The King

I managed to find this documentary on DVD at my public library. I remember Elvis, he was only 10 years older than me. I remember when he died but really didn't have a concept of how young 42 is. Now that my own youngest son is 42 it hits me.

The documentary is good if you view it as a collection of different people expounding on what they thought his influence was rather than take everything as gospel, pun intended. Some of the black commenters are especially brutal, "hating" Elvis for what they perceive is unfair appropriation of black music, and more so for failing to use his influence to help the causes for eliminating racial bias.

Perhaps it is ultimately fortunate that Elvis died so young, he was a blazing comet that came, did his thing, then left. Imagine an 83-yr-old Elvis performing at Branson, a shade of his former self. No, that would just tarnish our memory of him.

A very interesting look at Elvis and his life, and a modern look at places he grew up and lived in. And of course his 1963 Rolls Royce, touring the country and breaking down now and then.

Unorthodox documentary not so much "about" Elvis Presley, but about how Elvis affected --and was affected by -- American culture. The gimmick Director Eugene Jarecki employs is that he purchased Elvis' actual Rolls Royce, and then films interviews of a wide variety of folks in that vehicle as it travels across the places that Elvis himself stayed at various points in his life, from his hometown in Tupelo Mississippi to Memphis (although, curiously, Graceland is barely mentioned) and places in between.

Even though Jarecki doesn't give us a straightforward biography of Presley, THE KING does a pretty fine job of covering the bases, even if indirectly. The most effective part of the Doc comes early on in a discussion of whether Elvis was a cultural appropriator of black music, culminating in his early crowning as The King Of Rock And Roll. The movie gives a fair-minded balance of pro and con with people like Presley's guitarist Scotty Moore, Emmylou Harris and John Hiatt on one side and rapper Chuck D on the other (he, of the infamous song lyric: "Elvis was a hero to most. But he never meant **** to me you see."). There's also a clip of Big Mama Thornton's blistering original version of "Hound Dog". Jarecki then follows Elvis' travels to NYC and even bigger fame and riches. Then, it's off to the Army and Presley's decline into B movies and Vegas schmaltz. The clips of 'fat Elvis' at the end are truly shocking even all these decades later.

Where Jarecki over-reaches is that he isn't satisfied just showing Elvis' effect on the public, but then tries to tie it in with today's culture wars. Shot during the 2016 campaign with such guests as Alec Baldwin, Van Jones and James Carville, Jarecki makes tenuous connections. VERY tenuous connections. No question that Elvis was a seismic force when he hit, but, save for the brief glory period after the '68 Comeback Special, Presley can hardly be looked upon as a central artistic force after the very early 60s. While significant figures can certainly have a long influence, the fact that Elvis passed on in 1977 makes it a stretch to say that he is symbol of our Red-Blue state America today. If anything, Elvis is the very definition of 'Purple' celebrity - equally loved by all demos.

Even with this central flaw, there is no question that THE KING is a dense, engaging Documentary. One can't help but feel that they have gone on some sort of journey itself, much like Elvis's well-traveled Rolls itself.

The left continue to whine about Trump, this time dragging poor old Elvis into their narrative, at least the music saves this mess from being a complete unwatchable disaster. I feel bad for this filmmaker though, it must be hard not to have grown up being the special little snowflake his parents promised he would be....

The King is essentially three or four really good documentaries edited into one and that's where the trouble starts. Elvis' life and career are fascinating to watch. And the lies on which the American dream is built - stolen land, slavery, apartheid, the corrupted political system - deserve every effort to refocus public awareness. The roadtrip in Elvis' old Rolls Royce is a nice idea. Just that trying to link his rise and fall to all that happens in America over the past 70 years seems forced and doesn't give each story the necessary time and attention. Viewing The King I felt like watching an interesting docu on TV while someone else got hold of the remote and constantly switches to another channel. 8 Stars for the original idea, 2 Stars for execution.

Late one night, I came upon this little ditty on PBS, as the moon was about say adios. To echo what others have said, this film has an abundance of nice images, and it welcomes a plethora of comments from those who respected, love, and even pitied Elvis. There are some poignant moments from those who were close up to the King. One of the most touching moments comes when a contemporary musician feels such empathy for Elvis, that he can't help but shed painful tears.

As "GORTX" (and other reviewers) have wisely pointed out, the director felt compelled to connect some dots in a bit of a reckless way... particularly when he compares the dynamics of Elvis with today's political climate and the American Dream. When he does this, it somehow minimizes certain parts of the singer's dramatic narrative.

You'll will find some good stuff here, even if you think the political references are not justified. Try to absorb the lively rhythm and zesty imagery. Elvis had an easy charm and a distinct voice. His face was unusually striking. While his physicality might seem superficial, his looks served him well, and propelled his fame to a deeper level.