Elvis (2022) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

To get in the mood, I think I’m going to spin up my Aloha from Hawaii dvd this afternoon.

By the way, "Blue Hawaii" is probably coming out on Blu-ray soon as the iTunes HD Digital has upgraded to 4K/Dolby Vision.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Wifey is under the weather this evening so I cancelled our seats and bought tickets to a showing tomorrow. I’d guess it’s 50/50 that we even go to that showing. If it wasn’t that she wanted to go see it at the theater, I’d be more than happy to skip it altogether and wait until it streams. I’ve just become disillusioned with watching movies in theaters over the past 10 years or so, mainly because of rude teenagers with cell phones and inattentive parents with screaming kids.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Saw Thursday's 2:45pm showing yesterday, and it was packed with an older audience, mostly older ladies, but there were also some younger folks, in attendance with their grandparents (and maybe parents).

Austin Butler was fine. Tom Hanks was meh, I just hated the whole performance by him in this particular role. The film does run a little long, but it was still mostly entertaining, even with the Col. Parker narration, etc.

 

[Clinton McClure]

The more non-spoiler reviews I read, the more I’d rather just skip it altogether. I have all of Elvis’ commercially available concert DVDs and Blu-rays which are, let’s face it, the better part of his career as an entertainer. I’ve seen about a half dozen of his movies and never cared for them or his early singing career. To me, he didn’t start to become remotely interesting until the ‘68 comeback special.

 

[Tino]

The more non-spoiler reviews I read, the more I’d rather just skip it altogether. I have all of Elvis’ commercially available concert DVDs and Blu-rays which are, let’s face it, the better part of his career as an entertainer. I’ve seen about a half dozen of his movies and never cared for them or his early singing career. To me, he didn’t start to become remotely interesting until the ‘68 comeback special.

We’ll it sure sounds like you’re going in with an open mind.

 

[Mikael Soderholm]

I’m seeing it next week, but I wonder if it has much appeal for younger cinemagoers. The king has been dead 45 years, unfortunately.

It’s like expecting teenage me in the 80s to be interested in a Glenn Miller biopic.

Well, Bugsy Malone was a hit in the late 70s, dealing with the Prohibition period, so you never know.

 

[Mikael Soderholm]

Both ROCKETMAN and BOHEMIAN RHAPOSDY were suburb movies?

'suburb movies'? What am I missing here?

 

[Jake Lipson]

inattentive parents with screaming kids.

I get what you're saying but this shouldn't be an issue for Elvis. It isn't something young children would watch. It seemed like I was the youngest person in my screening the other day.

 

[TravisR]

Austin Butler is phenomenal in this role. I think he would win Best Actor if the ceremony was held next week. Whether the Academy remembers him by next March remains to be seen, but he should be in the conversation. Win or not, Butler is easily the best thing about this movie and he deserves to become a star from it. He really made me feel for Elvis.

Agreed. If this movie was coming out in November or December, he'd be a lock for an Oscar nomination but I assume like most movies released before the last quarter of the year, he won't make it. However, it's possible because I imagine that Warners will mount a big push for him.

The first time Elvis performs "Suspicious Minds" in Vegas is my favorite scene in the movie. I won't spoil any of the context, but that scene to me was the movie at the peak of its powers.

Butler is absolutely electrifying in that scene. I don't know who is singing (I'm assuming it's actually Butler) but yeah, it is the highlight of the movie.

 

[Malcolm R]

I get what you're saying but this shouldn't be an issue for Elvis. It isn't something young children would watch. It seemed like I was the youngest person in my screening the other day.

That's never stopped lowlife parents from bringing their brats to inappropriate movies. I've been in R-rated horror films where there have been toddlers running around.

 

[TravisR]

That's never stopped lowlife parents from bringing their brats to inappropriate movies.

In the case of Elvis, it would have to be grandparents or great-grandparents because when I saw it, the average age seemed to be about 90.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I don't know who is singing (I'm assuming it's actually Butler) but yeah, it is the highlight of the movie.

The editors combined Austin Butler and actual recordings of Elvis.

How ‘Elvis’ Composer Wove in the King’s Vocals With Austin Butler’s Performance

'Elvis' composer Elliott Wheeler on how the film wove in Presley's vocals with Austin Butler's performance.

variety.com

 

[TravisR]

The editors combined Austin Butler and actual recordings of Elvis.

How ‘Elvis’ Composer Wove in the King’s Vocals With Austin Butler’s Performance

'Elvis' composer Elliott Wheeler on how the film wove in Presley's vocals with Austin Butler's performance.

variety.com

It works like a charm.

 

[Jake Lipson]

It works like a charm.

Yeah. The only way I could tell which was which is by looking in the credits during the list of all the songs when it tells you who performed what.

 

[Wayne_j]

I loved this movie, it was electrifying. Austin Butler was incredible.

 

[Tino]

Well, Bugsy Malone was a hit in the late 70s, dealing with the Prohibition period, so you never know.

Huh? Buggy Malone was certainly not a hit in the 70’s. It was actually a flop grossing less than $3 million dollars worldwide.

Wikipedia

Bugsy Malone was not a commercial success in the U.S., bringing in just over $2.7 million. Paramount gave it a limited release, usually in second-tier theaters in a double-bill with The Bad News Bears, which had been out for six months and was no longer much of a draw.

 

[LouA]

I saw this film yesterday with a group of people. We all loved it. Very well done and hopefully will create new interest in Elvis which in turn will help to get the rest of his films on Blu-ray. Baz Lehrman is also looking into releasing unseen footage from Elvis’s two documentaries.

 

[Clinton McClure]

We finally got to go see it. Neither of us liked it. My wife wanted to stay and watch the whole thing but I would have left early if it was just me.

 

[Graham Perks]

Excellent. Loved the music – not just Elvis' but all of it. Felt a little long about 2/3 of the way through, but then it re-captured me. Might go again. Certainly got Elvis on music rotation now!

 

[Josh Dial]

I saw this movie opening night but forgot to post my thoughts.

I'm not a fan of Baz Luhrmann, but I thought Elvis was really good. Luhrmann's style works here more than his other movies, where I find it to be a bit overwrought.

The movie can be summed up in one word: kinetic. It has the most forward moving energy I've seen in recent years. It stops only for a few quiet moments and then slams the gas again. And yet it's not breathless, and still gives you time to sit the moments and enjoy them.

Austin Butler just lives in the role, and right now is my pick for best actor.

My only criticism was that the Colonel Parker bookend/framing device was unneeded (as such devices often are).