Review of Elvis (1979) by Michael R — 23 Mar 2010
More of a fluffy showcase for his music than an enlightening biopic, 'Elvis' will entertain fans but do little to shed light on 'The King' as a person.
Made less than two years after his death, this made-for-TV movie suffers from a lack of unfiltered facts about Elvis the man. There is literally no mention of his struggle with substance abuse. His marriage to Priscilla is never strained beyond the frequent separations inherent to a touring musician. Shady dealings, tales of excess and the role of Colonel Tom Parker are glossed over- if touched on at all.
Kurt Russell is believable as 'talking Elvis', but the over-dubbing of the singing voice is sometimes distractingly obvious. What irritates most is that the over-dubbing is NOT of Elvis' voice, but rather of a sound-alike.
Shelly Winters is good, if occasionally histrionic as Elvis' mother. There are few other actors or roles given much prominence.
All in all, the songs presented (most in their entirety) will serve as evidence explaining Elvis' popularity, but the film does not serve as objective history.
This review of Elvis (1979) was written by Michael R on 23 Mar 2010.
Elvis has generally received positive reviews.
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