One of my earliest memories of being a fan of celebrities was when I discovered Elvis Presley. It's weird because I became a fan after he passed away. I remember being at my grandmother's house where she was watching a TV special on him when it happened. This was on his death anniversary, so I knew that he was no longer alive by the time I discovered him. They showed clips of his work when he was younger and I became so interested in him. That led to him becoming a fascination that I kept until I grew up. It seems there is a renewed interest in Elvis because of the new movies on the man. Because of that, I want to share some thoughts on the movie Elvis starring Austin Butler. If you have seen this movie yourself, please share your thoughts in the comments section! I would love to know what you think!
A little background story
Back in the days of no internet I only got to know Elvis from what was available. I found a book at my grandmother’s house about Elvis and his ex-wife Priscilla called Elvis and Me. It told the story of his early days and their marriage -- I read this when I was in grade school! I loved watching his movies whenever I could. The chances of it happening were rare so I watched his movies whenever they were on TV. I was in awe not only of Elvis the singer and performer but also of Elvis the actor.
Now that the wonders of the internet have given me access to all things Elvis, I have become an even bigger fan. It's a bit of a difficult thing for me to admire him as an artist separate from him as a person. It's conflicting because he is such an enigma but I also find him problematic. After all, he did have a relationship with his first wife Priscilla when he was 24 while she was only 14. Yes, he married her when she was legal, and when they got older the age gap did not matter but still. She was 14. Then there are all the allegations of abuse of the women in his life and the drug abuse that led to his death. It was like he was an amazing and bright light as a performer but he had such a sad and dark life as a person. I preferred seeing the performer as separate from the person that he was. It's such a difficult line for me as a fan to process.
My Review
When I heard that Austin Butler was going to play Elvis Presley in the Baz Luhrmann movie about the man, I was not happy. I did not think that he looked anything like Elvis or sounded like him. I only knew him as Vanessa Hudgens’ (ex) boyfriend. His roles in some forgettable movies and TV shows were annoying. I was doubtful that this movie with him in it would not do Elvis justice. I was wrong. I have recently seen the movie and I now understand why he won a Golden Globe for Best Actor for doing this movie.
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| Photo Credit: Warner Bros. |
Austin Butler was incredible as Elvis. He was Elvis. The way he moved, the way he talked, even the sound of his voice. It gave me chills watching his portrayal of the music legend. He did not look like Elvis, but the way he played the man carried the very essence of who Elvis was. It made me believe that it was him. There were even moments when he was so good that I could have sworn it was the real Elvis that I was watching on screen.
I enjoyed watching the movie and seeing key moments that I have read about in Elvis and Me play out. I’ve read a lot about how his manager scammed and abused him but watching it happen made me understand it better. I saw how it affected his life and how it could have been the reason why his life turned out the way he did. That made me feel so sorry for Elvis.
He was a man who loved music and performing and wanted to provide for his family. Somewhere along the way, fame and fortune blinded him. He his manager and the people around him manipulated him. All these people were living off him and his money. By the time he wanted out, there was no way out for him. Instead of fighting back, he let the system of the life he lived swallow him whole.
Similarities Between Elvis and BTS
I also could not help but compare Elvis’ life and fame with that of my favorite group, BTS. This scene was where people were commenting about Elvis and his hair and makeup. It made me think of how people criticized the same thing about BTS.
I was again reminded of BTS when Elvis was being made to do songs/performances that did not feel authentic to him. He wanted to do music that he loved and inspired him. He did not want to do what fit into what people thought a white man should be doing. It made me thankful that artists like BTS have the freedom to do the type of music that they want. They can express themselves in the way that they want to. And, unlike Elvis, they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Their management is not taking everything.
I know that people may say that I've become the type of fan who can insert BTS into any conversation. Yes, that might be true. But I can't help it! Even with Elvis' moves, I found myself thinking of BTS. I had this random thought during that scene where Elvis wiggled his hips and made that popular. It's like he did that so BTS could, decades later, dance to Bapsae (BTS fans would know what I mean).
Another scene that reminded me of BTS was when they were talking about Elvis merchandise. It made me wonder if he was the first artist to come out with that. If yes, then BTS fans have him to thank (or not, ha-ha). It amazes me how long this habit of fans emptying their wallets for merchandise has been going on!
I love Baz Luhrmann
I thought that Baz Luhrmann again had another masterpiece with this movie. I love his work, particularly The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge, and Romeo and Juliet. His movies are giant moving art pieces with music. It's not only about the period of the films but how the scenes blend in with the modern music featured. You’d think that it wouldn’t work but it does…and it works so well.
Elvis is the type of movie that I haven’t seen in a long time. One that moved me because of the beautiful visuals and the great music, but because of the emotions it gave me. I haven’t felt so moved by a story in a way that it stayed with me after the film was over. I can’t even remember the last time that something like this happened. I am happy that I decided to watch it.
The movie was good, but I felt that there was still a lot more story to tell from his very colorful (albeit short) life. I can't help but wonder if anyone would ever tackle those different aspects. Would the new Elvis movie (yes, another one) do that? I know that he was in relationships with other women after Priscilla and they were never tackled. There is still this whole side of him that was not presented in the Austin Butler starrer. I mean, what about all those conspiracy theories and urban legends about him being in the FBI? There were rumors that he was an undercover agent. They said that he did not die when they said he did. That was him going into witness protection. There is so much to unpack on the urban legends of him alone! I'd watch even a what-if movie that tackles these things, to be honest!
I read that the book Elvis and Me has a movie adaptation with Jacob Elordi as Elvis. I’m not sure if I will be able to see it without comparing the two Elvis portrayals. But given that I was wrong about Austin Butler, I am willing to give this new movie a try. I know the timeline for this uses Priscilla Presley's POV because of the book. Because of that, it might go the same route as the Austin Butler movie, so I am not expecting anything new. Still willing to give it a shot, but I don't want to expect too much.
One episode of the Fandesals Podcast was on celebrity urban legends. One of the discussed urban legends was the theory that Elvis did not die that day in 1977. For more on that, I have embedded the video here. If you understand Tagalog, you will be able to enjoy this episode. Happy viewing!
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