Cannes Dispatch – Elvis

Will there ever be another Elvis Presley? Judging by Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s eye-popping biopic dedicated to the King of Rock & Roll, probably not. Anchored by an incendiary, soul-shaking lead performance, ELVIS is pure, glorious sensory overload that manages to capture the madness of superstardom. Premiering out of competition at Cannes, it’s possibly the best thing I’ve seen so far at the festival this year.

Will keep this one brief because Cannes in its infinite wisdom programmed THREE competition titles to screen on the same day as ELVIS. People should know that structurally, the film doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It follows in more or less linear fashion the trajectory of Elvis’ career, focusing in particular on his tumultuous relationship with long-time manager Tom Parker. But when I say this film is an EXPERIENCE. Luhrmann is a director known for his flamboyant style and he goes all out here to cook up a visual/aural extravaganza for the ages.

Starting from the flashback sequences where we see the influence of gospel and black music in general had on Elvis as a child, Luhrmann dials the musical performances up to eleven to accentuate the deep, spiritual connection this young white boy feels to rhythm and blues. When Elvis starts singing and conquers ever bigger arenas, each performance is composed and shot like a full-on spectacle. The swift, vibrant camera alternates its attention between the sweat dripping down the performer’s face, the uncontrollable hysteria of the audience and the sheer size of the concerts attended by fans in record-breaking numbers. The recognizable voice of Elvis, all the rock instruments and the sea of shrieks and chants are blended seamlessly into a wall of sound that adds heat and immediacy to everything you see. Edited with great fluidity and verve, these sequences are terribly exciting to watch and really make you feel the swoon-inducing intensity of an Elvis performance.

Austin Butler, Austin Butler, Austin Butler. Where did a performance this good come from? At the end of the film they show candid footage of Elvis and you realize that even with makeup and hairstyling (meticulous, character-building, Oscar-worthy work), the two don’t look alike. And yet Butler brings such utter, easy conviction and force of charisma to the part the transformation happens far beyond the superficial level. When he takes the stage as Elvis, you very much see a man possessed, just as Elvis himself probably was. There’s an extended scene about the filming of a Christmas special where Elvis becomes openly antagonistic towards Parker. Butler carefully maps out the mental states of a man trying to get his career back on track, feeling shocked by the racial unrest in the country and obliged to send a message to the public, and eventually finding the moral courage to stand up against someone who helped make him who he is. He’s believable at every turn, giving you an intimate look at the innermost beliefs and emotions of a superstar. Hanks is very good as the greedy, manipulative manager, but it’s truly incredible to watch someone act circles around a two-time Oscar winner.

Luhrmann’s films are always eye candy and his instincts for high style prove a magnificent match for the story of one of the biggest pop stars in history. Unapologetically loud and lavish, his version of Elvis’ world feels appropriately over-the-top. It’s a world whose every aspect is so magnified even the amount of love one receives can be fatally overwhelming. I love the manically fast pace of the film and its rich, imaginative visual design, including a segment where Elvis pursues an acting career in Hollywood and the frames are suddenly made to look like classic films from the era.

It’s obviously too early to call these things but I would be surprised if ELVIS doesn’t factor prominently in the next Oscar race. It deserves to be considerd for all technical categories and, from where I’m standing, Austin Butler is a sure-fire contender for best actor.