Greetings again from the darkness. “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah.” As Elvis sings “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, the combination of the lyrics and his voice send chills. We listen as Elvis states he’s never had the chance to tell us his story in his own words. Director Baz Luhrmann discovered hours of previously unheard audio and unseen video recordings while researching his 2022 film, ELVIS. He has masterfully edited this into a fascinating portrait of the King of Rock ‘n Roll, with an emphasis on his multi-year run at the Las Vegas International Hotel.
Despite the cute title and its double meaning, Luhrmann doesn’t deliver the standard concert film. The first segment offers a brief recap of Elvis’ early years as a teen idol, followed by his military stint (and buzz cut), and string of Hollywood films. But it really kicks into gear with the Las Vegas residency years – more than 1100 shows – beginning in 1969. As you watch this, keep in mind that Elvis was in his mid-thirties in most of the clips (he died in 1977 at age 42). Those early Vegas years were Elvis at his peak both physically and vocally. Luhrmann’s brilliant touch includes bouncing from rehearsal to live show. What shines through is Elvis’ true love of the music and absolute dedication to entertaining his fans.
Thankfully, Luhrmann (who also directed MOULIN ROUGE!, 2001) skips the ‘fat Elvis’ ending and focuses on the global phenomenon matched only by The Beatles and Taylor Swift. Elvis speaks to his disappointment at not having the opportunity to act in better films, and it’s clear that his long-time manager, Colonel Tom Parket was also the obstacle to Elvis touring Europe, Japan, or anywhere else outside of the Unites States. Creative editing has Elvis performing “You Were Always On My Mind” during the montage of Priscilla and Lisa Marie, as well as “In the Ghetto” on the heels of him mentioning that he avoids speaking on politics and sees himself as ‘an entertainer’. He even cringes when asked about his Sun Records recordings by Sam Phillips, noting the heavy echo of the songs that initially brought him notoriety.
As a lifelong Elvis fan, noting his pure joy in the music hits hard. A personal favorite moment occurs when he cuts loose on “How Great Thou Art”. The power and depth of that voice was a true gift … not unlike the genetic lottery he won with his looks. The middle-aged ladies sitting next to us in the theater swooned multiple times as he flashed his smile, and of course, those in attendance at his live show had obvious reactions as well. Perhaps no one on the planet ever kissed more women than Elvis.
Luhrmann includes bits of 50+ songs (I lost count) and uses some footage shot for two previous documentaries, ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS (1970) and ELVIS ON TOUR (1972), yet here he goes much deeper into the man – the one with a sometimes goofy sense of humor who understood the power of entertaining the audience. Sometimes that audience included celebrities … we see Cary Grant, Sammy Davis Jr, and George Hamilton at shows; but mostly it was how his shows touched everyone with his energy. In deference to the many actors who have portrayed Elvis on screen, including Jacob Elordi, Austin Butler, Kurt Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michael Shannon, and Bruce Campbell, there really was no one like him. Elvis may have left the building, but it’s clear the spirit of his music continues to take care of business.
One week run at IMAX theaters thru February 26, 2026 followed by a wide theater run beginning February 27, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. That electric smile with the front tooth gap always seemed to accompany the amazing keyboard work of the great Billy Preston. This superb documentary from Paris Barclay proves the musicianship was otherworldly, but also that the Billy Preston smile often hid the pain, hardship, and history of the man.
Greetings again from the darkness. I had to have that ball. The red, white, and blue basketball looked so cool whether you were shooting a jumper or spinning it on your finger. And it looked even better when “Dr J” was soaring in for a finger-roll or slamming one home. To this young kid, the ABA was ultra cool, and now this four-episode documentary series from director Kenan Kamwana Holley and producers George Karl, Julius Erving, and Common (among others) provides a rush of nostalgia for those my age, and a sports history lesson for younger folks.
Greetings again from the darkness. Heroes come in many shapes and sizes, and heroic acts may be big or small. What’s consistent is the need for courage to do the right thing, regardless of the circumstances or personal risk. The actions of Pavel “Pasha” Talankin clearly fall under this definition, and with the help of his co-director David Borenstein, the finished film not only provides us with rare insight into Russian life, it has also been nominated for Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Academy Awards.
Greetings again from the darkness. “Laughter is the best medicine.” Proof comes in the form of filmmaker Mel Brooks and this two-part HBO Documentary from two Emmy award winning directors: Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio. The title is a take-off on Brooks’ age and his decades-long-running gag, “The 2000 Year-Old Man”. This is a film for anyone who is a fan of any of Mel Brooks’ eleven feature film comedies, his long track record of comedy writing (TV, film, Broadway), or a general history of the comedy forum. Two parts cover the familiar pieces of his career, while also putting his work into historical perspective, and offering insight into his personal life, his inspirations, and his romance and friendships.
Greetings again from the darkness. As far as non-political topics go, none are hotter than Artificial Intelligence (AI). What is the potential? What are the risks? Will it be used for good or evil? Who will control its use? Who am I kidding … AI is very much a political topic, and all of these questions have political and social implications. Award-winning documentarian Adam Bhala Lough has the same questions and concerns that we all do, and he decides to seek answers from the face of and driving force behind AI: Sam Altman, the founder of AI research organization OpenAI, which developed the chatbot, ChatGPT.
Greetings again from the darkness. I really try to be a good citizen. I watch and read the news daily – even when it’s painful. I keep up with cultural and societal shifts. Despite my best efforts, every now and then something comes along that stuns me … catching me off guard to the point that I simply never suspected what’s really happening. My latest eye-opener comes courtesy of documentarian Benjamin Flaherty, who utilizes his own experiences (finally getting sober at age 41) to wake us up to the corruption that feeds the profitability of addiction centers (a billion-dollar industry).
Greetings again from the darkness. The line between right and wrong may be more blurred than ever these days, yet we’d be mistaken if we were to assume that the line was once distinct and clear. Rick Rowley (Oscar nominated for his 2013 documentary DIRTY WARS) offers the disturbing details of the investigation into the 2010 event that led to the death at the border of an undocumented Mexican immigrant named Anastasio Hernandez – Rojas.
Greetings again from the darkness. The next entry in the HBO Music Box documentary series comes from director Amy Scott and provides a textbook example of what can happen when a band hits it big ‘overnight’. It’s not always pretty, and sometimes it’s downright uncomfortable. Counting Crows’ popularity exploded with the release of their 1993 debut album, “August and Everything After”. The hit single, “Mr Jones” was all over the radio, only to be followed by an even better song, “Round Here”. The band and their music were ubiquitous.
Greetings again from the darkness. There may be no more effective way to change the outside world’s perspective of a culture or country than through music. That’s the path Wizkid is taking to re-introduce the world to his home country of Nigeria and transform the image. Documentarian Karam Gill continues his focus on those in the music industry who have loftier goals than just hit records.