscilla Presley, Riley Keough, and Lisa Marie Presley, at ‘Elvis’ Memphis event 6/11/22.

    She inherited her father’s mansion, Graceland. And after the death of her father, grandfather and great-grandmother, she became sole owner of Presley’s entire estate when she turned 25. She sold 85% of the estate, which had an estimated value of $100 million when she inherited it, in 2005 to Industrial Media, but kept control of Graceland.

    Following in her father’s footsteps, she forged a career as a singer, releasing several albums, including “To Whom It May Concern”, “Now What” and “Storm & Grace,” and enjoyed some success.

    Priscilla Presley issued a statement after her daughter’s death. “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” Presley said. “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.”

    Rita Wilson, who met Lisa Marie after husband Tom Hanks worked on ‘Elvis’, took to Instagram to remember her. “Our hearts are broken with the sudden and shocking passing of Lisa Marie Presley tonight. Tom and I had spent some time with the family during the ‘Elvis’ movie promotional tour. Lisa Marie was so honest and direct, vulnerable, in a state of anticipation about the movie,” Wilson wrote. “She spoke so eloquently about her father, what the movie meant to her, that it was a celebration of her dad. She had her gorgeous daughters Finley and Harper with her who made us all laugh. She privately showed us her home, Graceland, and she made it feel like home to us. She was so gracious to us, Austin, Baz, and guests. If you haven’t heard her music please go listen. She had a sultry voice, a power and tenderness, that I have always loved.”

    She is survived by her mother, Priscilla Presley, her three daughters and a half-brother, Navarone Garibaldi.

    Lisa Marie Presley at the TCL Chinese Theatres hand & foot event 6/21/22.
    Lisa Marie Presley at the TCL Chinese Theatres hand & foot event 6/21/22. Photo: Eric Charbonneau.
    zdrJjA3Z

  • Movie Review: ‘Elvis’

    Austin Butler as Elvis
    Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on June 24th is ‘Elvis,’ the new musical biopic about the life and career of Elvis Presley, from ‘Moulin Rouge!’ director Baz Luhrmann.

    The film stars Austin Butler (‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’) as the title character and chronicles his early days to his success as the world’s most famous musician and movie star, as well as his complex relationships with manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), and his wife Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).

    The movie also features Helen Thompson and Richard Roxburgh as Elvis’ parents, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as B.B. King, Alton Mason as Little Richard, Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Jimmie Rodgers Snow, and Yola Quartey as Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

    The result is a true masterpiece of a movie, that is not without its faults, but thanks to the astounding Austin Butler, features one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen on screen!

    Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama 'Elvis.'
    Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Hugh Stewart. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The film is narrated by Hanks’ Colonel Tom Parker, on his death bed as he recounts how he discovered Elvis Presley (Butler). The film then flashes back to the 1940’s when Elvis was a child discovering Gospel and Blues music, and eventually to how he and Parker first met in the early 50’s. Parker, a carnival conman at his core, instantly recognizes the cash cow that Presley will become and after impressing his parents, becomes Elvis’ new manager. The singer quickly becomes a sensation but is accused of deviant behavior because he wiggles his hips while he sings.

    To change the course of his career, Parker orchestrates Elvis joining the Army, where he meets a young Priscilla (DeJonge) while overseas. After his stint in the Army, they quickly fall in love and marry, while Elvis returns to making movies. But Parker is unwilling to allow Elvis to stretch his acting chops, and eventually his films and music stop being popular after The Beatles invade America in the early 60’s. With an ever-changing entertainment landscape, and against the wishes of Parker, Presley begins to design his 1968 Comeback Special, that would put him back on top.

    Wanting to go on an international tour, Parker, who is not really Tom Parker, has no actual passport and fears losing his star, tricks Elvis into taking a lengthy Las Vegas residency. With his increasing drug habit, carrying of loaded firearms, and an overall unhealthy lifestyle, Elvis finds his life and career at a crossroad in the mid-70’s as friction between him, Parker, and Priscilla, threaten his marriage, career, and ultimately his own life.

    I cannot overstate enough how mind-blowingly incredible Austin Butler’s performance as Elvis Presley was. He literally is Elvis! I almost forgot entirely that I was watching an actor give a performance and not “The King“ himself. Butler’s performance transcends any small issues the movie might have, and absolutely makes the film worth watching. This is a career-making performance for Butler, not unlike Jennifer Hudson in ‘Dreamgirls.’

    Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama 'Elvis,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    A few years ago, Rami Malek won an Academy Award for playing Freddy Mercury in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ and he didn’t even sing his own songs, not to mention the film was mediocre at best. A year later Taron Egerton was snubbed for an Oscar nomination for his far superior performance as Elton John in ‘Rocketman,’ which is actually a very good movie where Egerton did sing his own songs.

    I hope that Austin Butler is not forgotten about at the end of the year because if anyone deserves an Academy Award for a particular performance it’s him for this one. Plus, Butler does sing all the music in the film and sounds exactly like Presley! If for some reason the Academy does not at least nominate Butler, then I recommend Malek do the right thing and just hand his Oscar over to him ASAP.

    Director Baz Luhrmann was certainly the right director to bring this story to the big screen, and the direction, the production design, the music, the editing, the cinematography is all top notch. While Luhrmann may receive some criticism for mixing the soundtrack with music of the time and today’s hip hop, I thought it worked very well and gave the movie a contemporary feel.

    I did question at first Luhrmann’s choice to use an unreliable narrator in Colonel Tom Parker, who tells the story really as if he was the star and not Elvis. It threw me at first and then I realized that this a person who had been taking credit for Elvis his whole life, so why should the biopic be any different? It actually works by the movie’s end.

    Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker and Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama 'Elvis.'
    (L to R) Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker and Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    I have to say, I wasn’t sure at first if I hated Tom Hanks’ performance, or if I just hated Tom Parker. I now realize that it was the later, and that is quite an accomplishment for the most likable man in Hollywood to pull off playing one of the most despicable human beings to ever live. I can’t say Hanks’ performance does much to humanize Parker, but then again, I’m not sure how much humanity was in the man to begin with.

    However, the film is not without its faults, as it is a fairly sanitized version of Elvis’ life. Yes, the movie does touch on his codependent relationship with his mother, his drug use, his love for guns, and his womanizing, but none of those subjects are truly explored in a meaningful way. Even his relationship with Priscilla is shown in a different light than the truth, as the movie never makes mention of the fact that she was only 14-years-old when she started dating Elvis.

    But the film does tackle one of Presley’s biggest criticisms, which is that he culturally appropriated his music. The movie’s answer to that criticism is that Elvis did not maliciously do this, he just grew up in an area where that music was popular and truly fell in love with Gospel and the Blues. It also depicts the reaction from that community at the time, which was not of anger, but of pride that their music was finally being heard by the entire world, regardless of who was singing it. That may or may not be accurate, but kudos to the filmmakers for not ignoring that controversy.

    The core of the movie really focuses on the relationship between Elvis and Parker, which was an interesting choice, but I guess I just feel like Parker doesn’t deserve that much credit. It would have been nice to focus a little more on Elvis, his relationship with Priscilla, and his eventual downfall.

    Austin Butler as Elvis and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “ELVIS,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Austin Butler as Elvis and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “ELVIS,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    While her part is somewhat small, Olivia DeJonge is absolutely lovely as Priscilla and you really feel how genuinely she loves Elvis, and how painful it was for her to watch his ultimate spiral out of control. The movie is also filled with excellent supporting performances from Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alton Mason, and Yola Quartey as legendary musicians B.B. King, Little Richard, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, respectively.

    But in the end, this movie really belongs to Austin Butler and his truly amazing performance as Elvis Presley. The movie, the music, and Butler’s performance will make you fall in love with Presley all over again and is a fitting tribute to “The King.”

    Austin Butler as Elvis
    Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Elvis’ receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    zOfEoqeaiXz0EfQpVRSyB7

  • Austin Butler Talks ‘Elvis’

    Austin Butler as Elvis
    Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on June 24th is the new musical biopic about the life and career of Elvis Presley, simply entitled ‘Elvis,’ which was directed by Baz Luhrmann (‘Moulin Rouge!’).

    The film stars Austin Butler (‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’) as the title character and chronicles his early days to his success as a musician and movie star, as well as his complex relationship with manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).

    The movie also features Helen Thompson and Richard Roxburgh as Elvis’ parents Gladys and Vernon Presley, Olivia DeJonge as his wife Priscilla Presley, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as B.B. King, Alton Mason as Little Richard, Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Jimmie Rodgers Snow, and Yola Quartey as Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Austin Butler about his work on ‘Elvis.’

    T5fObrRH

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above and watch our interviews with Butler, director by Baz Luhrmann, Olivia DeJonge, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alton Mason, and Yola Quartey.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first meeting with director Baz Luhrmann and the discussions you had about how you wanted to approach playing this role?

