Elvis is an entertaining biopic centering on the complicated relationship between Elvis Presley and his manager. It’s an ambitious film enhanced by the visual dazzle of director/cowriter Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge).
Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), a music promoter with a mysterious background, muses on his long tenure managing the career of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler). Starting in 1955, Elvis is a young boy curious about blues houses and black gospel music. Years later, Parker hears about Elvis’ popularity as a singer in the Deep South and seeks him out as his meal ticket. Soon, Elvis rockets to fame with his voice and gyrations which cause a sensation among the teenaged girls and runs afoul of religious groups. Under Parker’s foresight and guidance, Elvis’ career expands to films and the new medium of television, and he becomes a sensation with stage performances in Las Vegas. However, the innumerable concerts take a toll on his marriage and physical health even as he clashes with his exploitive manager.
Butler, in a star making role, commands the screen throughout the film, while Hanks is astonishing as the villainous, controlling Parker, part con artist, confidant, and manipulator who extracted whatever could be profited (including merchandising).
The
film, amid a background of news headlines, gives some startling reminders that
Elvis was the highest paid entertainer in history, and his concert attracted an
all-time satellite TV audience. The film
also offers insight into his personal life including his controversial military
service and touches on black musical influences like B.B. King.
Luhrmann shows his
love for this subject with
imaginative direction frequently
employing fluid camerawork, split screens, and rapid edits that jump back and
forth in time. It’s engrossing and a cut above most musical biographies with
its strong performances.
****
of **** stars (for Elvis fans) on HBO Max
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