By the late ’60s, rock legend Elvis Presley’s long run as a movie star seemed like it was over, but his home studio, MGM, wasn’t about to give up a valuable commodity without a fight. So instead of following the flop musical comedy Change of Habit (1969) with another fictional feature, MGM commissioned a documentary about Presley’s return to live performance after a seven-year hiatus. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Denis Sanders, Elvis: That’s the Way It Is captures the King at the beginning of his self-parody period, introducing such tropes as the sequined jump suit, the exuberant karate moves, and the cheesy onstage patter (“Thank you, thankyouverymuch”). Yet for every example of excess—bloated arrangements, syrupy ballads—there’s something redeeming, like a flash of Presley’s thunderous vocal power every now and then. Therefore, this record of the King’s blockbuster residency at the International Hotel in Las Vegas is consistently compelling.
In the best sequence (Presley rehearsing with his band), the singer is loose and playful, digging into killer grooves like a version of “Little Sister” that segues into a cover of the Beatles’ “Get Back.” And while there’s plenty of bad-Elvis sludge in That’s the Way It Is—Presley does a half-assed version of “Love Me Tender” as he trolls the lip of the stage and kisses female audience members—the film is a fascinating artifact. This is especially true of the re-edited version that premiered on Turner Classic Movies in 2000. Sanders’ original cut was derided for including pointless secondary material, such as interviews with fans and hotel workers. The 2000 version excludes the superfluous material, features a slightly different song list, and offers stronger momentum during the second and third acts, which simulate one full concert even though footage was cobbled together from six different evenings. Both cuts of That’s the Way It Is benefit from crisp, dramatic concert photography by the great cinematographer Lucien Ballard, who shot The Wild Bunch (1969) and other classics.
After That’s the Way It Is did well, MGM commissioned a second concert documentary two years later. Elvis on Tour records Presley’s first concert trek in a decade. Although the movie drags at times—partially because Presley’s starting to look bored, heavy, and silly onstage, and partially because the filmmakers include drab offstage bits like shots of roadies moving cases around empty amphitheaters—Elvis on Tour has incredible moments. For instance, the movie shows Presley singing his last significant single, “Burning Love,” a song so new he reads lyrics off a sheet of paper. It’s striking to see an artist crafting a fresh hit almost 20 years after his first Number One song. Elvis on Tour also features a terrific gospel-music jam session between Elvis and his backup singers. This sequence lets viewers watch Presley enjoy his talent in a private way. Elvis on Tourlacks the dramatic build of That’s the Way It Is, particularly since Presley’s climactic cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” appears too early, but it’s worth watching all the way through just to hear these immortal words: “Elvis has left the building.” Elvis on Tour was the last film of Presley’s career, and though he enjoyed one more showbiz triumph afterward—the famous TV concert Aloha from Hawaii (1973)—health problems took the King’s life in 1977.
Inevitably, a TV movie dramatizing Presley’s eventful existence emerged not long afterward. In February 1979, ABC broadcast Elvis, starring former Disney child star Kurt Russell and directed by, of all people, John Carpenter, who had just made the horror smash Halloween(1978). A sanitized overview of the title character’s life through 1969, when a burgeoning comeback was underway, Elvisdoesn’t reveal much that casual fans don’t already know about the subject matter—Elvis was sweet on his mama, Gladys (Shelley Winters), and he gave his manager, Col. Tom Parker (Pat Hingle), way too much leeway—but the story unfolds smoothly. Though ordinary in many respects, the movie boasts a terrific performance by Russell, whose boyish persona captures young Elvis’ aw-shucks appeal. Furthermore, Carpenter’s minimalistic shooting style bolsters the drama when he uses lengthy master shots that maintain the flow of actors’ performances. As for the film’s accuracy, Presley’s widow, Priscilla, reportedly vetted the script, so the picture is little more than a hero-overcomes-adversity hagiography, punctuated by competently re-created musical numbers. (Singer Ronnie McDowell’s voice is heard on the soundtrack whenever Russell lip-syncs.) That said, it’s interesting to watch Elvis and realize how quickly Carpenter and Russell locked into each other’s frequencies, because just a short time later they embarked on a great run with Escape from New York (1981), The Thing(1982), and Big Trouble in Little China(1986).
Elvis: That’s the Way It Is: GROOVY
Elvis on Tour: FUNKY
Elvis: GROOVY
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