The blessings and tribulations of the man who left behind him an everlasting legacy.
Mesmerising, vibrant, insightful, and saddening. The beauty of Buz Luhrmann’s films lies predominantly in his sense of pace and rhythm and his sense of editing. Elvis introduces a “superhero” whose powers are music and showmanship, and Luhrmann comes on really strong, really fast. In the first half hour, he manages to build the foundation of an icon destined to follow a meteorite’s trajectory. What comes next is the introduction of tribulations of the still rapidly rising star. Segregation laws, massive hysteria, national paranoia, and personally costly decisions shape the image of a man, unknown to the public, who has to face demons as you and I do. And Luhrmann showcases that the world keeps changing while trying to fit Elvis in it – while not sparing the details of how hard that is. Notably, finding and losing (only to find one last time) that place, when everything moves so fast, is the most crucial part of the hero’s journey.
Luhrmann puts on an electrifying and prestigious show! He builds up the rise and (internal) fall of Elvis as we know him. Now is the time, though, to praise the people who are also responsible for that show. First and foremost, we might see Austin Butler (Elvis) at the Oscars. He took the role amongst A-list actors way more known than he is, and I can only say that he fully deserved it. His performance now will always be associated with Elvis Presley; he became Elvis Presley. Tom Hanks shines as his disgusting manager; he is inarguably one of the greatest actors alive. Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, and Jeremy Doner kept the script non-linear and tight, offering a fresh and unique perspective. Mandy Walker’s lens expresses all the intended feelings. Jonathan Redmond and Matt Villa masterly weave these feelings together, leading to my first comment on the immaculate pace and rhythm that flows through Luhrmann’s films. Costume designer Catherine Martin goes the extra mile and gets hundreds of costumes to dress up Elvis and the rest of the cast, and I’m positive we’ll also see her at the Oscars. Last but not least, extra credits go to EVERYONE else in front and behind the camera who worked on the film.
P.S. To corroborate my point, if you want to get an idea of Luhrmann’s sense of editing, watch Moulin Rouge! (2001), and more specifically, the “El Tango de Roxanne” sequence (01:18:08 – 01:25:31). It lasts 443” and contains 419 cuts – approximately one cut per second (I had to watch it for my research at half the speed to count all of them)! In editing’s (unofficial) terms… a proper “frame-fucking”!
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