“And he shook it like a hurricane

And he shook it like to make it break

And he shook it like a holy roller, baby

With his soul at stake

Soul at stake”

- Gillian Welch

“Elvis Presley Blues” (2001)

BY PAUL WILLISTEIN

pwillistein@tnonline.com

Elvis has left the building.

But he hasn’t left the movie theater.

Presley debuted on the big screen Nov. 15, 1956, in “Love Me Tender.” Presley starred in some 46 narrative theatrical release movies. Few are considered great films.

Presley always wanted to star in a great movie. Finally, that movie is here. It’s called “Elvis.”

Though Elvis Presley doesn’t star in “Elvis,” his likeness is back on the silver screen as played phenomenally by Austin Butler.

“Elvis” the movie is a giddy, vibrant and entertaining film about the life and death of Elvis Presley (Jan. 8, 1935 - Aug. 16, 1977), known as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

“Elvis” is directed at a feverish pitch by Baz Luhrmann, known for such cinematic visual feasts as director of “Moulin Rouge” (Oscar nominee, best picture, 2002), “The Great Gatsby” (2013), “Australia” (2008), “Romeo +Juliet” (1996) and “Strictly Ballroom” (1992).

“Elvis” is a detailed, impressionistic, respectful depiction of Presley’s ascendance from the shacks of Tupelo, Miss., to the streets of Memphis, Tenn., where his career took off at Sun Studios with records produced by owner Sam Phillips.

The screenplay is by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner from a story by Luhrmann and Doner.

The movie makes much about the influence of Elvis’s manager, Col. Tom Parker, who apparently was neither a colonel, nor a United States citizen. The screenplay posits that Parker’s reluctance for Presley to tour outside the U.S. was because Parker feared for his own arrest. His insistence on a multi-year concert deal at the International Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, is said to have been because Parker had to pay off gambling debts and wanted to continue his gambling ways.

Parker saw a sure bet in Presley. For Parker, a former carnival barker, Presley was a meal ticket. Parker was apparently a shrewd businessman. Parker shaped Presley’s public persona, TV appearances, stint in the Army, Hollywood movie deals, arena concert tours and an historic worldwide concert telecast.

While the veracity of the movie’s claims and point of view is debatable concerning Parker and his Svengali role with Presley, it makes for a compelling, dramatic and tragic story. “Elvis” could almost be titled “Elvis and Me” or “Elvis and the Colonel,” so prominent is the storyline about Parker.

The movie makes the case that Presley was greatly influenced by African-American singer-songwriters and performers, including Willie Mae Thornton (1926 - 1984; played by Shonka Dukureh in “Elvis”), whose recording of “Hound Dog” (co-written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1952) became a template for Presley’s version, a No. 1 hit in 1956, and Arthur Crudup (1905 - 1974; played by Gary Clark Jr. in “Elvis”), whose “That’s All Right” (written in 1946) was Presley’s first commercial recording in 1954.

The movie also makes the case that Presley was greatly influenced by the Pentecostal Christian worship and singing style, even to what is called being slain in the spirit, where participants do fast-stepping dance moves with their bodies shaking and leaping as they get caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment. The film draws the comparison between the exuberant, free-form worship and “Elvis the Pelvis,” with his hip-swiveling, tippy-toes stance and “whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on” style on stage that elicited screams of adulation from female fans and newspaper front-page headlines of condemnation from municipal authorities and moral guardians.

Austin Butler is amazing and believable as Elvis. Butler has the Elvis moves down, offstage and onstage. Butler conveys the young Elvis, not unlike a young Justin Bieber. Butler also captures the older Elvis, the Vegas Elvis, with endearing performances. Look for an Oscar actor nomination for Butler.

Tom Hanks is in yet another remarkable role portraying a real-life person. This time, Hanks is under layers of prosthetics that make him at times resemble Jabba the Hutt (the “Star Wars” series, “Return of the Jedi,” 1983).

Notable in supporting roles are Olivia DeJonge (Priscilla Presley, Elvis’s wife), Helen Thomson (Gladys Presley, Elvis’s mother) and Richard Roxburgh (Vernon Presley, Elvis’s father).

The soundtrack is chock-a-block with great Elvis songs, some of which are sung by Butler.

The cinematography by Director of Photography Mandy Walker (“Mulan,” 2020; “Hidden Figures,” 2016; “Australia,” 2008) is inventive. The editing by Jonathan Redmond (“The Great Gatsby”) and Matt Villa (“The Great Gatsby,” “Australia”) is often dizzyingly delightful.

“Elvis” is one of cinema’s great theatrical release biopics about the American rock ‘n’ roll era, right up there with “The Buddy Holly Story” (1978); “La Bamba” (1987), about Ritchie Valens, and “Great Balls of Fire” (1989), about Jerry Lee Lewis.

If you’re an Elvis fan, “Elvis” the movie is a must-see. If you’re not an Elvis fan, why aren’t you? “Elvis” the movie make may you a true believer.

‘Elvis,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for substance abuse, strong language, suggestive material and smoking; Genre: Biography, Drama, Music; Run time: 2 hours; 39 minutes. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Elvis” was filmed at Village Roadshow Studios, Oxenford, Queensland, Australia. Production began Jan. 28, 2020. Production stopped March 12, 2020, when Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19. They were among the first celebrities to go public with COVID. Filming resumed Sept. 23, 2020. Eminem and CeeLo Green collaborated on “The King and I,” produced by Dr. Dre, and heard during the film’s closing credits. “Elvis” premiered May 25 at Cannes to a 12-minute standing ovation, the longest for an American film at the festival.

At The Movies:

“Elvis” was seen in the Dolby at AMC Cinema, AMC Center Valley 16. The sound and picture quality is excellent for a movie musical.

Theatrical domestic box office,

July 1 - 3: “Minions: The Rise of Gru” opened for the July weekend with $108.5 million, in 4,391 theaters, and was expected to have grossed $127.9 million by the July 4 Monday holiday, which would set a Fourth of July weekend record, surpassing “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” which took in $115.9 million in 2011.

“Top Gun: Maverick” stayed in place at No. 2 with $25.8 million, in 3,843 theaters, $564.3 million, six weeks.

“Elvis” dropped two places to No. 3 from its one-week No.1 perch, with $18.4 million, in 3,932 theaters; $66.7 million, two weeks.

4. “Jurassic World Dominion” dropped one place, with $16.3 million, in 3,801 theaters, $332.5 million, four weeks. 5. “The Black Phone” dropped one place, $12.2 million, in 3,156 theaters; $47.4 million, two weeks. 6. “Lightyear” dropped one place, $6.4 million, in 3,800 theaters, $105.2 million, three weeks. 7. “Mr. Malcolm’s List,” opening, $810,742, in 1,384 theaters. 8. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” stayed in place, $551,714, in 607 theaters, $67 million, 15 weeks. 9. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” dropped three places, $412,752 million in 590 theaters, $410.5 million, nine weeks. 10. ”Jug Jugg Jeeyo” dropped three places, $308,000, in 318 theaters, $1 million, two weeks

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of July 8 is subject to change.