This Is Elvis

I remember when this film first appeared on HBO in the early eighties. I was never a huge Elvis fan, but found myself watching this film every time it came on. It is a fascinating portrait of a man thrust into overwhelming fame and fabulous wealth and how it eventually destroys him. The "recreations" are very well done and the film as a whole is very balanced in it's view of Elvis' life. It neither canonizes nor trashes him, but shows him as an ordinary guy dealing with extraordinary fame. The longer version now available on video is nice, but I miss the late concert performance where Elvis, sick, overweight, and bathed in sweat, forgets the lyrics of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and nervously "wings it". Maybe that was too much truth, even for this documentary.

Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt: enough said. These guys do deep research and do everything first class. This will be one of the best documentaries of an entertainer ever put on film. Elvis Presley meant so many different things to so many different people. He effected society, hair and clothing styles like no one before him. He changed the music world with the power of an Atomic Bomb. He has sold over one billion records and was the first visual founding father of the phenomenon that became rock 'n' roll. His influence will live for decades to come. This is a personal look as well as a tribute to the world's most loved entertainer.

I have the expanded 144 minute version of THIS IS ELVIS and watch it at least once a year. The soundtrack is like a history and not a greatest hits project. Even the non Elvis fan will be impressed with this entertaining look at musical history.

Although some reviewers criticize the actor renditions of Elvis's early life, how else could the creators, Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt, present the full story of Elvis Presley? The scene of Elvis performing to his high school music class in Memphis was a high moment for me, especially when he believed that he was so poorly regarded by his classmates and teachers. How was he able to overcome a sea of negativity and doubt in order to accomplish that task so successfully? His ability to stand before his class and then capture them with his musical talent and personal charisma was a significant turning point, not only in the film but in his life. The rest was history. Can anyone speculate what would have happened if he chose the bicycle over the guitar as his parents' birthday gift? We can all be inspired by the story of Elvis Presley.

In my humble view, this film accurately portrayed the heavy toll that enormous fame can take on a gentle human being. While other famous people have been able to overcome the constant pressures and hardships of a constant, unforgiving public eye, they may not have possessed the humanity and decency of an Elvis Presley. As exemplified by his extraordinary generosity with the Cadillac gifts, he wanted more than anything else to please others, including his adoring audiences, and when the world demanded so much from him, how could he constantly live up to their expectations?

Ed Sullivan was not condescending when he showered Elvis with praise at the end of the earth-shattering 1956 appearance on his enormously popular television show. Sullivan had been extremely reluctant to sign Elvis because he allowed others to develop his opinion of Elvis before he realized who Elvis was on his own. It was to Sullivan's credit that he finally gave the green light to Elvis, but he was also bowing to public pressure as he sought the most sensational musical performers at the time. First and foremost, Ed Sullivan was a very shrewd businessman.

As in the case of the Beatles, I never understood what all of the screaming and shrieking was about, but I always loved the music of Elvis Presley. For me, Elvis will always be the king of rock n roll. In spite of all of his flaws as a human being, he will live as one of the greatest musical performers of my time. Not only did this film provide a very deep insight into the life and challenges of one of the greatest stars in modern music, but it also highlighted some of my favorite Elvis tunes, including "Always on My Mind", "Suspicious Minds", and "Don't Be Cruel". Even when Elvis messed up the lines of "Are You Lonesome Tonight", he could sing a song like no other. As "An American Trilogy" plays in the background, the white Cadillac funeral procession through the streets of a bereaved Memphis, the city he loved so dearly, will always leave an indelible impression on my mind. Rest in peace, Elvis. We will never forget you.

"This is Elvis" is an interesting and fantastic documentary to watch even if you are not an Elvis fan.

As an Elvis fan, I am very critical when it comes to inaccuracies about his life. I found this documentary to be very accurate and honest with the way it told the story of Elvis' life. The blend of actual Elvis footage along with very believable reenactments makes the documentary flow with continuity and excitement.

In addition, the song selections that accompanied the various video sequences were always right on the money. It was like watching Elvis' life story being told through entertaining and poignant music videos.

One thing I respected about the documentary, although difficult to watch, was the way the creators did not try to candy-coat the details of the sad way Elvis' life began to spiral down a self-destructive path during the 70's until his untimely death at the age of 42.

All in all, "This is Elvis" is a very entertaining, empathetic, and honest look at the life of Elvis Presley; the American Icon who rightfully earned the title as the King of Rock 'n Roll.

"This is Elvis" is one of the oddest "documentaries" I've ever seen. Using extensive archival footage, mixed with recreations shot to look like archival footage, the film looks at the rise of fall of Elvis.

The problem is that the recreation footage comes off as bad TV movie of the week, standing in stark contrast to the original, compelling material presented in the piece.

The success of "This is Elvis" was the impetus behind the current style of historical documentaries that attempt to recreate drama where no original footage exists to illustrate it. In that sense, "This is Elvis" looks a bit embarrassing at times, since it doesn't have the slickness of more contemporary "docu-drama-documentaries" in the genre.

What I'm waiting for is an Elvis documentary done with the taste and skillfullness of the "Beatles: Anthology" mini-series aired on ABC.