Elvis

This is one of the best Elvis biopics I have ever seen. Its gives a lot of great insight to things that Elvis was going through in his life that others may have not known about or had little knowledge on. I like how the movie starts and ends at the same time, with the middle telling the story how he got there. This film is like a movie and I think should have been released at theaters it is so good. It is better than normal made for TV movies. I've seen this movie so many times I just watch it whenever I get the chance. Anybody that has even a small interest in knowing about Elvis should buy this today, even if you're a longtime fan you'll enjoy it too. Jonathan Rhys Meyers did a better job than a lot of people give him credit for and the other characters were almost spot on. Great MOVIE! 10 out of 10!

...why...??? well you know Elvis's magnificent song (my favorite of his) which superbly closes the film.Instead of showing Elvis' years of decrepitude,the film avoids the major pitfall of the biopics:dwelling on the sordid side of life.

Not that this "Elvis" passes over in silence the warts 'n all side .Colonel Parker provides the movie with a true villain;he made Elvis but he destroyed him.Take Elvis's movies career :the singer did know what was good (Siegel's "Flaming Star" ) and bad (90% of the rest). He wanted the part of Tony in "West Side Story" and I'm sure he would have been quite good ,at least he could sing ,whilst Richard Beymer could not .

The first part is the rise to fame till Elvis's drafted :Camryn Mannheim,an actress I did not know reminds me of Kathy Bates ,as Gladys Presley -Like John Lennon,Elvis's mother's death was probably the worst thing that happened to him- shines ,and along with Jonathan Rhys Meyers ,who gives an exciting performance and Robert Patrick ,the father at the beck and call of Parker ,they form a credible Presley family. Sam Philips represents music for the art's sake whereas Parker is only in it for the money.

Rhys Meyers carries the second part almost singlehandedly.Priscilla,his femme-infant,Ann Margret ,the duds ,the British invasions (Beatles and Stones ,singers Elvis hated ,though he covered the former group's "Something" ),and the longing for something else (He was always reading strange books)which the finale" If I can dream" perfectly captures.

Parker's character is probably caricatured ,but it does not spoil the interest."Elvis" is a made-for-TV biopic to recommend.

Riveting. Elvis is portrayed as a real human being with all the trials, tribulations, and temptations we all face. This movie shows what so many of us suspected all along: Elvis was misguided and mismanaged by the Colonel who kept Elvis from reaching his full singing and acting potential. We may never know the real genius of the King of Rock n' Roll. Sad, sad indeed! The character of Elvis comes through loud and clear. He pledged loyalty to the Colonel and maintained that loyalty at his own expense. This is the best Elvis movie since the Kurt Russell flick which was simply excellent.

Rev. James W. Clifton

A true Elvis fan will appreciate the solid and outstanding effort by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. He was a natural choice for this project. Aside from the strong resemblance, he also found a way to speak and move like him. He doesn't over-do the accent or the moves. The supporting cast deserves a lot of credit as well, especially Camryn's portrayal of Gladys Presley. The story is very well written and flows nicely. Most fans will enjoy learning more details about the events in his life. The music is exciting too. You will hear the original master recordings as Jonathan performs and he stays true to the tone of the song. Without a doubt this mini-series will keep you captivated.

I have seen every movie made about Elvis with the exception of a regional drive-in movie that was fictitious called "The Legend" I believe, and not since Kurt Russell's phenomenal impersonation in the 1970s TV Movie have I seen such an amazing job of acting as done by this young kid from Ireland. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was so stunningly accurate even though the combed back hair made his forehead look a little too prominent. Still, I did not work against his extremely effective portrayal of the King of Rock and Roll. Okay, I know I'm being picky here, but having been a portrait artist for 48 years, it's hard not to notice such physical details.

What made this film all the more watchable were the acting of Camryn Manheim as Mama Presley and Randy Quaid as The Colonel. In both cases, the actors added so many shades to their characters and, despite the stories we Elvis die-hard fans know inside out, the script was put together in a way that made it all unfold as though we were there. And after not quite lookalike actors like Don Johnson with a voice that sounded more like one of David Seville's Chipmunks than Elvis, and Dale Midkiff who lacked the charisma with his slight resemblance to the man in the miniseries "Elvis And Me") this time, we had a guy we could believe was the real thing. And then there was the guy from the TV show who also played Elvis Michael St. Gerard who had such an uncanny resemblance to Elvis though with nothing close to the voice (except for the time he briefly played Elvis in "Great Balls Of Fire" and for one scene tells Dennis Quaid's Jerry Lee Lewis "Take it! Take it awwlll!") he was okay in the acting department but only okay. This guy Jonathon Rhys-Meyers has some serious acting chops. I loved his work in this one and will keep an eye out for him in the future. (And isn't it ironic how both Quaids have gotten to be connected somehow to the Elvis legend?)

So to all the Elvis haters and those who tore this film down, you don't have a clue. This was a great movie and for TV was a bloody masterpiece.

I can't wait until this sucker is on DVD or video and I can buy a copy for my personal collection. Thank you CBS for this great present.