March 10, 2026 – I never saw Elvis in concert, so this is the next best thing for me. As a kid, I was an Elvis fan, along with many other people. Even today, he remains one of the most popular recording artists in history, but his live performances were legendary.

Austin Butler did a great job playing Elvis in Luhrmann's 2022 biopic, but this followup documentary by Luhrmann is on another level, using recorded interviews with Elvis, as well as footage of rehearsals and footage of Elvis' legendary Las Vegas performances.

Lurhmann uses the rehearsal footage together with footage of the live stage performances in an unusual way, cutting back and forth in the middle of songs, to show how Elvis used rehearsals to fine tune his stage performances. The Las Vegas performances feature an impressive orchestra and a whole chorus of backup singers. These live stage performances have a huge cast of musicians and singers. I don't know if any performer today puts on a show of this scale.

The other thing that surprised me about these performances, as well as the rehearsals, is that Elvis is a funny guy. He liked to joke around with his fellow musicians, singers and he also made up funny lyrics for songs. Joking around on stage was a key part of his ability to entertain an audience. Some singers are just singers, but some, like Elvis, Michael Jackson, and John Denver, are entertainers, too.

The other thing that impressed me about live concert Elvis is the power of his voice. This was a singer who could get the most out of a power ballad. Back when Elvis was in his Vegas residency, they didn't call them power ballads, but that is what Elvis was doing. Elvis was also, famously, a sex symbol. This is evident in the movie from the number of women seeking, and getting, a kiss and a hug from him.

We know that Elvis was hooked on drugs, was having marital problems, and that his manager, Colonel Tom Parker didn't allow him to tour in Europe, and Parker hampered his Hollywood career, too. Even with all that going on Elvis seems, in this movie, to be having a good time in Vegas. Even with all that those energetic performances takes out of him, he still seems happy. There have been more than enough accounts of all of his problems, but this is largely an upbeat movie with some wonderful performances, and there is nothing wrong with that.

This movie was put together from lots of archival film and audio sources. Luhrmann and his team have done a marvelous job of putting this movie together from a wide variety of sources. It could be that some of the rare, unseen footage not even included in the theatrical release of this movie, might be released as extras when the movie is released on video disk sometime later this year.

Relatively few people now living have ever seen Elvis in concert. This movie is a way for everyone now to get a taste of that experience, to see what made him a towering figure in music history, and an absolute musical legend. This movie rates an A.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff (no extra charges apply). I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2026 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

Robert Roten can be reached via e-mail at