This Is Elvis (1981) User Reviews (24)

Tremendous documentary spotlighting a dynamic Icon.

[michaelRokeefe · 8/10 · 16 August 2000]

Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt: enough said. These guys do deep research and do everything first class. This will be one of the best documentaries of an entertainer ever put on film. Elvis Presley meant so many different things to so many different people. He effected society, hair and clothing styles like no one before him. He changed the music world with the power of an Atomic Bomb. He has sold over one billion records and was the first visual founding father of the phenomenon that became rock 'n' roll. His influence will live for decades to come. This is a personal look as well as a tribute to the world's most loved entertainer.

I have the expanded 144 minute version of THIS IS ELVIS and watch it at least once a year. The soundtrack is like a history and not a greatest hits project. Even the non Elvis fan will be impressed with this entertaining look at musical history.

This Is Elvis (1981) ***1/2

[JoeKarlosi · 9/10 · 17 August 2007]

Very good documentary from Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt on Elvis Presley's life, as "narrated" by Presley from beyond, in the voice of sound-alike impersonator Ral Donner (who doesn't sound exactly like Elvis if you're someone who's really become familiarized with Presley's speaking voice). Anyway, this is essential viewing for fans, naturally, but even for those who aren't big followers of Elvis. It shows the rise and fall of a music legend, and along the way are a plethora of choice musical performance clips, interviews, home movies, and montages.

The one thing that has always bugged me slightly about this film are the occasional "faked" interviews supposedly done with fans at various times over the years, like the segment after Elvis and Priscilla got married in 1967. This was completely unnecessary, and some of the re-enactments with a phony Presley supposedly walking around his hospital with his current girlfriend Ginger are equally silly and not needed. The movie hit theaters in 1981 at around 100 minutes, but for home video in 1983 there were an additional 40 or so minutes of performance clips added, which is the version I watched, and is the one this review is based on. In the theatrical version, an original line is left intact during a backstage Elvis exchange where he says that the girl he had the other night "gave great head"; on the extended version, this is overdubbed into "could raise the dead". Another change regards a song switch during Elvis' final 1977 concert... originally, the film had him singing "Are You Lonesome Tonight" where he's nervously laughing and screwing up the lyrics; in this edition it is changed to the less embarrassing "Love Me". Perhaps the shorter theatrical edition might work even better, since the 144 minute cut does feel occasionally padded in the earlier years. Whatever the cut chosen, it's still an important and vital piece of music history. ***1/2 out of ****

"The King" as a human being...

[Rambler · 8/10 · 9 September 1999]

I remember when this film first appeared on HBO in the early eighties. I was never a huge Elvis fan, but found myself watching this film every time it came on. It is a fascinating portrait of a man thrust into overwhelming fame and fabulous wealth and how it eventually destroys him. The "recreations" are very well done and the film as a whole is very balanced in it's view of Elvis' life. It neither canonizes nor trashes him, but shows him as an ordinary guy dealing with extraordinary fame. The longer version now available on video is nice, but I miss the late concert performance where Elvis, sick, overweight, and bathed in sweat, forgets the lyrics of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and nervously "wings it". Maybe that was too much truth, even for this documentary.

This is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen!

[edbelcher-2 · 10/10 · 10 May 2005]

"This is Elvis" is an interesting and fantastic documentary to watch even if you are not an Elvis fan.

As an Elvis fan, I am very critical when it comes to inaccuracies about his life. I found this documentary to be very accurate and honest with the way it told the story of Elvis' life. The blend of actual Elvis footage along with very believable reenactments makes the documentary flow with continuity and excitement.

In addition, the song selections that accompanied the various video sequences were always right on the money. It was like watching Elvis' life story being told through entertaining and poignant music videos.

One thing I respected about the documentary, although difficult to watch, was the way the creators did not try to candy-coat the details of the sad way Elvis' life began to spiral down a self-destructive path during the 70's until his untimely death at the age of 42.

All in all, "This is Elvis" is a very entertaining, empathetic, and honest look at the life of Elvis Presley; the American Icon who rightfully earned the title as the King of Rock 'n Roll.

The King Still Rules

[Boyo-2 · 10/10 · 17 August 2000]

On Elvis' birthday this past year, I watched his movies and documentaries on television all day long. By the end of the day, I was a hooked fan and understood why this man is worshipped around the globe. Since then I have seen many of his movies, concerts and read books.

This movie is separate from all of that, as it reveals the man inside the myth. Anyone with even a casual interest in Elvis would find this interesting, but to a fanatic like myself this is immeasurably important. I enjoyed seeing him in the later years practising karate, to the song "Kung Fu Fighting".

The Life and Times of Elvis

[Michael_Elliott · 18 August 2017]

This Is Elvis (1981)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt co-directed this very interesting and entertaining mix of a documentary and played out drama. What we basically have is a look at the life of Elvis Presley with the film starting and ending on his death. Throughout the documentary we get countless clips from television shows, movies and concerts while at the same time seeing various stages of his life where he's being played by actors.

THIS IS ELVIS was released a few years after the death of Elvis and I'm sure at the time it was a refreshing reminder of the talent that was cut short. When viewing the film today one must really be impressed with the footage that the directors threw in here as well as how they ended up showing the life and death of this icon. The documentary works wonderfully well because you really do get to see the rise of Elvis through his clips, the controversy he faced and how he eventually became the King of Rock and Roll.

For me the greatest thing about this was the collection of musical performances. We see his earliest performances on television as well as some clips from his comeback special and of course footage from one of the last concerts he did. All of this footage is evidence that no matter what era Elvis was in, his look might be different but that brilliant voice is still right there and as powerful as ever.

The "acting" scenes are also quite good and especially one at the start of the picture when the Colonel is made aware that Elvis has died. I was actually pretty shocked at how well these scenes played out as they're both entertaining and work well as drama. THIS IS ELVIS is a film that fans often call one of the best documentaries on the man.

Very Interesting Movie

[kwbucsfan · 7/10 · 29 August 2005]

This was one of the most interesting movies, I have ever seen. I like the way it has people portraying Elvis, and the way the narration is done, it is almost authentic. The stock files of Elvis are really interesting. Seeing the real Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, and the other shows he did during the early part of his career, are really cool. Listening to his obvious frustration of being drafted into the army, and the hurt he felt when his mother passed away and his total disgust for the movie treadmill he was on, it revealed quite a bit about the man. I loved watching his comeback and seeing him back on stage in the 1970's again. I had never realized how many health problems that he was having by the mid 1970's and the movie touches somewhat on that as well. For most of the movie, Elvis looked good, and healthy, the most shocking part was near the very end of the movie, when he walks out on stage for the last time in the movie, in one of the two concerts taped for the CBS Special "Elvis In Concert", just how terrible he looked. Seeing him so overweight, and obviously so unhealthy, was quite a shock. And watching him forget the words to "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", was sad. At that point, I think he was already dying. But still a great movie.

The Rise and Fall of the King of Rock n' Roll

[Wuchakk · 8/10 · 12 July 2015]

Released in 1981, "This is Elvis" is a documentary covering the rise and fall of Presley made only 3 years after his death and released in 1981. Extensive archival footage is mixed with recreations using actors standing in for Elvis, as well as some recreations shot to look like archival footage.

While some people complain about the recreations and say they "don't work," I didn't have a problem with them, at least not the ones where actors play Elvis as a youth. After all, without these sequences we wouldn't get to picture Elvis playing in front of a high school class or playing with black friends on the industrial side of Memphis, etc.

The original theatrical version runs 101 minutes while the later TV version added 43 minutes. The former is less "family friendly," depicting the way it really was without censure. For instance, Elvis is shown saying a couple off-color things about his sexual escapades with women on the road. A short time later the narration depicts him lamenting his divorce from Priscilla in 1973, four years before his death in 1977. The made-up monologue makes it sound like Elvis wasn't sure what caused them to grow apart and eventually split. Gee, he might want to quit having adulterous liaisons on the road. That might help. Anyway, the 144-minute TV version cuts these types of things and homogenizes the film for family viewing. It even omits the blubbering "Lonesome Tonight" song from his final concert, which is a must-see. The shorter version is just more gritty and authentic, the way a rock n' roll documentary should be.

