Elvis (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
Moulin Rouge, Australia, The Great Gatsby ... love 'em all. Strictly Ballroom & Romeo + Juliet, not so much; but I still admire quite a lot in them. The common denominator is Baz Luhrmann, a director like no other. Much like his other films, his latest, 'Elvis', is a wild, bombastic spectacle that contains soaring camerawork, fast edits, anachronistic music selections, & unique scene transitions. Like his other films, there are times when Luhrmann's excesses threaten to overwhelm our senses & overwhelm the {quite lengthy} narrative. But on the whole, the razzmatazz of it all & an incredible lead performance makes 'Elvis' go down easy.
The narrative framework is filtered through the self-serving viewpoint of Elvis' corrupt, Dutch immigrant manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) and, the 1st half of the 159 min. long film - which covers the rise to fame of Elvis Aaron Presley (sensational newcomer, Austin Butler) from humble Southern roots, his love of black artists/music (Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays B.B. King), his off-the-charts charisma, the effect he has on women, controversies with moral crusaders {that his gyrating hips would be considered illegal, haha}, his time in the armed forces, his relationship with eventual wife, Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge), & his brief Hollywood movie career - is splashed up on the screen with all the urgency of a flashy 90 minute montage, or music video.
This part of the film CAN be exhausting at times because of its breakneck pacing and, I wished that some deeper exploration of his themes/relationships occurred. Still, Elvis' ascent was a whirlwind and, I was dazzled by the whirlwind 1st half. This film reaches its apex in the recreation of the 1968 'comeback' TV special that received massive ratings during the holiday season -- fanTASTIC sequence. It is after this segment where Luhrmann slowwws things down & allows the film to unfold in a more traditional dramatic fashion. During the final hour, characterizations deepen & the tragedy of Elvis escalates. Tom Parker created 'the greatest carnival act he'd ever seen' and, it is he who pushed Elvis to the brink {physically, emotionally, money issues}.
For better or worse, 'Elvis' is truly a Baz Luhrmann film. His hyper-stimulated style dwarfs some characterizations that would have benefitted from more run time {the demise of his beloved mom, played by Helen Thomson; time spent with Priscilla, etc.}. And some would argue that the story told through the eyes of 'villain' Tom Parker kept the enigmatic titular character at an arm's length. But for all of its excesses {prioritizing visual & sonic splendor over character development}, the film is ultimately effective in capturing both the triumphs & the tragedy of his life. And it doesn't hurt that, unless you've lived under a rock, Elvis' lengthy catalogue of instantly-recognizable songs are showcased throughout. It also doesn't hurt that a wholly committed cast gets us through the narrative rough spots.
All of Baz Luhrmann's films contain top-notch craftsmanship and, 'Elvis' is NO exception. Mandy Walker's cinematography {when her camera slows down, haha} is exceptional. Catherine Martin's production design, including Graceland, Beale Street in Memphis, the International Hotel in Las Vegas, & other varied sets/props are just phenomenally-rendered; ditto that her period-perfect outfits & Elvis' copious costumes. The hair/make-up team accurately ages Elvis through the years. And I was blown away by Craig Armstrong's deft blending of Elvis songs with a sweeping orchestral score to mix perfectly with the crack sound design team.
But as spectacular as all of that is, none of it matters without the astonishing, star-making turn from Austin Butler. He doesn't look exactly like 'the king', but aside from nailing his mannerisms, voice inflections, sex appeal & magnetic moves ... he captures the man's essence. Taron Egerton was awesome as Elton John a few yrs. ago & Rami Malek won an Oscar as Freddie Mercury, but Butler acquits himself AS well, if not beyond. There were times where I actually forgot I wasn't watching the real Elvis -- superb portrayal. And so, while 'Elvis' has some issues {could've tackled more controversial aspects of the man, two halves of the film don't necessarily mesh as a cohesive whole}, I still enjoyed the hell out of most of it and, Butler is the main reason why.
The narrative framework is filtered through the self-serving viewpoint of Elvis' corrupt, Dutch immigrant manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) and, the 1st half of the 159 min. long film - which covers the rise to fame of Elvis Aaron Presley (sensational newcomer, Austin Butler) from humble Southern roots, his love of black artists/music (Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays B.B. King), his off-the-charts charisma, the effect he has on women, controversies with moral crusaders {that his gyrating hips would be considered illegal, haha}, his time in the armed forces, his relationship with eventual wife, Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge), & his brief Hollywood movie career - is splashed up on the screen with all the urgency of a flashy 90 minute montage, or music video.
This part of the film CAN be exhausting at times because of its breakneck pacing and, I wished that some deeper exploration of his themes/relationships occurred. Still, Elvis' ascent was a whirlwind and, I was dazzled by the whirlwind 1st half. This film reaches its apex in the recreation of the 1968 'comeback' TV special that received massive ratings during the holiday season -- fanTASTIC sequence. It is after this segment where Luhrmann slowwws things down & allows the film to unfold in a more traditional dramatic fashion. During the final hour, characterizations deepen & the tragedy of Elvis escalates. Tom Parker created 'the greatest carnival act he'd ever seen' and, it is he who pushed Elvis to the brink {physically, emotionally, money issues}.
For better or worse, 'Elvis' is truly a Baz Luhrmann film. His hyper-stimulated style dwarfs some characterizations that would have benefitted from more run time {the demise of his beloved mom, played by Helen Thomson; time spent with Priscilla, etc.}. And some would argue that the story told through the eyes of 'villain' Tom Parker kept the enigmatic titular character at an arm's length. But for all of its excesses {prioritizing visual & sonic splendor over character development}, the film is ultimately effective in capturing both the triumphs & the tragedy of his life. And it doesn't hurt that, unless you've lived under a rock, Elvis' lengthy catalogue of instantly-recognizable songs are showcased throughout. It also doesn't hurt that a wholly committed cast gets us through the narrative rough spots.
All of Baz Luhrmann's films contain top-notch craftsmanship and, 'Elvis' is NO exception. Mandy Walker's cinematography {when her camera slows down, haha} is exceptional. Catherine Martin's production design, including Graceland, Beale Street in Memphis, the International Hotel in Las Vegas, & other varied sets/props are just phenomenally-rendered; ditto that her period-perfect outfits & Elvis' copious costumes. The hair/make-up team accurately ages Elvis through the years. And I was blown away by Craig Armstrong's deft blending of Elvis songs with a sweeping orchestral score to mix perfectly with the crack sound design team.
But as spectacular as all of that is, none of it matters without the astonishing, star-making turn from Austin Butler. He doesn't look exactly like 'the king', but aside from nailing his mannerisms, voice inflections, sex appeal & magnetic moves ... he captures the man's essence. Taron Egerton was awesome as Elton John a few yrs. ago & Rami Malek won an Oscar as Freddie Mercury, but Butler acquits himself AS well, if not beyond. There were times where I actually forgot I wasn't watching the real Elvis -- superb portrayal. And so, while 'Elvis' has some issues {could've tackled more controversial aspects of the man, two halves of the film don't necessarily mesh as a cohesive whole}, I still enjoyed the hell out of most of it and, Butler is the main reason why.