Respectfully, Tom Hanks can fuck all the way off. I don’t think I have hated a character more since having to endure Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter. What's worse is he's based on a real person. Suffice it to say, the casting was superb. The usually loveable Tom Hanks is amazing as Elvis’ crooked and manipulative manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Hanks mastered the unique accent that Colonel Parker spoke with as an immigrant from Holland. Austin Butler is incomparable as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley. To say that he embodies the rock legend is an understatement. From his voice through the ages, to his dancing, you feel like you are looking at Elvis himself. Along with Hanks and Butler, most of the cast had some real work cut out for them, be it personifying a musical icon, or transforming their Australian accent into an American Southern one. Casting, in short, was perfect bar none. Perfect casting means nothing without a solidly written script.
Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, and Craig Pearce wrote a well constructed screenplay that equally told a relatively unknown story of Elvis and his catapult to fame constructed by “The Colonel,” his manager. Elvis reenacts moments of Presley’s life, and also takes creative liberties (it’s still a movie after all). Luhrmann, who is also director, has always been insistent that this is less of a biopic and more of a superhero movie, and he does capture just how larger than life Presley was.
Baz Luhrmann does what Baz Luhrmann does best, spectacularly entertains the viewer. From the glitzy opening Warner Brothers logo and the whimsical opening scene, all the way to the emotional ending, this movie entertains. I have been hard pressed to find someone who thought the movie could have been pared down even more from its original four hour version, to where it stands now at nearly two hours and forty minutes. Cinematically, Luhrmann does many things to keep the audience interested. He quite literally begins with taking the audience on a ride. The cinematography of flying through the Las Vegas strip is reminiscent of something you might experience on a virtual reality ride. “Flying” is a common theme throughout the film. He also incorporates comic style animation. My favorite was his use of lighting, or lack thereof, to convey the tone of the scene. Lastly, Luhrmann’s song choices throughout the film were impeccable.
We can’t talk about an Elvis Presley film without speaking about the song choices. There were scenes where the song wasn’t a choice; his first record hit, his television appearances, and specific concerts. That is history that you don't want to alter. However, my favorite way Luhrmann used music was his attachment to characters and time periods. Small examples are Can’t Help Falling In Love played in some manner when Olivia DeJonge who plays Pricilla is on screen. When The Colonel comes on screen either Cotton Candy Land or Suspicious Minds plays. Both highly appropriate for these characters. Butler does all of his own singing in the film up until Elvis’ ‘68 Special where at that point his vocals are mixed with Presley’s. Butler clearly worked long and hard to nail down Elvis’ voice. It’s not all Elvis music or music rooted in the 50’s and 60’s. Two of my favorite scenes start out as a 50’s or so song and morph into something current. I have seen reviews upset about being pulled out of the time period and thrust back into the current decade, but I’d argue that it was genius to throw in some current hip hop music. Elvis was influenced greatly by popular African American music of his time period between gospel and rhythm and blues that it seems fitting to add in what is currently popular in African American culture.
Lastly, we couldn’t have been pulled into the world of Elvis if it were not for the incredibly talented, costume and set designers, and make up artists. Hanks, in some scenes, is completely unrecognizable between his prosthetics, fat suit, and aging. Hank’s makeup artist was also Presley’s makeup artist when he was starring in films as well. Butler stands out in his incredible suits in the vibrant colors Presley loved so much. It’s worth noting that Butler, like Presley, is naturally blonde. I am guessing the hair stylist on set did not use shoe polish, as Presley did, to darken Butler’s hair.
I will, however, note my one complaint of the film. Elvis’ first girlfriend, Dixie, played by Natasha Bassett makes a small appearance in the beginning. Though she only has a couple of lines, Bassett isn’t great in this film. She’s given what feels like an unnecessary lines, and in her last scene gives off a sob that feels forced and fake. Luhrmann has said a good amount of the development of Elvis and Dixies relationship ended up on the cutting room floor. Given where concessions needed to be made it’s understandable that that relationship didn’t make the final cut. Luhrmann said the four hour cut still exists and I would love to see if Bassett could redeem herself in the cut scenes.
This film, that received a twelve minute standing ovation at Cannes, deserves Oscar nominations all the way around.
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