It\u2019s impeccably assembled, its rapid-fire editing assuring us that Luhrmann\u2019s hyperactive aesthetic won\u2019t be toned down for the documentary format. It begins with an efficient biographical summary (he gives you what you need to know about the pre-live era, and illustrates it well) before moving into the meat of the movie, spotlighting the King\u2019s live performances in the late \u201860s and early \u201870s. His Vegas debut in 1969 came when Presley was at a creative impasse, deftly illustrated by a witty and winking montage of the throwaway movies that occupied too much of his time in the 1960s: strikingly monotonous imagery of driving, kissing, and singing, cut together to illustrate his comment that \u201cthe pictures got very similar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Going back on stage, reconnecting with live performance and live audiences, was essentially a life raft for the King, and it was how he spent the rest of his short life; onscreen text at EPiC<\/em>\u2019s end informs us that he did a jaw-dropping 1100 shows, sometimes three a day, from 1969 to 1977. The film does not touch much upon the later years of this cycle, when Presley\u2019s health spiraled and his performances suffered; indeed, Luhrmann studiously avoids some of the more controversial aspects of this period, like his increasing drug use and continuing interest in very young women. But they sneak in subtle bits of commentary (like cueing up \u201cDevil in Disguise\u201d when Colonel Tom Parker is first mentioned), and the decision to have the King narrate his own story means they can dodge those aspects with a stylistic choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But EPiC<\/em>\u2019s ultimate aim is not to reexamine his personal life but to reclaim his identity \u2014 not as a star, an icon, or even a singer, but as a musician<\/em>, a man whose entire understanding of the world around him was through notes, instruments, and lyrics. As with the earlier docs, the rehearsal footage is enlightening, spotlighting the camaraderie and familial feeling of the band and backing vocalists, his playfulness, and his skill as a programmer and bandleader (perhaps his most underrated talent). Throughout the picture but particularly in those scenes, we\u2019re treated to material that couldn\u2019t be used in the G-rated That\u2019s the Way It Is<\/em> and Elvis On Tour<\/em>, raunchy alternate versions of songs in consideration or off-color jokes that break up the singer and his collaborators (\u201cWhere\u2019s the, pardon the expression, clap <\/em>board?\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those documentaries were prompted by, and detailed, his first shows in Vegas and his first tour across the country, so EPiC<\/em> is understandably focused on those moments as well. In some ways, it\u2019s a procedural, detailing the process of putting a show like this together, or the logistics of a giant tour for one of the biggest stars in the world. And so we have fascinating B-roll of the well-oiled machine around Presley, as well as insightful audio of him detailing his philosophies of performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And the concert footage is electrifying; I found myself watching every single song with a big, stupid grin on my face. \u201cThose people wanna see a show,\u201d he notes at one point. \u201cThey came out to see action.\u201d Boy, do they ever. These are sequences of pure joy, for both the performer and his orgasmic audience; watch closely as he deftly orchestrates the breakdowns and resurrections of \u201cSuspicious Minds,\u201d taking down the instrumentation and bringing it back, conducting the drum breaks and increasing tempo. You get wrung out just watching him, and when you see him totally drained, going back to this dressing room at the end of the show, you understand why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most importantly, folding the bio-doc into<\/em> the concert movie is a masterstroke, allowing surprising freedom of structure and organization as they drop in archival audio of Elvis\u2019s stories and memories, from bits of interview audio and stage chatter, between the songs that best illustrate and complement them. The first words we hear are a bit of a manifesto: \u201cI\u2019d like to talk to you a little bit, ladies and gentlemen, explain a few things about how I got into this business\u2026 how things happened, from my side of the story.\u201d And what is perhaps most impressive about Luhrmann and Redmond\u2019s achievement is how seamlessly they manage to do both jobs; they will, for example, show us an interview where Presley explains how and why he\u2019s never been out of the country (save for his military service), and then they\u2019ll cut to him onstage, singing the opening lyrics of Three Dog Night\u2019s \u201cNever Been To Spain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moments like that underscore how, for Presley in this era, there was little separation between his life on- and off-stage. By these years, it was all a performance, and Elvis was always \u201con,\u201d at all times. It took something out of him, and may have even killed him \u2014 the filmmakers leave that for the audience to decide. The result may not be a cradle-to-grave documentary, but for God\u2019s sake, we\u2019ve had plenty <\/em>of those for Elvis Presley. EPiC<\/em> is its own thing, and it\u2019s a real treat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” is out this weekend exclusively on IMAX screens<\/a>. It opens February 27th in theaters everywhere.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EPiC2-1024x577.webp\")
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