Austin Butler sings in the new “Elvis” biopic. It is a daunting task to play Elvis Presley. Every move and curled lip will be scrutinized by millions of adoring, protective fans. Don Johnson portrayed Elvis in “Elvis and the Beauty Queen” in 1981, Michael Shannon appeared in “Elvis” in 2016, and David Keith in 1988’s “Heartbreak Hotel.” But Kurt Russell’s performance in John Carpenter’s 1979 television movie Elvis remains the most acclaimed. Now there is a biopic coming on Presley in which Austin Butler is playing the role of Presley.
In “Elvis,” a 30-year-old actor named Austin Butler – probably best known for his portrayal of Charles Manson follower Tex Watson in “Once Upon a Time….in Hollywood” – plays the legendary performer and hits the ball out of the park. As a result of the Oscar-winning performance of Tom Hanks and the stunning visual style of acclaimed writer/director Baz Luhrmann (“Romeo + Juliet,” “The Great Gatsby”), this movie is elevated even further.
“TCB” (“Taking Care of Business”) – Elvis Presley’s famous logo – appears early on, blending into the Warner Bros. shield. Eventually, we encounter the singer’s aging former manager, Col. Tom Parker (a heavily made-up Tom Hanks), who is in the process of dying and the desire to clarify if he was a manipulative charlatan or someone who cared about the singer’s well-being. The heavyset promoter’s look took Hanks between two and a half and five hours to achieve daily.
As the film attempts to touch on the significant events in the singer’s life – all in two hours and 39 minutes. The script by Luhrmann, Craig Pearce, Sam Bromell (“The Get Down”), and Jeremy Doner (“The Killing”) moves along at a fast pace.
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Richard Roxburgh and Helen Thompson play Vernon and Gladys, his parents. At the beginning of COVID-19, Rufus Sewell and Maggie Gyllenhaal dropped out after the production shut down for six months.
It begins with Elvis’ early musical influences – local Black performers – and ends with the nervous singer’s first concert performance where he seduces an unsuspecting audience.
Hanks exhibits Parker’s tremendous skill as a promoter in this film, especially in a scene at a fair where the colonel dances with his potential new client. Throughout this movie, Luhrmann’s incredible visual skills are on full display, whether at a carnival, during a career-changing meeting at the Hollywood sign, or during a rehearsal for Elvis Presley’s Las Vegas residency. All of it is very visual and something to behold.
There are times when I wondered if I was watching newsreel footage of those actual shows, or if I was watching new scenes from a film while watching the recreation of famous shows in the International Hotel and the 1968 comeback TV special.
Austin Butler Playing The Role of Elvis Presley
A movement coach worked with Austin Butler to duplicate Presley’s on-stage mannerisms, kicks, karate chops, and other moves. It’s almost scary how well he captures the King’s presence. He can be sexy, confident, and vulnerable at the same time. Butler also does some of the actual singing of the early Elvis songs, with Presley’s voice sometimes blended in. The later-era songs are all actual Presley recordings.
There is something almost terrifying about how he captures the King’s presence. Despite his strength, he can still be vulnerable. As part of the early Elvis song recordings, Butler also sings some parts with Presley’s voice sometimes blending in. Presley himself sang all the later-era songs.
In addition to this, the plot moves very quickly and almost seems frenetic at times. A lot of events are just briefly touched upon or are missed. It is challenging to depict such a remarkable life and career in less than two-and-a-half hours. It is true that Priscilla Presley (played well by Olivia DeJonge of “The Visit”) figures into the story, yet just like so many other aspects of Elvis’ life, having her movie would have made more sense.
A great movie that showcases Elvis Presley’s career at different times as well as examines the personal and professional challenges he was facing. In addition, it provides a closer look at the entertainer’s manager who was able to manipulate him for more than two decades.n two decades. Moreover, “Elvis” presents some incredible concert sequences that make it feel like the audience is sitting in the front row for some legendary performance.
