No. 49 (2022) ELVIS June 20th.

 

Film No. 49  (2022)  June 20th.  6:45 PM  HOYTS CINEMAS,  VMax 2   Karrinyup.

"I want to do what I want to do. Play the music I want to play. I know what I want." (Elvis talk tough to his allies, not knowing the power he was losing over his own destiny).

How risky would it be to shoulder the task of creating a bio-pic of the most successful solo artist in the history of the world? Risky, you'd be thinking I'm sure, but when it comes to Baz Luhrmann and taking risks, they fit together like Elvis and Pricilla. ELVIS is Baz's latest project of passion, and the canvas he creates is choc full of story, sound and controversial conjecture. I didn't love it, I liked it a lot and I recommend you don't miss it!

ELVIS comes with a warning though. If you are hoping for a "colour by numbers", tell all life story of the legend that was Elvis then you'll be surprised. His life story is entangled in threads of colour, glitz and characters who may not quite meet interpretations you may have had previously. Baz is taking you on a ride via his bedazzling vision. Ride with it, let it take you along because if you fight it, then you may as well leave the cinema!

One of Luhrmann's creative decisions here was to tell this story through the eyes of Colonel Tom Parker. Given the revelations, post Elvis, of Parker's misuse of Elvis's future and money for personal gain, there may be some who will be offended. Tom Hanks gives Parker a dark aura that keeps us on edge as he tries to convince the audience of his credibility. It's a clever course Luhrmann takes. Parker's voice-over continually tries to convince us that Elvis spiralled because he made bad choices. We walk away knowing the worst decision Elvis made was to maintain Parker as his life-long manager.

But let's face it. We are keen to judge who played who, and were they any good? For starters, Austin Butler captures the mystique of the great man with style. Olivia DeJonge proves she is a rising talent in the shoes of Priscilla. B.B. King and Little Richard are brilliantly handled by little known actors Kelvin Harrison Jr and Alton Mason respectively. If there was a character that seemed forced and, at times grating, then it was Hanks as Parker. 

Because I've never been an Elvis devotee, much of his back story was foreign. ELVIS gave me some "I never knew that" moments. Ultimately ELVIS, Luhrmann style, is guilty of substance (depth of life-story) being sacrificed for style. It's a case of how hard we mark ELVIS on these terms. I'm an easy marker; go have a good time with ELVIS.  9GUMS.