By Shane Rodgers
Even if Elvis Presley had not died at just 42 years of age in 1977, most of us would never have met him.
So, for millions of people around the world, he has, in many respects, lived on. There are new albums every year, constant re-imagining of popular hits, and an unrelenting parade of tribute acts keeping the magic alive.
The Elvis cultural frenzy is about to explode again next month when film-maker Baz Luhrmann’s mega concert/documentary film EPiC (Elvis Presley in Concert) hits the cinemas.
The film promises lots of previously unreleased concert footage and interviews from the seven years of Las Vegas concerts in the 1970s, presented in the bold and colourful artistry that Luhrmann is renowned for.
Anyone who thinks that Elvis has outstayed his welcome in popular culture, will need to think again.
According to Forbes, Elvis (or his estate in reality) has earned more than $1.2 billion since 1977. This is significantly more than he earned in life, dying with just a handful of millions left in the bank.
Despite passing away so young, Elvis recorded around 700 songs in his career. There are so many that even ardent fans can keep discovering new gems.
Many hundreds of Elvis albums have been released but Legacy Records and RCA Records have announced yet another release to coincide with the EPiC movie.
The 27-track album, scheduled for a February 27, 2026 release, will be in digital, CD and vinyl format.
Luhrmann, who received critical acclaim for his 2022 Elvis biopic, has urged people to watch the new Elvis film on the biggest screen possible. Giant IMAX cinemas have a one-week exclusive screening of the film, with the Melbourne screenings already selling out.
According to the website of the Toronto International Film Festival, where Luhrmann has chosen to debut his film next month, the new release may be “the most poignant account of Elvis Presley’s life and career to date”.
“Originally intended to last a few weeks at the International Hotel, the 1969 (Vegas) engagement was shockingly lucrative, and stretched on for over seven years,” TIFF says.
“Brilliantly compiled with an aficionado’s enthusiasm and sensitivity, the film shifts skilfully between rehearsals, where Presley is cheerful, hard-working, even goofy, and live performances that vary from powerful and grandiose to rushed.”
In an interview last year with Deadline magazine, Luhrmann said his fascination with Elvis was sparked by how much the entertainer reflected America’s journey from the 1950s and beyond.
“I still have trouble explaining to young people now, or even audiences, just how scary Elvis was to the previous generation who had come home from the war, didn’t want any more noise, or any more battles,” he said in the interview.
“Elvis was like the devil. It’s…not an exaggeration considering his growing up in and around Black music, his physicality, his overt sexuality and his attitude.”
Later, when Elvis returned from a stint in the army, he was pushed by his manager Tom Parker to become a family entertainer.
“Elvis is fully present in concert, Elvis sings and tells his story like never before,” Luhrmann says of the new film. “
“I say it’s not a documentary and it’s not a concert film. It’s epic. What I really mean is if you would ask me, honestly, it’s a kind of tone poem on the person and the performer himself.”
Luhrmann told Deadline that the footage for the film came from various places.
He had the money and the resources to “go into the salt mines that are in Kansas and look for these rumoured (film) negatives (of these performances)”.
“Some of the footage has never been seen before because they shot six nights of concerts at the MGM (Vegas concert venue) and some of it is 8mm that had never been seen,” he said.
“Most of it is Elvis’ original vocal from stage. Some of the voices, and strings or brass we had to re-record. After all, this is not to be a documentary in the sense of we just used exactly what was on stage. That was not possible, so what we made is a sort of cinematic poem.”
Baz Luhrmann’s full Deadline interview is here.
The Universal Pictures information is here.
