Elvis on Tour (Blu-ray Book) Reviews

The Feature: 4/5
Directed by Robert Abel and Pierre Adidge, "Elvis On Tour" documents Elvis Presley's 15-city concert tour that took place between April 5 and April 19, 1972. Though the piece includes some moments backstage and behind the scenes, the emphasis is ultimately on Presley's performances and the incredible response to him by his female fans, some of whom become outright hysterical from the mere sight of him. It's definitely a reflection of a simpler time, when fan obsession seemed to have an endearing sincerity about it rather than the cynical (and at times disconcerting) edge that it does today. As one who never had an opinion about Presley one way or the other, the film certainly gave me an appreciation - not just for his vocal talents (which sound buttery smooth on this Blu-ray release) - but also his commitment to entertain and please his fans. The only thing missing (from a modern perspective) is revealing more about Elvis the man, something beyond the wholesome Gospel jam sessions he and his band members do to entertain themselves. As it is we get a lot of great performances from Elvis, but little in the way of insight into his character and personality. That said, there's no doubt longtime Elvis fans will love every minute of the film, while those with a more passing interest will certainly be entertained.

Video Quality: 4.5/5

Audio Quality: 4.5/5
The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is an engaging and satisfying complement to the visuals, boasting an impressive mix that makes use of the full speaker array but without gimmickry or sensationalism. Crowd noise and background vocals are mostly assigned to the rear channels, while the trio of front speakers gets a blend of Presley's vocals and the range of band instruments. Though the approximation of the physical arrangement of the performers is not an uncommon technique, it's done particularly well here, giving the viewer a sense of space and ambiance while not being so obvious that one is taken out of the viewing. Dynamic range and detail is also excellent, Presley's vocals naturally being the standout. And though there's nothing in the way of LFE, the track exhibits great depth and fullness, particularly evident when the band's bass vocalist shows exactly how low he can go.

Special Features: 0.5/5

Collectible Book: The nicely produced book-that-is-the-packaging includes archival photographs and tour posters, a short Elvis biography, information about the film and filmmakers, tour dates and locations, and the set lists from four of the performances.

Recap
The Feature: 4/5
Video Quality: 4.5/5
Audio Quality: 4.5/5
Special Features: 0.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4/5

Warner Brothers turns in an excellent audio and video presentation of Elvis's 1972 concert documentary. The special features are meager at best, but I doubt it will prevent most fans of the King from picking up this well-made and entertaining documentary. Given the right price point, casual fans would also be well-served by adding the title to their collections.