The 1979 television biopic, Elvis, directed by none other than genre maestro John Carpenter, has stood the test of time as a compelling and insightful look into the life of the King of Rock and Roll. Recently finding a new audience on DVD, this film, simply titled Elvis, arrived a mere year and a half after Elvis Presley’s untimely passing, a period ripe for exploitation yet surprisingly yielding a production of genuine quality. Far from being a superficial tribute, Elvis offered a substantial narrative, driven by creative talent and, naturally, the unforgettable music of its subject.
Looking back at Elvis decades after its initial broadcast, its narrative structure and thematic explorations remain remarkably fresh. In fact, the film prefigures many of the storytelling devices that have since become commonplace, even clichés, in the landscape of musical biopics. From Coal Miner’s Daughter to Walk the Line, the familiar tropes of a challenging upbringing, the burning ambition for artistic expression, meteoric rise to fame, subsequent fall from grace, and the redemptive comeback are all present in Elvis. These very narrative arcs, later playfully satirized in films like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, find early and earnest articulation in Carpenter’s biopic.
The choice of John Carpenter to helm Elvis might seem unconventional at first glance. Best known for his chilling contributions to horror and science fiction cinema with classics like Halloween, The Fog, and The Thing, Carpenter’s filmography was, and largely remains, rooted in genre filmmaking. However, in 1978, his directorial vision impressed the producers of Elvis sufficiently for them to entrust him with this high-profile project. Carpenter, in turn, cast Kurt Russell in the lead role, a then-emerging actor seeking to solidify his career after a childhood spent in Disney productions.
Kurt Russell’s portrayal in John Carpenter’s Elvis is nothing short of transformative. It’s a cliché to say an actor becomes the character, especially when portraying a figure as iconic as Elvis Presley. The weight of expectation and the potential for caricature are immense. Yet, within the first few moments of watching Russell embody Presley – the swagger in his walk, the characteristic hair gestures, the iconic lip curl that defined Elvis’s smile and snarl – the viewer transcends the awareness of Kurt Russell the actor and becomes fully immersed in Elvis Presley. This is not merely mimicry of mannerisms; Russell delves deep, capturing Presley’s underlying pain, his fervent desires, and simmering frustrations with remarkable depth. His performance garnered him a well-deserved Emmy nomination, a testament to his dedication and success in capturing the King.
Elvis ambitiously covers a significant portion of Presley’s life, deliberately omitting the 1970s and his eventual death. Instead, the film concentrates on his formative years, from his humble beginnings to his triumphant 1969 comeback in Las Vegas. The film opens precisely in this moment, in a bustling 1969 Vegas just moments before Elvis is due to take the stage. As his father, Vernon (played by Kurt Russell’s real-life father, Bing Russell), deals with a potential threat, Elvis is shown in his hotel room, glued to the television news. Alongside his loyal friend and confidant, Red West (Robert Gray), Elvis listens as a news anchor openly questions his relevance, labeling him a has-been. Fueled by anger and a sense of injustice, Elvis dramatically shoots out the television screen, cueing a flashback into the defining moments of his life.
The film’s depiction of Elvis’s childhood is rendered with a poignant simplicity. Young Elvis is portrayed as a sensitive boy, frequently conversing with the spectral presence of his stillborn twin brother, a habit that draws mockery from his peers. His solace is found in his mother, Gladys, portrayed with an endearing eccentricity by Shelley Winters. Winters, often perceived as somewhat unconventional in her later roles, channels this unique quality into Gladys, lending the character a peculiar charm that resonates.
As the narrative progresses to Elvis’s high school years, Kurt Russell seamlessly takes over the portrayal. These early sequences possess a youthful exuberance, reminiscent of coming-of-age films from the era. With newfound fame and financial success, the first sting of heartbreak arrives when Elvis’s high school sweetheart ends their relationship due to his increasing absences. However, a more significant turning point looms with the entrance of Colonel Tom Parker into Elvis’s life.
Pat Hingle’s portrayal of Colonel Tom Parker leaves little doubt about the manager’s self-serving motivations. While the film’s depiction may or may not entirely reflect historical accuracy, Hingle’s performance, often filmed from low angles, casts Parker as a manipulative and potentially exploitative figure. Regardless of his true nature, the film acknowledges Parker’s pivotal role in transforming Elvis into a millionaire and strategically navigating his career even through army conscription. However, tragedy strikes when Gladys, Elvis’s mother, passes away. This devastating loss profoundly impacts Elvis, shaking him to his core and casting a long shadow over his subsequent life and career.
Reflecting its made-for-television origins and the episodic nature of covering a sprawling life story, Elvis moves through distinct phases. We see Elvis in the army in Germany, where he encounters his future wife, Priscilla, then a young teenager. Soon after his discharge, Elvis returns to Graceland and seeks permission from Priscilla’s father for her to live with him, a scenario that reflects the more unconventional social norms of the 1960s. Remarkably, permission is granted, setting the stage for their eventual marriage.
The latter part of the film delves into Elvis’s relationship with Priscilla, portraying a growing tension. Presley grapples with anxieties about his career as music sales decline and his formulaic movies lose their appeal. Priscilla, in turn, feels increasingly isolated and resentful of his constant absence and lack of engagement with family life, especially after the birth of their daughter, Lisa Marie. Season Hubley’s portrayal of Priscilla is nuanced, charting her evolution from a naive teenager to a disillusioned wife and mother. The palpable chemistry between Russell and Hubley on screen translated into real life, as the two actors married shortly after filming concluded.
Clocking in at nearly 170 minutes, Elvis is rich in detail, incorporating numerous full musical performances featuring the vocal talents of Ronnie McDowell, who provided all of Elvis’s singing voice in the film. Despite its comprehensive scope, two notable aspects of Elvis’s life are conspicuously understated. Firstly, the iconic ’68 Comeback Special, a pivotal moment that revitalized Presley’s career in the rock and roll landscape, receives scant attention. This omission might stem from network rivalry, as the special aired on NBC while Elvis was an ABC production, highlighting the competitive dynamics of the era’s broadcasting landscape.
Secondly, the film largely sidesteps Elvis’s growing reliance on prescription drugs. While a descent into graphic drug addiction, akin to Ray or Walk the Line, might have been overly dramatic for a TV biopic of this time, the absence of any acknowledgment of this struggle paints an incomplete picture. By omitting this darker facet, Elvis arguably leans towards portraying him primarily as a tragic figure, a victim of circumstance rather than acknowledging the role of personal choices in his downfall. However, it’s plausible that the Presley estate’s involvement in the film’s production might have influenced this more sanitized portrayal.
Despite these omissions, John Carpenter’s direction in Elvis is consistently impressive. Working within the constraints of a television budget and schedule, Carpenter, drawing from his independent filmmaking background, injects a visual dynamism uncommon for television movies of the era. His camera work is fluid and engaging, employing dollies and zooms to heighten pivotal moments and maintain a contemporary feel. Elvis avoids the static, stage-bound aesthetic often associated with TV productions of the 70s and 80s.
The DVD release of Elvis includes a brief behind-the-scenes documentary filmed during production, offering a fascinating glimpse of a young Kurt Russell on the cusp of stardom and a then-emerging John Carpenter discussing his approach to the film. Notably, Elvis marked the first collaboration between Carpenter and Russell, a partnership that would later yield iconic films like Escape from New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China. The DVD also features commentary from Ronnie McDowell and author Edie Hand, rare American Bandstand clips (the film was produced by Dick Clark), and a photo gallery, enhancing the viewing experience for fans of both John Carpenter and Elvis Presley.
