Elvis the Movie

Audiences who delight in Baz Luhrmann extravaganzas will delight in Elvis. Luhrmann immerses us in the complex life of Elvis, his music and the influences, success and final decline and death. But the film could be sub-titled, Against Colonel Tom Parker, a probing of his advising and exploiting Elvis, a malevolent performance by Tom Hanks.

The reviews of Elvis have been, to say the least, mixed. It would seem that a number of critics have decided to look down on Baz Luhrmann, to condemn his extravagance, to say that his talent is in glitter rather than substance, that in his filmmaking, all surface and shiny, he is self-indulgent. On the other hand, there have been a number of critics who have been very enthusiastic - and, it would seem, that the public would agree with them rather than the nay-sayers.

Which means that we have to make up our own minds! This review is on the side of those in favour!

The first 10 minutes of the film is somewhat overwhelming, a visual collage which takes us into glimpses to Elvis's young days, to his career, to his final concert, to his death, to the presence of Tom Parker (not necessarily in that order). For audiences with a willing suspension of disbelief, this intriguingly introduces us to what is a portrait rather than a biography of Elvis.

Austin Butler gives a strong in performance as Elvis, a filmic interpretation rather than the kind of show by the myriad Elvis impersonators. He is the naive youngster of 20, from the staff singing with entertainer Hank Snow (David Wenham), friend of his son (Kodi Smit McPhee), a touch nervous, having made a record, but letting loose with his voice, his gyrations, his magnetic charm. And the girls are screaming and swooning!

And there is Tom Parker, the mysterious Dutchman with no real identity, strange accent, entrepreneur in carnivals with sideshows, mesmerised by Elvis and his presence and performance, coming up to him something like Mephistopheles, offering to control Elvis, and Elvis accepting. While we watch Elvis and his drama, there is always the Faustian voice of the Colonel, commenting, justifying himself.

Helen Thomson and Richard Roxburgh portray Elvis's parents, strong influences on his life, but also manipulated by Tom Parker.

Older audiences will know Elvis's story well, the initial impact (and a pity that filmmaker Luhrmann gives no indication of the impressive range of films that Elvis made before his military service, showing only those cheery musicals that he made during the 1960s). We know that he went to Germany, met the young Priscilla, married her, Lisa Marie as their child.

Younger audiences will find this an introduction to Elvis, hopefully rousing their curiosity leading to some admiration.

And, all the way through, there are his songs, pre-1960 sung by Austin Butler, post-1960 his lip-syncing to Elvis singing. And, all the way through, thanks for these memories.

The Colonel was responsible for getting Elvis to do military service, get him out of the country as moral authorities were denouncing Elvis and his leading young people astray. It was the Colonel who controlled him in Hollywood. And, it was the Colonel who controlled him in his Las Vegas career, trapping him in contracts, year by year, when Elvis really wanted to travel the world (and the Colonel citing security difficulties in his refusal, a reality that the Colonel actually had no passport and citizenship).

The initial taking of substances to pep up, the increased drugtaking, Elvis running to fat… Difficulties with Priscilla… And then his death.

Elvis was definitely an icon of the 20th century. He was a top-selling recording artist. He was an extraordinary influence. Baz Luhrmann wants us to experience something of the razzle dazzle as well as the manipulation by the sinister Colonel Tom Parker.

Watch the trailer here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBDLRvjHVOY