Movie review: ‘EPiC’ reaches heights of Elvis Presley humor, energy – UPI.com

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 16 (UPI) — EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, in theaters Friday, is a movie worthy of The King. Especially in IMAX, the concert documentary captures the magnitude of Presley’s charisma, performance and sense of humor.

Director Baz Luhrmann assembled footage from Presley’s 1969 to 1977 Las Vegas residency, including 16mm footage from the 1972 documentary Elvis on Tour and 8mm footage from Graceland to provide context for the concert.

All of the footage still looks like it was captured in the ’60s and ’70s. It hasn’t been restored to an inauthentic state.

However, the material that fills the entire IMAX screen makes that aesthetic towering. Even with front row seats, Presley never looked that big.

But, much of the concert footage, particularly a performance where he’s wearing the iconic white jumpsuit, is presented in the 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The sound actually immerses more clearly than many concerts because it is calibrated for a movie theater.

Though the narration is culled from Presley’s own soundbites, there isn’t any earthshattering revelation. He explains how his shaking dance moves developed alongside rhythm and blues music.

He dodges questions about Sun Records and his movie prospects in press conferences. Priscilla and baby Lisa Marie only appear in one brief section, but he appears happy and loving in those moments.

The rehearsals reveal the most about Presley’s character. He interacts with the band, makes performance decisions and cracks jokes.

Presley approached performing with good humor. The show is organized but he’s having fun with it and with his partners.

He uses humor on stage, too, but with his band, he is a lot more familiar than when he’s playing to the nosebleed section in an arena. So EPiC shows Presley adapting his humor to both settings.

The set list includes all-time hits like “That’s All Right,” “Hound Dog,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” some of his gospel and more than one Beatles cover.

Presley performs “Burning Love” when it’s new, and coordinates with the band on how to conclude the live performance, which simply fades out on the record.

He gives a lot of female fans full kisses, so whatever they paid for front row seats they got their money’s worth. He doesn’t engage lustfully, and indeed his attention to young and disabled fans reinforces his good heart.

For a performer as well documented as Presley, EPiC envelops viewers in his energy. Even when there is overlap with other Presley material, EPiC‘s presentation elevates it to new heights.

Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.