One great scene is the interview with Elvis' former body guards who wrote a book dissin' him. They were like family for years and understandably felt betrayed. One testifies in the interview that he confronted Presley about his ongoing drug dependency and Elvis finally admitted that he "needed them." A minute later you see the ex-body guard wiping the tears from his eyes.

As he aged Elvis was on a spiritual quest and was quoted saying to his hairdresser: "I mean there has to be a purpose ... there's got to be a reason ... why I was chosen to be Elvis Presley. ... I swear to God, no one knows how lonely I get. And how empty I really feel." He thus was preoccupied by such matters for much of the rest of his life, taking trunk-loads of books with him on the road.

In his last performance in the documentary it shows Elvis playing for the first time after gaining weight and, for some reason, I was expecting a really fat Elvis, but that wasn't the case at all. Yes his face is bloated and sweaty, but he's clearly only about 25 pounds overweight. Maybe he was heavier before the show and got in shape a bit before the event, I don't know, but he was by no means grotesquely overweight, not at all. Last night I went to a concert and saw some middle-aged men; now they were grossly overweight.

Despite Elvis' bad movies, drug addiction and adulteries, he was an amiable, fascinating and talented individual and "This is Elvis" fully demonstrates why he was and is "The King of Rock & Roll."

GRADE: A-

Well done life like bio of the one and only "Elvis"

[blanbrn · 7/10 · 2 August 2022]

Never can get enough of watching and finding out about "Elvis" and finally after many years watched this mostly black and white 1981 doc "This Is Elvis". And I must say it was well done and informative with actors portraying Elvis and Priscilla in many scenes and hearing the actual voices of Elvis and Priscilla as narrators in many scenes describe moments of the past was touching and memorable. The doc traces his life and early humble start in Mississippi to his rise and influence with music before his move to Memphis after fame. Vintage personal footage is shown from his homes, and concerts, it's like you got to know the King on a personal level. Also highlighted is his appearances on the Ed Sullivan show and how the King's dance moves caused a stir. And his 1968 comeback special and Vegas tour is well documented along with his heartbreak telling of his divorce from Priscilla, all of this before his untimely death in 1977. Which in the end the film gives a go away tribute it touches your emotions. Overall a well life bio like doc that is a must see for any "Elvis" fan.

"This is a real decent, fine boy." - Ed Sullivan describing Elvis Presley

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 2 February 2016]

Almost forty years after his death in 1977, Elvis Presley fans still lament the passing of a remarkable music icon. This documentary captures many of the significant moments of the ill fated singer's life and does a respectable job even in the limited TV version shown on cable stations where I happened to catch it. Particularly interesting are the clips from the Fifties which record Presley's emergence on the entertainment scene. His first TV appearance in 1956 offers a respectable version of "Shake, Rattle and Roll", and it was a real trip down memory lane seeing Milton Berle get torn apart by frenzied teenage girls mistaking him for the King. Sure it was a hound dog moment, but Elvis wasn't at all uncomfortable about poking fun at himself. What was a real eye opener was seeing Presley's performance from the waist down a handful of times before he appeared for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show. The documentary follows Elvis from his early days performing through his movie career, military service and eventual return to the concert stage, and features a sufficient sampling of Presley's well known hits. Winding things down, the picture offers a clip of Elvis singing 'Are You Lonesome Tonight' only six weeks before his death, by which point his excessive drug use had taken it's toll and it's readily apparent. His rendition of 'My Way' is particularly poignant as the performer sings "And now, the end is near..." as the film transitions tastefully to the funeral cortège mourned by the entire world at the time. Made in 1981, the documentary may have an outdated feel to modern day viewers, but if you're a fan of Elvis Presley, the picture goes a long way to capture the essence of the King of Rock and Roll.

for the time, just fine

[beauzee · 7/10 · 3 April 2015]

the theatre and home video versions both have great, clean and clear cuts, and even today with the wonders of youtube (showing all kinds of stuff which shoulda coulda), they are awesome.

what makes me deliver a 7 and not 9 or 10, is the embarrassing "recreations" of fans in an Elvis fervor, and the ridiculous "from the grave" nonsense. plus all the bad singing imitations. bad.

I saw the movie in New York, in 1981, bought the BETAMAX tape, and then the extended version. I know this movie. Could have easily been great...in some ways, just another Elvis film just a tweak or two away from true greatness! :)

Great new DVD set

[CATMAN-6 · 10/10 · 6 September 2007]

I recently purchased the new DVD of this film from Amazon, and it's great.

I'm so glad they included both the theatrical version and the extended version. I'd never seen the latter, and It's by far the better of the two. It includes more footage of the upstairs. You get to see Elvis' bedroom and even get a look at the bathroom, though from a distance. But the best part of all is the footage from the June, '77 tour. It's about ten minutes and has "Love Me", which isn't in the theatrical version. The video quality is perfect, much better than the original release. Seeing it makes me long for the day when EPE will release all the footage shot by CBS during the tour.

A Good Luck at Elvis

[tkdlifemagazine · 7/10 · 2 July 2022]

A re-released movie from the 1980's to coincide with the release of Bas Luhrmann's new film. This documentary blends actual footage of Elvis's life and career with actors playing Presley at various stages of life. It is a good and fun documentary. It is a really endearing walk down the life of the poor southern boy that became a larger than life icon. This is now more than 40 years old but it holds up.

Well intentioned but flawed

[robin-290 · 5/10 · 15 March 2005]

A reasonably accurate and sympathetic portrayal, sadly undermined by a few glaring clangers..

At one point, the film attempts to use the Aloha From Hawaii concert to emphasise the widening gulf between the triumph of Elvis' professional life and his increasingly sad and lonely existence off stage.

A camera in the limo supposedly shows Elvis and a members of the inner Memphis Mafia departing the Honolulu International Centre following the show, as the narrating actor (as Elvis) laments, "If only I could have seen what was happening to me..".. Unfortunately, a clumsily overdubbed comment ("Man can Hawaii get sticky") didn't hide the fact that Elvis had already commented that it was a "hot time in Florida", another occupant pointed out the Gator Bowl in the distance, bright sunshine was evident (Aloha was filmed after midnight) and Joe Esposito (long serving Road manager) said with a sense of relief "The last matinée of the tour". This footage had been taken from a Florida concert filmed for "Elvis On Tour" a year previously, which also explains the fact that Presley was actually wearing a different stage costume in the Limo to the famous "American Eagle" suit worn for the Aloha show, and that the boys were discussing Florida landmarks and previous tour experiences at the Gator Bowl as they left the stadium.

Later, during a press conference in which ex bodyguards Sonny West and Dave Hebler attempt to justify writing the tell-all, "Elvis What Happened?" there is an enormous double take by a reporter, supposedly, over Presley's use of Demerol. "You actually saw him take (The name of the drug is edited) .?" "Yes".. Sonny goes on to explain that his cousin (and co author) Red West had threatened to "break up" the supplier but had relented when Elvis assured him, "I need it, man"..Demerol, a prescription painkiller, had already been alluded to as one of Presley's drugs of choice earlier in the interview. No one would have been surprised to hear that Sonny had witnessed Elvis taking Demerol, which was being prescribed (rightly or wrongly) by his doctor. The real question actually referred to cocaine, which explains the press reaction when Sonny said, "yes" as this allegation (true or false) was far more explosive.

Despite some ill-used dramatic licence, "This Is Elvis" is an interesting introduction to the Presley phenomenon, but a long way from the definitive account.

This Is Elvis

[jcolyer1229 · 9/10 · 7 October 2007]

This is an excellent biography about the life of Elvis Presley on the heels of his death. Ral Donner, an Elvis clone, does his voice. It is as if Elvis speaks to us from beyond the grave. A young actor plays Elvis in scenes from his early life. Leo and Solt managed to tap Elvis' private film archives. Young Priscilla is shown at Elvis' birthday party in Germany. Of course, there is the condescending Ed Sullivan assuring us that Elvis is "a fine boy, thoroughly alright." Roger Ebert's review implied that Elvis was an alcoholic. Nothing could be farther from the truth. He did not drink. There is a marked contrast between Elvis in his 20s and Elvis in his 40s, but I sense in some a grim exultation regarding the fall of Elvis Presley. The soundtrack contains Always On My Mind. Elvis' version is far superior to Willie Nelson's.

Odd Docu-Something Hybrid

[rand-4 · 25 August 2001]

"This is Elvis" is one of the oddest "documentaries" I've ever seen. Using extensive archival footage, mixed with recreations shot to look like archival footage, the film looks at the rise of fall of Elvis.

The problem is that the recreation footage comes off as bad TV movie of the week, standing in stark contrast to the original, compelling material presented in the piece.

The success of "This is Elvis" was the impetus behind the current style of historical documentaries that attempt to recreate drama where no original footage exists to illustrate it. In that sense, "This is Elvis" looks a bit embarrassing at times, since it doesn't have the slickness of more contemporary "docu-drama-documentaries" in the genre.

What I'm waiting for is an Elvis documentary done with the taste and skillfullness of the "Beatles: Anthology" mini-series aired on ABC.

9 out of 10 for real Elvis, only

[helenmag-15673 · 9/10 · 25 December 2021]

This film lost one star from me for the weird dramatic scenes by actors mixed in with the real footage of Elvis & friends.

The documentary parts and concert footage are fantastic, terrific.

Elvis, Unfiltered

[frankwiener · 8/10 · 10 September 2020]

Although some reviewers criticize the actor renditions of Elvis's early life, how else could the creators, Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt, present the full story of Elvis Presley? The scene of Elvis performing to his high school music class in Memphis was a high moment for me, especially when he believed that he was so poorly regarded by his classmates and teachers. How was he able to overcome a sea of negativity and doubt in order to accomplish that task so successfully? His ability to stand before his class and then capture them with his musical talent and personal charisma was a significant turning point, not only in the film but in his life. The rest was history. Can anyone speculate what would have happened if he chose the bicycle over the guitar as his parents' birthday gift? We can all be inspired by the story of Elvis Presley.

In my humble view, this film accurately portrayed the heavy toll that enormous fame can take on a gentle human being. While other famous people have been able to overcome the constant pressures and hardships of a constant, unforgiving public eye, they may not have possessed the humanity and decency of an Elvis Presley. As exemplified by his extraordinary generosity with the Cadillac gifts, he wanted more than anything else to please others, including his adoring audiences, and when the world demanded so much from him, how could he constantly live up to their expectations?

Ed Sullivan was not condescending when he showered Elvis with praise at the end of the earth-shattering 1956 appearance on his enormously popular television show. Sullivan had been extremely reluctant to sign Elvis because he allowed others to develop his opinion of Elvis before he realized who Elvis was on his own. It was to Sullivan's credit that he finally gave the green light to Elvis, but he was also bowing to public pressure as he sought the most sensational musical performers at the time. First and foremost, Ed Sullivan was a very shrewd businessman.

As in the case of the Beatles, I never understood what all of the screaming and shrieking was about, but I always loved the music of Elvis Presley. For me, Elvis will always be the king of rock n roll. In spite of all of his flaws as a human being, he will live as one of the greatest musical performers of my time. Not only did this film provide a very deep insight into the life and challenges of one of the greatest stars in modern music, but it also highlighted some of my favorite Elvis tunes, including "Always on My Mind", "Suspicious Minds", and "Don't Be Cruel". Even when Elvis messed up the lines of "Are You Lonesome Tonight", he could sing a song like no other. As "An American Trilogy" plays in the background, the white Cadillac funeral procession through the streets of a bereaved Memphis, the city he loved so dearly, will always leave an indelible impression on my mind. Rest in peace, Elvis. We will never forget you.

