I couldn't resist seeing the ELVIS movie with Austin Butler and Tom Hanks this past weekend. Being a monster E fan from way back, I wanted to be sure to enjoy the experience on both the big screen and with high quality sound. So what did I think? Well...
The movie was AMAZING. I've only seen bits and pieces of other Baz Luhrmann films to date, but I am genuinely curious to go back and seek them out now. Getting back to ELVIS however, the film was an amazing technical and artistic achievement. I liked and appreciated the attention to visual detail in particular. I've been to Graceland, Sun Studio, the Lansky Brothers store on Beale, and the "International Hotel" in Vegas, and all are recreated here in sumptuous, loving detail. It's hard to believe none of the movie was shot at, or on, any actual actual real-life locations. Set designs were spot on!
Clothes and costumes are all bang on as well. They take you in every instance to the era and years being depicted. ELVIS's jumpsuits are all spot-on accurate as well.
The story itself is interesting, even if not 100% accurate in spots. A lot of this can be attributed by Baz consolidating linear events into storytelling moments that in no way detract or take away from the story being told. I've read that some fans were disconcerted not to have seen depictions of well known figures from Elvis' like. Passing mention is given to Elvis' friends and associates, if that, and no mention is made of Linda Thompson or Ginger Alden at all. That's fine though, given the whole narrative is centered around Elvis's relationship with Colonel Tom Parker, as well as the Colonel's relationship with Elvis' parents to a slightly lesser extent. Another context depicted in the movie is the development of Elvis' style and musical influences, as represented by his exposure to the black community. Recreations of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Little Richard and B.B. King are all genuinely exciting and enjoyable to watch.
So what of Austin Butler as the king? Well, that's complex to describe
. While there's a slight physical resemblance, Austin doesn't really look like Elvis. The timber of his speaking voice gets a passing grade, as does his musical recreations. You'll never mistake his singing voice for the real deal, but it's close enough and Austin manages to stay on key throughout. Austin carefully studied and choreographed amazing details, such as how Elvis moved, both on stage and in real life. These movements shifted as Elvis grew older, and again, Austin does a great job of recognizing the poses and structural details of how to compose Elvis' various incarnations. The '68 Comeback and early Vegas performances deserve special mention as they are truly STUNNING. The moves, facial expressions and every other detail has been accurately recreated to such a degree that you almost feel like you are watching documentary and performance outtakes of the king himself! Beyond his efforts to recreate that which so many Elvis fans already know so well, Austin proves himself to be an exceptionally strong actor, able to convey emotions and other critical character elements in an astounding manner. There's little doubt this movie will serve as the springboard for an amazing acting career going forward. Austin's portrayal may, in fact, garner him Oscar recognition. We'll just have to wait and see.
The ending of the movie is kind of a bummer, but never presented in any kind of distasteful or over-the-top manner. In all likelihood, you'll feel somewhat misty eyed knowing what we know. Elvis was nearly three hours long, but it never dragged. Despite the length, you can't take everything that needs to be seen and heard in a single showing. You'll want to see it again. I know I do!
