Elvis

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TimStannard
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Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:20 pm
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Elvis

Post by TimStannard »

OK, slightly off topic, but if anyone fanclies joining in...

I just went to see Elvis.

So many things really well done, including some excellent acting, but ... it did nothing for me at all.It felt about an hour too long and I didn't really get drawn in at all. Whilst I enjoyed the early Sun Records era stuff, I couldn't help feeling this was more fantasy than reality (did Elvis really befriend BB KIng on Beale Street and later go back and see Little Richard performing in the tiny club there?).

This is the problem with biopics as opposed to documentaries. I only realised this when watching Bohemian Rhapsody - which covered a period of Queen with which I was very familiar and so immediately picked the total innacuracy of the premise (that Queen hadn't played together for a long time and were persuaded to get together for Live Aid). But if you're going to play fast and loose with the facts, then at least make it an interesting story and bring in some drama. Bo Rap did, this Elvis film didn't. One possibly moving bit was Mrs Presley senior dying, but that's about it.

Disappointing. I'll guess I'm have to watch Rocket Man as my third and final chance for biopics.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
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Dave Watterson
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Re: Elvis

Post by Dave Watterson »

Rocket Man is fun. It gets a tad slow in the drug taking times in the USA but there are startlingly effective moments.

I don't look for slavish accuracy in films which purport to deal in facts of any kind. If they are approximately right (so far as I am aware) that is fine. Biopics suffer from the memory lapses of people connected with the principal, censorship by the subject or their friends etc.

Haven't yet seen Elvis but will do ... as much because I like most of Baz Luhrman's work as because of my pleasure in Elvis's work.
Michael Slowe
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Re: Elvis

Post by Michael Slowe »

You two youngsters discussing pop people and pop music makes me realise how out of touch this old man is. Your points about true documentary and biopics are timely. The line has become blurred to say the least between the two genres and I think that it can be quite dangerous. As we know, people take very literally things they see on television and the distinction between certainty and possibility should be clearly drawn. That's not to say that these films should not be taken seriously. The one about Jeremy Thorpe (A Very English Scandal), was riveting, how correct every detail was did not really matter. It was not presented as a documentary, but as a fable based on what might have occurred.
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