Elvis: Rise & Death

[Rainey-Dawn · 9/10 · 6 August 2022]

This biography-documentary tells us of the rise of The King to his death. This film gives us a brief look at his humble beginnings to his rise to fame and fortune. We all know his final years took a very sad turn for the worst - the drugs (uppers and downers) - the film briefs us on that as well.

Overall a very good film that shows us the basic life of Elvis the man and Elvis the entertainer.

9.5/10.

A good documentary...BUT...

[jcnl-82046 · 10/10 · 8 August 2022]

A good documentary, but you can be forgiven if you think David Scott, as 18 year old Elvis, looks and sounds more like Ricky Nelson here, especially alongside footage of the real Elvis. (Indeed, Ricky himself pulled off an Elvis impression of his own in another movie, Rio Bravo with John Wayne and Dean Martin.)

Overall, it's an interesting concept, blending genuine with recreated documentary footage of Elvis, his fans, family, friends, and detractors, largely narrarated by someone pulling off a pretty decent approximation of his voice and speech pattern.

In these days of twerking, it's amusing to see the reactions that Elvis' spontaneous dance style, which in retrospect was no more controversial than (and somewhat based on) the jitterbug of the 1940s, brought to America.

The definitive film on Elvis

[vinridente · 10/10 · 6 November 2021]

Elvis lives in the definitive movie made about him the story starts with when Ginger Alden finds his dead body and then we move on to how fans reacted to the king's death and then from there the movie takes you on a journey through his whole life through his successful career a career that ended tragically at only 42 years old I really enjoyed the clips from his career and the way they showed other moments of his career by using actors and I thought it was cool using Ral Donner the best Elvis sound a like to make it sound like Elvis telling his own story.so all the Elvis fans out there if you want the definitive story of Elvis search no further then This is Elvis.

excellent if sad portrait

[blanche-2 · 9 July 2000]

This is a wonderful documentary about the rise and villification of rock 'n' roll (with people's attitudes very similar to those toward rap music today), our country in the '50s and '60s and most especially about Elvis Presley. Any retrospective of his career will always leave the viewer sad - he starts out totally natural and instinctive and ends up doing a Liberace-type act. The clips of the concert six weeks before his death are downright chilling and leave one wondering how he lived another six weeks.

biodocpic

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 6 September 2020]

This starts with a tantalizing glimpse inside Graceland and then Elvis dies. It's a biopic using recreations and old footage which turns it closer to a documentary. The narration from the Elvis character seem to be a voice from the great beyond. The various disgust is hilarious and the racist shocks you back to reality. That was the real south at the time. I've seen some of that especially "Rock and Roll has got to go". It's a fascinating mixing.

I didn't grow up with Elvis. He was way before my time. Looking at the young Elvis, something occurs to me. He was the huggable teen dreamboat who broke the old southern establishment. It's more than his hip shakes. He's got the sleepy eyes and the full lips. He is the sex and the boy next door. As for the drugs, I'm surprised that the movie even touches on the subject. I'm sure that they needed the family's approval with the footage and I didn't expect hitting so hard on that part. The bodyguards really shock the movie out of its complacency. The film even takes on his weight near the end. All in all, this is a more than fair portrayal of the man. There is a lot of life to examine and sometimes it skims an essential parts. That later performance is amazing. He's crying and seems to be a man coming apart. "My Way" is so poignant there. This is more than a clip show. The title is not wrong.

So THIS IS ELVIS! I never would have guessed!

[The_Sensitive_One · 10/10 · 13 July 2003]

THIS IS ELVIS follows in the footsteps of other outstanding documentaries like THE RUTLES. Until now I always looked upon Elvis Presely as the single most gifted thespian of the 1960s (see GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS!) but then I find out that he's also a musician! I was under the impression that whenever he "sang" in a film, it was dubbed in somewhere else by a professional. My God, no wonder why so many jokes have been lost on me in my lifetime. I had a late girlfriend who made me pompadour my hair with Dippity-Doo like The King so that these punks at White Castle would beat me up; she thought it was pretty funny. But, obviously, "The King" refers to his real talent, that being the head honcho of theater. Elvis, I still love you, man!