Well, this movie sure surprised me.  I expected a flashy, perhaps overproduced, probably superficial biography of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.  That was all present, especially early, when a plethora of split screen views, stylish location labels, grainy concert footage and quick cutting between all of those elements and more made it seem like Bohemian Rhapsody on steroids.  But this film is a whole lot deeper than that; it’s the age-old story of show business triumph and tragedy, with an emphasis on the tragedy of Elvis Presley’s fame overwhelming his life, all because of his shady manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

Baz Luhrmann’s brassy, energetic bio looks at Elvis (Austin Butler, charismatic and empathetic) through the eyes of Parker (Tom Hanks, assured and serpentine).  Parker is a music promoter who sees in Elvis the Golden Ticket to Wealth and Fame.  Parker persuades Elvis to sign with him and, true to his word, makes him a music star, then a movie star.  But not without cost.  Eventually there is a dramatic breakup (which did not happen in real life) but then the star finds that he needs the Colonel’s pampering, patience and protection.  And that is the film’s greatest achievement: that its symbiosis between star and manager is so nuanced and inevitable.

As an adult I have always held the opinion that Colonel Tom Parker was a villain; that Elvis would have been far better off without his greedy manager, who kept his client’s sights low while he controlled every element of his client’s business.  He was a crook.  Any manager who forced Elvis into schlock like Harum Scarum rather than real movies could be nothing less.  This movie does nothing to change my mind.  In fact, I am more certain than ever that Tom Parker (not his real name) was a charlatan of the first order who took unholy advantage of an incredibly talented singer and actor.  And yet, the film allows Parker’s perspective room enough to flourish, and there is also no doubt that he did a great deal to make Elvis the legend which he became.  Would Elvis have been Elvis without the Colonel?  That dichotomy is what makes great drama.

I’ve seen three previous Baz Luhrmann films (once each).  Moulin Rouge was okay but I thought it was overpraised; Australia was boring (perhaps it will be better re-edited as a television miniseries, as planned); The Great Gatsby was good and properly flashy, but I haven’t thought about it again since I saw it almost a decade ago.  Generally I have considered Luhrmann to be overly stylish and addicted to the old dazzle-dazzle.  However, that approach is exactly what is needed and appropriate to the story of America’s greatest Rock and Roll Rebel.  It’s a perfect match, with the film benefitting immensely from the director’s visual sense, rapid fire editing and enveloping music.

While some of Elvis’ mythic moments fly by fleetingly or are skipped altogether, there are also sequences that astonish.  I loved the sequence when Elvis first tests his new Las Vegas musicians and singers to play a full orchestral version of “That’s Alright” for the first time; the vibe is absolutely electric.  The sequence when Elvis first hears sexy, smoky blues and then gospel music, both of which bring the young man to ecstasy, is masterful.  Austin Butler is outstanding as Elvis, from the twitchy leg to the lip curl, and all of the early music performances are his (after the 1968 TV special, Elvis sings his own music with Butler lip-synching).  And I must also single out Olivia DeJonge, who is well nigh perfect as Priscilla, the woman who won Elvis’ heart.

I’m not an Elvis expert, though I can rightly claim to be one of the last million people to truly see him in person, as I attended his May 2, 1977 concert at Chicago Stadium.  I was sixteen and it was just my second music concert.  I saw firsthand the larger-than-life personality and the magnificent musical talent that he possessed.  Less than four months later he was dead, at 42.  Elvis captures some of that magic, and a great deal of his personal tragedy.  It may not be as great as John Carpenter’s 1978 TV-movie with Kurt Russell (which I only saw when it premiered, so it’s hard to remember), but this movie is a worthy, narrowly focused biography of an American icon.  More than that, it’s the best new movie I have seen this year.  And it deserves to be seen in a theater where its impact can truly be experienced.  ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2.  28 August 2022.