    Austin Butler: From our very first-time meeting, it was clear to me Baz’s work ethic and his commitment to finding the truth. The first time we met, I’d already been working on it for about a month at this point, just because I knew I was going to be meeting with him eventually.

    So, we met and we both just clicked because we were both so fascinated with the fact that behind this icon, or the caricature of Elvis that has been held up in certain people’s minds to an almost godlike status, is this man who came from nothing, and who grew up in one of the few white houses in a Black neighborhood, and the fact that we don’t have Elvis without Black music.

    Him growing up in gospel tents, down on Beale Street and juke joints, and the inspiration and love that he had for everything that he was soaking in as a young child. There’re so many things about him that have been misconstrued.

    So, for me, I knew that I was interested in who is Elvis when nobody’s looking? Behind this person that everybody thinks they know, who is he in an empty room when he wakes up in the morning, or when he goes to bed at night, or when he’s brushing his teeth? Those little things, that’s what I was really fascinated by. Where’s the humanity of him?

    Austin Butler as Elvis
    Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about developing Elvis’ specific walk, talk and look for the movie?

    AB: I had a year and a half before we started shooting where I didn’t do anything else. I just followed my curiosity, really. I watched every frame of footage that is available. I watched every documentary and read every book on his life and listened to every interview he ever gave. You do all that and then you feel kind of like a detective where you’re just asking “why” the whole time.

    Why does he touch his face in that way? Why did he make that decision? Why this, why that? Eventually it starts going from this objective process to it being subjective, where you’re feeling it and seeing it through his eyes. So, it’s sort of like seeing a blurry picture that is slowly coming into clarity. I also, I got to say, I had an incredible group of people around me.

    So, my movement coach, Polly Bennett, who also worked with many other members of the cast, but she was really vital in my process. My dialect coaches, my singing coaches, karate instructor. I had so many things that I did. I went to Nashville and Memphis with Baz and recorded gospel singers in these tiny churches and felt the spirit of the music, because all of Elvis’s movement came from him being moved by music.

    So, it was never about choreographing anything. But here’s the tricky thing, is you want to be incredibly specific. So, you’re going back and forth between never losing the feeling that you get when you’re in a gospel church and you feel the rapture of music, but yet being able to then be incredibly specific with a moment that you’re trying to recreate identically. So, that was my long-winded way of describing to you some of the process.

    Austin Butler plays Elvis Presley in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Elvis.'
    Austin Butler plays Elvis Presley in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Elvis.’
    zOfEoqeaiXz0EfQpVRSyB7

  • New ‘Elvis’ Trailer is Ready to Rock

    Austin Butler as Elvis Presley
    Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Elvis Presley might these days be more the butt of jokes about his older, heavier, sparklier days, but when he was young, hungry, and just getting his start, you could already sense the power.

    For his new movie, Baz Luhrmann is looking to chronicle a hefty chunk of Presley’s life, but this new trailer for what is simply called ‘Elvis’, focuses more on his earlier years, when the stuffy authorities were horrified at the hip-swiveling musical wonder who sent girls wild with his lip-curling style.

    Austin Butler, who has appeared in movies such as ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, here plays Elvis, and the film explores the life and music of Presley seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).

    And the main trio are just a sampling of the cast – ‘Elvis’ also includes Helen Thomson as Elvis’s mother, Gladys, Richard Roxburgh as Elvis’s father, Luke, Natasha Bassett as Dixie Locke, David Wenham playing Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. bringing to life B.B. King, Xavier Samuel as Scotty Moore, and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Jimmie Rodgers Snow.

    h5A4TOfO

    Elvis is not the only iconic musician to show up here, either, as in his life and career, he crossed paths with a swathe of others. Singer/songwriter Yola plays Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason takes on the role of Little Richard, while Gary Clark Jr. is Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh plays Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton. Luhrmann wrote the movie with Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, and Jeremy Doner.

    Luhrmann, of course, is no stranger to musical movies, having brought the likes of ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘Strictly Ballroom’ to life, while the stylish period dramas on his resume include ‘Australia’ and ‘The Great Gatsby’. And ‘Elvis’ certainly offers the opportunity to combine both classic tunes and costumes.

