Elvis (2022)
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A sprawling musical epic chronicles the meteoric rise and complex management of rock icon Elvis Presley.
The story
Raised in the slums of Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Presley finds solace in music and comic books before moving to Memphis. There, he faces ridicule for his interest in African-American music until he is discovered by carnival huckster Colonel Tom Parker. Parker recognizes Elvis's crossover potential and takes control of his career, leading to a meteoric ascent from Sun Records to RCA Records. As Elvis becomes a cultural phenomenon, he navigates the complexities of fame, the pressures of the music industry, and the scrutiny of a divided nation, all while under the increasingly firm grip of his manager's management.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows Elvis Presley from his humble beginnings in Tupelo to his status as a global icon. Under the management of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis experiences a meteoric rise, moving from Sun Records to RCA Records and escaping poverty. However, his fame brings scrutiny from segregationist politicians and the complexities of the 1960s cultural landscape. After serving in the Army, Elvis meets and marries Priscilla Beaulieu. As the 1960s progress, he faces the trauma of high-profile assassinations and the constraints of his management. Despite wanting to be more politically outspoken, Parker keeps him in a cycle of commercial success. The narrative culminates in his 1970s residency in Las Vegas, where his health declines due to a demanding schedule and drug addiction. The film concludes with his final public performance in 1977 and his death shortly after, while a postscript details the eventual exposure of Parker's financial abuse and Elvis's enduring legacy as the best-selling solo artist of all time.
- First release year
- 2022
- Runtime (minutes)
- 159
- Production countries
- Australia; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Baz Luhrmann
- Cast and characters
- Austin Butler · Elvis Presley; Tom Hanks · Colonel Tom Parker; Olivia DeJonge · Priscilla; Helen Thomson · Gladys; Richard Roxburgh · Vernon
- Genres
- musical; biographical drama
- Themes
- The cost of fame; The influence of music on culture; The complexities of management
- Tone and mood
- epic; frenetic; lavish
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; musical; rock music
- Source material / true-story basis
- Peter Guralnick's Elvis biography Last Train to Memphis
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, grossing over $288 million worldwide.
- Reported review scores
- PostTrak · score: 88% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Picture · 95th · nomination; Academy Awards · Best Actor · 95th · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was based on a 2005 mini-series and a 1979 film.; Luhrmann used previously unseen footage of Presley to create a separate documentary.; The film was originally intended to be a four-hour cut.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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