Elvis by the Presleys

This is a great two hour special event presented by CBS. An intimate look at the family and private life of the legendary Elvis Presley. Candid comments from his former wife, Priscilla and their daughter, Lisa Marie. Exclusive, never-before-seen TV performances and photos from the Presley Estate blended with private home movies of Elvis with his family and friends. Also interviews with Priscilla's parents, Paul and Ann Beaulieu and Elvis' cousin Patsy Geranen. And personal insight and comments from good friend Jerry Schilling.

You see different aspects of Elvis' life...his time at home in Memphis and Califronia; his time in Hollywood making movies; his concerts on the road and in Vegas. There brought to light unabashed is Elvis' career highs and lows, his generosity and human frailties and the glimmer and echos of just part of what makes his legacy enduring for decades and decades to come.

Of course its hard to mention Elvis without his music. Featured is music from TV specials, movies, concerts and his vast RCA catalog. Highlights featuring: 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'Suspicious Minds', 'In the Ghetto', 'Always On My Mind', 'Buring Love', 'My Way', 'If I Can Dream' and 'Can't Help Falling in Love'.

This special will be available on DVD with an extra two hours of footage. There is a double CD featuring 32 of the Presley family favorites. And there is also the "Elvis by the Presleys"in hardback. Long live the King!

A touching story of Elvis'early life, and decline, as told by Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley. Also includes Elvis'cousin Patsy, and Former "Memphis Mafia" member, Jerry Schilling. Priscilla's parents are also shown talking about Elvis. Talks about Elvis the superstar, Elvis the husband and father, through home movie clips, and concert clips. Elvis is heard preforming such songs as "Seperate Ways, Hawaian wedding song, and others. Some of the home movie clips have never been seen before, and this includes clips of Elvis and Priscilla as a couple, and clips of Lisa, as a child. The show shows more of Elvis' good side, more of what has not been written about him. Such as: He was a doting father, who loved his family very much. It also shows Elvis' fragility, that which may have led to his down fall. All in all, it promotes more time to Elvis the human being, more than Elvis the superstar. After all, Elvis was human too...

I always known how Elvis was such a generous person, nothing new there, but it was nice to see it again and to show the public how kind he really was. Had his trails and tribulations just like every one of us. But was always striving to make people happy.

A couple of things really tug at my heart string. When Lisa and Priscilla still got choked up just to talk about the day he passed away, reached down in me how it is so hard to talk about my mother who passed away 7 years ago. Its like you are sharing that exact same feeling with them.

And the song "If I can dream" was so heart felt. Just can't understand why more people don't sing it. Very very touching film. Really enjoyed seeing how the mother and daughter put that era in their own words.

28 years, well almost, he has been gone. This special delivered a great in site to a man many under 35 only know in song and those B-Movie re-runs on mid day and late night TV. A good documentary on this famous man with many glimpses into his personal life that a lot of people probably never knew. It was a worth while effort on the part of his family to make this movie and is well worth a look see by those who missed it when it shows again on TV.

It was put together with a lot of style, integrating some of the themes of his songs with pictures and home/new video clips of his life. Also a good sprinkling of never before seen (or heard) moments of both Elvis and Percilla's personal family life and the professional life of the "King of Rock and Roll".

Whoever thinks this is going to be another one of those glorifying star docs is just partially right.

Yes, many episodes in this mammoth four hour family album are devoted to what a wonderful guy the King had been - and thus leave an aftertaste of triviality behind, but fortunately there are enough interesting aspects about Elvis's moody and egocentric personality, about his shifts in temper, about the dark side of showbiz, about his decline in mental and conditional health to merit an above average standard.

It's all presented in the usual soft-focus manner of television biographies. But the content is okay, though too long-winded.

6 out of 10 glitzy overalls