    It has been nine years since Lurhmann was behind the camera for a movie – he did make Netflix’s hip-hop drama ‘The Get Down’ in the meantime and has worked on various commercials, but it’s good to see him return to theaters. Butler, meanwhile, has shown promise in his other roles and Hanks is, of course, always a reliable performer, even if we’re wondering about his accent work this time. But from the evidence of this, ‘Elvis’ could be a winner from Luhrmann.

    ‘Elvis’ will be gyrating on to screens on June 24th.

    Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis.' Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros.
    Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis.’ Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros.
    zOfEoqeaiXz0EfQpVRSyB7

  • Trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’

    Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis.' Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros.
    Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis.’ Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros.

    It’s been nine years since writer/director Baz Lurhmann had a film in theaters. Not to say he’s been sitting around doing nothing; he oversaw Netflix series ‘The Get Down’ and worked on several commercials. It’s good to see, though, that he’s headed back to the big screen with ‘Elvis’, which has its first full trailer out in the world.

    As you might predict from the title, the film charts the life of the musical icon, who burst on to the scene in the 1950s and became one of the most famous people in the world.

    Austin Butler, who has appeared in movies such as ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, here plays Elvis Presley, and the film explores his life and music seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).

    And the main trio are just a sampling of the cast – ‘Elvis’ also includes Helen Thomson as Elvis’s mother, Gladys, Richard Roxburgh as Elvis’s father, Luke Bracey as Jerry Schilling, Natasha Bassett as Dixie Locke, David Wenham playing Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. bringing to life B.B. King, Xavier Samuel as Scotty Moore, and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Jimmie Rodgers Snow.

    zdrJjA3Z

    Elvis is not the only iconic musician to show up here, either, as in his life and career, he crossed paths with a swathe of others. Singer/songwriter Yola plays Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason takes on the role of Little Richard, while Gary Clark Jr. is Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh plays Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton. Luhrmann wrote the movie with Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, and Jeremy Doner.

    Elvis Presley is a tricky subject to bring to life; he’s one of the most recognizable people in the world, even to an audience that didn’t grow up listening to his music, and his story has a tragic ending. There are also all the political and world-changing events to encompass while finding a way into the complex relationship between Parker and his star client. Of course, it helps to have Tom Hanks in the cast, and he’s throwing his all into the role.

    Luhrmann’s film has taken longer than anticipated to arrive, partly because of the huge undertaking, but also because it was one of the movies seriously affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, forced to shut down when Hanks and others contracted the virus.

    It’ll finally head to theaters on June 24.

    If you want to know more about the movie, Luhrmann and his leading man participated in a video Q&A on twitter to help launch the trailer, and you can find that below.

    zOfEoqeaiXz0EfQpVRSyB7
  • Animated Elvis Presley Spy Series ‘Agent King’ Coming to Netflix

    Animated Elvis Presley Spy Series ‘Agent King’ Coming to Netflix

    Netflix

    Get ready to be all shook up when Elvis Presley buckles up his blue suede shoes as a secret spy.

    Netflix has ordered an adult animated series titled “Agent King,” which imagines Elvis being inducted into a secret government spy program to help battle dark forces that threaten the country he loves.  But no need to check into the “Heartbreak Hotel,” as he’ll still hol down his day job as the most famous rock ‘n’ roll star on the planet.

    The streamer is partnering with co-creators and executive producers Priscilla Presley (who was married to Elvis from 1967-73) and John Eddie. “Archer” writer Mike Arnold will serve as showrunner.

    “From the time Elvis was a young boy he always dreamed of being the superhero fighting crime and saving the world!” said Priscilla Presley in a statement. “‘Agent King’ lets him do just that. My co-creator John Eddie and I are so excited to be working with Netflix and Sony Animation on this amazing project and getting the chance to show the world an Elvis they haven’t seen before.”

  • ‘Dune,’ Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Biopic Release Dates Announced

    ‘Dune,’ Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Biopic Release Dates Announced

    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Warner Bros. just pushed Denis Villeneuve‘s “Dune” film back one month to Dec. 18, 2020.

    That pits it against another big-budget remake, Steven Spielberg‘s “West Side Story,” as well as  the video game adaptation “Uncharted” starring Tom Holland, and the “Coming to America” sequel.

    The studio also set a release date for the untitled Elvis Presley biopic from director Baz Luhrmann. It will open Oct. 1, 2021.

    Austin Butler (currently playing a Manson Family member in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) will star as the late music legend.

    The story will “delve into their complex dynamic spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and the loss of innocence in America.”

    They’ve also penciled in an unnamed film for Nov. 20, 2020. Odds on its being a DCEU movie?

    [Via THR]