By Steve Crum

Elvis should be renamed Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Like Luhrmann’s previous movies Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby, the distinctive film auteur (director/producer/screenwriter) showcases Elvis in a dazzling opulence of color, set design, and musical presentations. How appropriate for the story of Elvis Presley, himself a socko entertainer, arguably the greatest of all-time.

In some ways, Elvis is the most accurate movie musical biography ever produced. First, it covers Presley’s life—from birth to death (1935-77). Jamie Foxx’s incredible performance as Ray Charles in 2004’s Ray should be mentioned in the same breath. That is because both Foxx and Austin Butler (who portrays Elvis) are both near soundalikes via their respective voices and body language.

Lesser breadth is found in two other popular movie bios about great showbiz stars—Fanny Brice (1968’s Funny Girl & 1975’s Funny Lady); and Al Jolson (1946’s The Jolson Story and 1949’s Jolson Sings Again). In both the Brice and Jolson movies, the chronological order of their lives as well as factual accuracy are often revised or entirely absent.

Brice is played by Barbra Streisand, who does not look or sound at all like Brice. Larry Parks as Jolson has the performance movement down quite well, but has to lip sync Jolson’s previously recorded songs. Correction: He perfectly lip syncs. And he does not even come close to Jolie in facial look.

That ALL said, Austin Butler actually sings, resembles, and moves like Presley. And he is a fine actor to boot. Uncanny is the appropriate description.

Contrasting to Butler’s super performance, there is Tom Hanks. The jury is mixed on Hanks’ performance. As Presley’s long-time manager Col. Tom Parker, Hanks has had facial prosthetics and body padding added to make him look somewhat like Parker. And he appropriately speaks with a heavy Dutch accent, trying to emulate. The result is a mixed bag. I could not entirely get past the fact that it is really Hanks. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I suppose it is appropriate that Luhrmann repeatedly pictures Parker lurking in the shadows or peeking around a curtain—to spy on Elvis. No subtlety here.

Luhrmann’s Elvis saga (159 minutes) begins long after Elvis’ death as the elderly Col. Parker is on his own deathbed. As he struggles to breathe, he begins recalling how he discovered Elvis. Flash back to the youthful Elvis is growing up with his beloved Mama (Helen Thomson) and Daddy (Richard Roxburgh) as among the poor in Mississippi. Elvis is greatly influenced by his African-American friends and neighbors via attending their church and gospel singing.

Flip to Col. Parker who is honing his huckster talents as a carnival sideshow barker. While Presley is growing up and partnered with Hank Snow (David Wenham), he is breaking out with his own style adapted from friend B. B. King (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and others. By the way, there are several terrific musical performances by imitators Gary Clark Jr. (as Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup), Yola (Sister Rosette Tharpe), Alton Mason (Little Richard), and Shonka Dukureh (Big Mama Thornton).

Throughout the film, 36 Presley hits are sung (via Butler)…from “That’s All Right” to “Hound Dog” to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to “Heartbreak Hotel” and on and on.

Recreations of landmark Presley performances cover The King in Las Vegas; on TV as a guest (The Steve Allen Show and others); in his many movies as shown in snippets (a collage of his Paramount musicals); and during his TV Specials. The most humorous recreation is a Christmas Special wherein Elvis famously defies his advertisers and his manager, the not-so-good Colonel.

Elvis’ personal life includes virtually every aspect from his love for his mother, his marriage to Priscilla, his tenure in the Army, his buddies who travel and live with him at Graceland, and finally his tenure at The International in Vegas. Throughout, Col. Parker wheels, deals, and manipulates Elvis’ professional and personal life.

This is an epic story told against a backdrop of wealth, tragedy, rhinestones and showbiz. Certainly, Elvis is among the best musical biographies ever produced.

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GRADE on an A-F Scale: A-