Baz Luhrmann’s Latest Film Hails to the King

Austin Butler in "Elvis"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Throughout his filmmaking career, director Baz Luhrmann has become known for the grand and lavish theatricality of his productions, and that isn’t anymore evident than in his adaptation of classic literature with “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Great Gatsby” and his musical “Moulin Rouge.”  Although his style might be divisive, you can’t deny the boldness with which he constructs his films.  Given said musical and theatrical aspects of his filmography, it’s surprising that it took him this long to helm a musical biopic.

Now, he’s found a subject who fits his sensibilities for such a film.  Luhrmann’s new movie, “Elvis,” is a whirlwind of the filmmaker’s stylings that brings us through the life of the King of Rock and Roll, injecting some much-needed oomph into the routine of singer/musician biopics.

Told from the perspective of Elvis’ (Austin Butler) manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), the film tells the story of Elvis’ rise to global fame, as well as his personal issues and troubled relationship with his manager.

Butler delivers a brilliant, star-making performance as the music icon who broke all of the rules.  Butler’s provides a superb embodiment of the king and shows why and how Presley became such an immense figure in entertainment, nailing his speaking voice, singing voice, and on-stage swagger.  When Butler performs in front of audiences, his portrayal of Elvis makes the screen come alive with his song-and-dance charisma.  Meanwhile, the scenes in which he faces heartbreaking losses serve a dramatic side to what Elvis experienced behind the scenes, and Butler gives as much to that aspect of his performance as he does with the musical side.  For Butler to pull off such a celebrated figure as his first major lead in a film is something to witness, and the power of his work helps give this movie its epic feel.

It wasn’t until I was watching this movie that I realized I’ve never seen Hanks in a villainous role.  His performance is immensely entertaining because he uses a campiness that fits well in a Luhrmann movie.  The way in which Parker attaches himself more and more to Elvis’ fame presents a leech-like character who you’ll love to hate, and that all comes down to how committed Hanks is to his role. 

Olivia DeJonge, who portrays Elvis’ wife, Priscilla, has great romantic chemistry with Butler.  Between their first sequence together as they fall for each other while Kasey Musgraves’ soulful cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” plays over the segment, and their restrained, yet heartbreaking final scene where Priscilla tries one last time to convince Elvis to clean himself up, you witness a relationship that had everything going for it, but then had to end.  You feel the power of these scenes because of the tender emotion that’s always present between DeJonge and Butler throughout the film.

The screenplay by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce (who co-wrote four of Luhrmann’s other five films), and Jeremy Doner unfolds over a 2.5-hour narrative that pretty much goes right into Elvis’ rising success, leaving plenty of the film’s runtime to focus on his career and personal issues during his time as a celebrity.  Except for one scene that focuses on a young Elvis, the rest of the movie focuses on him giving his first stage performance and everything that comes after.  And, despite the movie having some of the usual hallmarks of the singer/musician-biopic sub-genre, the movie offers a fair deal of intrigue as we see a lot of the movie through Parker’s perspective, yet is still able make this feel like Elvis’ movie.

Given Luhrmann’s talent to command scenes where music and lavish set pieces are involved, it’s fun to see him helm a biopic such as this, injecting a great amount of theatricality into the film with the help of previous collaborators.  This is the fifth movie that Catherine Martin (Luhrmann’s wife) worked on with him as a costume designer, providing eye-catching costumes that mix well with her and Karen Murphy’s striking production design that absorbs you right into the time period that the film covers.  Meanwhile, Mandy Walker, who provided the cinematography for Luhrmann’s 2008 film, “Australia,” captures the showmanship grandness of Elvis’ performances.  Luhrman uses these factors to create an invigorating moviegoing experience that presents what it must have felt like to watch Elvis sing in person.

Luhrmann utilizes his trademark style to great effect, particularly in the first half of the movie.  However, when we reach the second half and Elvis begins to encounter some personal issues, Luhrmann tones down his stylistic approach to provide a solemn feeling as we watch Elvis try to maintain what he’s accomplished and hold onto those whom he loves.

At one point in the movie, as Elvis and his band get for a televised performance, he says, “This ain’t no nostalgia show.  We’re gonna do something different.”  It’s safe to say Luhrmann delivered on that.

Grade: A-