Elvis: NBC 68 comeback special, DVD? :) (1 Viewer)

[Craig: Mclaren]

Any chance of this being released as a collectors edition DVD package. I've recently got into the Kings music and this seems to be a defining moment.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

It's some of the best/most dynamic footage of Elvis performing, and the producer (Steve Binder) was wise enough to save ALL the outtakes. There are hours of great material, including two full sit-down shows and two-stand up segments.

The Presley Estate owns the rights now, and I've heard they are planning a deluxe DVD with lots of footage. I seem to recall it was scheduled for release in 2003 or 2004.

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

Sounds great. Keep me updated

 

[Bill Burns]

Craig: a few Amazon CD links no budding Elvis fan should be without; together these represent, in my mind, a definitive overview of the King's recording career, and with a healthy helping of Roy Orbison discs they form the backbone (and in fact just about the entire body) of my rock and roll and rock ballad collection, such as it is:

1. Elvis: The King of Rock 'N' Roll -- The Complete 50's Masters (note that this set is also available in a cheaper "slipcase" edition: Elvis: The King of Rock 'N' Roll -- The Complete 50's Masters)

2. Elvis: From Nashville to Memphis -- The Essential 60's Masters

3. Elvis: Command Performances -- The Essential 60's Masters II

4. Elvis: Walk a Mile in My Shoes -- The Essential 70's Masters (this is my pick for the single best collection of Elvis' music at its finest)

5. Elvis Presley: Amazing Grace -- His Greatest Sacred Performances (I can attest to the quality of this collection, but another Gospel collection of his music, Elvis: Peace in the Valley purports to offer his complete Gospel output; I haven't compared the song count with the former release to see what might be missing, but completists may wish to investigate the latter).

And that's about it. If and when SACD and DVD-Audio begin to cover Elvis, the above may well fall into obsolescence (I haven't followed high resolution audio offerings very closely; those who have might know if anything of his is yet available), but until then I find the five releases above an exhaustive representation of Elvis' extraordinary talent. In general, whether high resolution or standard CD, any newly remastered release is worthy of investigation, but I always fall back on the above, which have been around a few years ... such extraordinary music.

As a final note, I don't know if #5 repeats very much material from the big sets, but it may. I haven't compared the song lists to see, but in casual listening I believe a few of the tunes, at least, are covered in the bigger sets, though perhaps in different sessions.

A dedicated DVD box (perhaps with a DVD-Audio disc of the music) for the '68 Comeback Special (Elvis by original title, I believe) would be very welcome. I don't own the current disc, but it seems I read somewhere (possibly on the cover?) that at least one song was deleted from the special itself due to rights troubles. I've seen the special a couple of times on television, and it's absolutely fantastic (the production numbers come and go in entertainment value, but the solo performance material is unbelievably good -- what a pure, raw musical genius the man had).

Oh yes, and the two cuts of Elvis: That's the Way It Is, from MGM/WB, are must-owns (if only the SE version included the complete, uncut numbers TCM aired after their premiere of the new edit ... oh well). Both are good DVDs, and sufficiently distinctive to be worthy of sitting side by side on your shelf (I'm unsure if the original cut is still available, but if it's been discontinued ... well, it's worth seeking out for the cultural references and goofy fan material, if nothing else, and also the alternate intercuts of behind the scenes tidbits with Elvis and his entourage -- they're really two different films and a testament to the power of the editing room to tell a story, but if you can only find the SE linked earlier, everything essential to the experience of Elvis in concert as captured in either cut can be found in it, I'd say, and for fans of his music the primary purpose of the new cut was the inclusion of more Elvis, more concert, and less fan chatter, a purpose, on cursory examination of both, I believe they accomplished; at any rate, I love both cuts, and highly recommend the SE whether or not the former proves available; if it does, it's well worth the price of double dipping).

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I just saw the following posted on an Elvis site:

Statement from EPE on the delay of the Aloha and '68 Comeback Special TV Shows. They are now set for release "sometime in 2004".

Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. owns the 1968 TV special Elvis and the 1973 television special Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite along with any existing additional footage shot for these shows. The '68 and Aloha shows have been out on video/DVD. Also out on video/DVD have been the Aloha rehearsal show, entitled The Alternate Aloha Concert, and outtake footage from the '68 TV special, entitled Elvis, One Night with You.

In 2002, EPE's contract with Lightyear Entertainment, the North American distributor for the '68 and Aloha material, ended. These programs are no longer in distribution but for leftover stock in some retail outlets and in the continuous stock maintained by Graceland/EPE for its own merchandising operations. EPE was without an overseas distributor for these programs for some time and opted to cease pursuing one for them. Why are these programs mostly off the market? The reason is very exciting. We are presently working on our dream "ultimate" video/DVD editions of the '68 and Aloha material. The plan is to release these new editions worldwide in all formats sometime in 2004. As this project evolves, we will post information in News here on Elvis.com and update this section of the FAQ.

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

Viva Las Vegas baby!

 

[Bill Burns]

Nah, "That's the way it is." Viva Las Vegas isn't anamorphic!

Thanks to Bob for that exciting info. I wonder if they'll return the title to its original Elvis or continue with the label it took on after its broadcast (to reflect its impact), The '68 Comeback Special. I'm guessing the latter (why break with tradition? Most fans probably wouldn't recognize the specific product under Presley's first name alone).

 

[Ruz-El]

I'd like the '68 material in a multidisk box set, featuring the "Elvis" special as it originally aired, and both of the complete sit down shows, not to mention the stand up. allot of this material can be found on the CD's "Memories: The complete '68 special" that features one of the sit down shows uncut, as well as alternate takes of the complete special, and "Tiger Man" which features the other sit down show in it's entirety. There would be allot of repeated material in the sit down shows, but seeing as they both capture the man at one of his peaks as a performer, and with an intensity he would rarely match,it's pretty much essential. Of course, thats if all the video survives.

The one special thats never been released (at least to my knowledge) is the TV special from '77(I'm going from the top of my head here, so please correct me). A clip of him performing "Unchained melody" as an outtake from this appears on a few collections, but the entire show was never released, available only on CD. apparently with it being filmed so close to his death, it is considered hard to watch, as he is obviously having serious physical ills, but the VOICE! I think epe swore never to release it, so I will keep hoping that one day this well see the light.

 

[Bill Burns]

Absolutely, Russell -- those close-ups of Elvis at the piano performing Unchained Melody are breathtaking -- truly phenomenal (with all due recognition to the Righteous Brothers, Elvis makes the song absolutely timeless). He died just a few weeks later, if I recall correctly. I've never seen the entire concert, but that would be a great prize indeed for the format.

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

Any updates on this. I've been listening to Elvis lately and I really need this on DVD. I saw one of the sit down shows on TV last week and it blew my mind. He really was the king.