ELVIS MOVIE REVIEW: From a historian’s perspective

At 2.5 hours, Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS movie is a wild ride, covering Presley’s life from childhood to his untimely death at age 42. As an Elvis historian and author, my interest is in examining how the film does or does not distort Elvis Presley’s true history. 

There are so many Elvis myths out there that people make comments about daily on social media, and I have been on a mission to combat those false stereotypes about Elvis with the articles and books that I have written. My hope is that the film is entertaining, and at the same time, does not enforce any false narratives. That is how I am approaching my review of the ELVIS movie. 

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Review: “The King” movie uses cliché stereotypes of Elvis Presley to make a political statement

 

In one of the first scenes in the indie documentary The King, a voice asks “What is wrong with America?” while showing a closeup of Elvis Presley in the 1970s, who is sitting in the back of a limo being whisked away from his concert.

 

This implication sets the tone for the film. The King tries to use Elvis as a metaphor for all that is wrong with America today, and the decades leading up to this point. However, no matter what your political views are, there is a gross disservice being done to history in regards to Elvis Presley.

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