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‘EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert’ Review: Sensational but Superficial
Baz Luhrmann restored 59 hours of unseen 1970s Elvis Presley concert footage and a 45-minute interview into a 96-minute IMAX concert film, EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert.
- On Feb. 20, director Baz Luhrmann released EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert in IMAX, with a UK cinemas release on Feb. 27; the film uses restored archival footage.
- Under pressure from fans, Luhrmann moved to release the recovered footage after discovering unseen negatives and an unheard 45-minute Elvis Presley interview in Kansas City salt mines.
- The revelatory footage arrived without sound and required careful syncing to existing audio tracks, while Peter Jackson's Park Road Post Production restored silent archival reels with a hyper-real hue.
- Critics say the film celebrates Presley’s live brilliance, with Tribune News Service critic Katie Walsh awarding EPiC 3.5 stars and recommending the IMAX experience for new generation audiences.
- Despite spectacle, the director’s documentary depth is limited, as Luhrmann juxtaposes sequences about Colonel Tom Parker with home videos of Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie, blending concert framing with personal material.
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Elvis in IMAX: How Newly Found Footage Became an Immersive Documentary
Baz Luhrmann first heard about the footage while researching what would become his 2022 Elvis Presley biopic, “Elvis.” There was this treasure trove of unused, unseen film, he was told, shot by MGM for the 1970 concert movie “Elvis: That’s the Way It Is” and its 1972 follow-up, “Elvis on Tour.” Luhrmann’s interest was piqued; he wondered if he could save himself the effort of building an elaborate set by using existing footage of the Vegas showr…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left3Leaning Right3Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution38% Left, 37% Right
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources lean Left, 37% of the sources lean Right
38% Left
L 38%
C 25%
R 37%
Factuality
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