EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

Grade: B

One of my vocal warmup hacks is to sing any given song like Roy Orbison or Elvis Presley. They are known for a big, open-throated technique. Running through my favorite Presley song, “Burning Love,” is a staple. Singing it in the original key, in his style, makes notes that usually tire me out feel the best they ever feel. I’m a casual Elvis Presley fan at best. When I hear his name, I tend to only think about the jumpsuits, the impersonators, the “is he really dead” conspiracy theories, the hip-swiveling, and the thankyaveramuch. It’s easy to forget that he was a really great singer, and EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert brings that thought back to the forefront.

I wondered why director Baz Luhrmann was returning to Elvis territory so soon after his top Oscar-nominated biopic. During the filming of 2022’s Elvis, he and the crew came across a wealth of concert footage – some of which nobody knew still existed. With EPiC, Luhrmann is using that video to tell Presley’s story straight up. There’s no speculation, dramatization of facts, or interviews that took place later than the time period. It’s the man himself we see here, not Jacob Elordi or Austin Butler.

The majority of EPiC focuses on Presley’s residency at the International in Las Vegas, where he played over 1,100 shows from 1969 to 1977. Rehearsal sessions are included. We learn that they ran through more than 100 songs. I had no idea he covered Bob Dylan (“I Shall Be Released”), The Beatles (“Get Back,” “Something,” “Yesterday”), or religious songs like “How Great Thou Art” and “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” He had an impressive musical breadth, and they are all beautiful renditions.

“Polk Salad Annie” is one of the highlights. It’s a Frankenstein job of three different performances stitched together, and it’s surprisingly endearing to hear how the tempos fluctuate across each one. It’s not jarring or distracting, like it may sound, but a reminder that there were no in-ear monitors in those days, with a click track to keep the tempos consistent. You just had to “feel it.” “Suspicious Minds,” another favorite, is wildly entertaining, particularly during the outro – when he wanders stage left and messes with the backup vocalists, trying to crack them up. And of course, my beloved “Burning Love” is a scorching barn burner.

The audio mix is top-notch, with perfect instrument separation. At any given moment, you can mentally zero in on whatever instrument you want, and hear it crystal clear. Luhrmann’s colorful visual stamp is on this, but it’s not taken to a frenetic, over-the-top level. If the cuts in Moulin Rouge were too much for you, you don’t get that here. There’s an interview scene where Presley states that onstage, he prefers to keep his personal political viewpoints to himself, and just perform. I can imagine that being a reason why he resonated with so many people. He was one of the original shut-up-and-singers.

I am curious if you will get a lesser experience if you see it at home, or anywhere other than a theater. I usually say that when a movie’s good, it’s good – whether your viewing is on an IMAX screen or your phone. I’ve seen some incredible films on the thing you’re probably reading this on. Perhaps it has enough power to translate effectively across all devices, but if you truly want to feel like you’re at the International in the 1970s, get out and see/hear it on equipment that’s better than anything you have. I couldn’t hear myself sneeze. As Nicole Kidman famously says, Heartbreak Hotel feels good in a place like this.

Grade: B