We’ve seen a lot of movies about Elvis. Some better, some worse. I myself even attended a wonderful show / tribute to him from Cirque du Soleil, in Las Vegas. And now Baz Luhrmann, director of red Mill, decided to tell this story. The film Elvis, which opens this Thursday in theaters, has the support of Priscilla Presley, and the whole family. They all praised it, and said that finally someone got the story right. Whether things really happened that way or not, there’s no way of knowing. But that the movie is good, ah, that is!
The movie is not about Elvis’ story, but his story with Colonel Tom Parker. From the moment the two met and the Colonel was fascinated by the “white boy who sings like a black one”. For decades this strange man made and undid Elvis’ life. He manipulated everyone around him, which ended up causing Elvis to make decisions he didn’t want. He was also addicted to medicine, which ended up killing him.
What did I find?
as in red Mill, Luhrmann constructs the story as if it were a fable. The film shows the Colonel as an evil being, who lurks in dark places. He speaks in a low voice, and keeps stealing light from those who have it. And all this is interspersed with Elvis’ songs. For example, my favorite, Suspicious Minds, against the backdrop of the moment when Elvis was manipulated into accepting a stay in Las Vegas.
The script presents Elvis as a force of nature. Someone with enormous talent, who was always trying to get rid of the prejudice of society at the time. Sometimes he was successful, like the Christmas special, a return to his musical roots. Baz Luhrmann arranges everything. He explains the musical roots, shows the friendships with big names like BB King. He explains his desire to be in big movies, and how it didn’t work out. All with a lot of color, a lot of shine, which makes perfect sense when talking about Elvis.
The cast
And of course, impossible not to mention the cast. Tom Hanks steps out of his comfort zone as the Colonel. He’s a villain, creates an accent, and a way of speaking. He is gooey and uncomfortable. Another triumph for the actor. But the big and very welcome surprise is Austin Butler. I remember when he went announced. I thought it wasn’t a good choice, I was rooting for the other finalist, Ansel Elgort. But seeing how Butler embodies the character, his voice, his mannerisms, it’s impossible not to give the arm to cheer. For those curious, Austin used his own voice to sing while Elvis was young. For songs from the Vegas era onwards, his voice was mixed with Elvis’s. Definitely Austin was the best choice. Many even predict a possible Oscar nomination. It may or may not, but it would certainly be deserved.
Eliane Munhoz
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