Elvis: That's the Way It Is (2014)

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Elvis Presley was a hugely influential performer with one of the most distinctive singing voices of anybody. 'Elvis: That's the Way It Is' is an acclaimed documentary film for good reason, and better than all of his films he made during the mid-50s-late-60s.His film career was highly variable as an overall film career with some good ones, some decent ones, some mediocre ones and some bad ones. Elvis' performances in them ranged from good, great even in a few, to clearly disinterested and embarrassed (and in some of his later films who could blame him), even the best ones.Simply put, for fans of the justly named The King of Rock and Roll, 'Elvis: That's the Way It Is' is unmissable, and even non-fans may find themselves converted. It's cohesively shot and edited, where one gets to properly know Elvis, the band and the audience.With Elvis himself, he looks great and sounds even better. He looks like a natural on stage, electric with the band and while with a couple of awkward moments which one puts down to nervous energy fun with the audience. The energy levels seen are immense. The backstage stuff is fascinating too and is seeing Elvis in rehearsal.The quality of the music can't be faulted either, with a mix of his greatest and iconic hits and his newer music. No forgettable at best ones here and no career-low ones either. It's all brilliantly performed all round and there is a real atmosphere with the audience, everybody clearly having a great time without being over the top.In conclusion, unmissable to sum it up in one word. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I'm commenting from the two DVD set one containing the original 1970 release version, and other the 2001 remastered version. The two movies are actually different enough to be considered two separate movies with mostly different songs, so if you play both back to back, it's like being entertained by a 3 hour long Elvis live in Las Vegas movie. By the time I was growing up, there was a whole generation who've never seen Elvis doing his music, and only known him from movies made in the '60s. So we had no clue why he was so famous. But when I saw the original release of this movie in theaters, for the first time I understood why he was so famous. I think I saw then for the first time what the word "entertainer" meant. He was the very embodiment of that word. This movie captures Elvis at his prime. Possibly the greatest entertainer in history is captured live, doing "his" thing. You would not be disappointed seeing this movie, with some of the best musicians in business playing along his side. Elvis was probably the first to pioneer having white male gospel singers (The Imperials), and black female blues singers (The Sweet Inspirations) to be his backing vocals. The combination of their harmony is spot on for his music. You'll also see the famous TCB band in action with James Burton on lead guitar putting out rainbow of tonal colors from his guitar. To me the 1970 version told a more complete story of Elvis and the culture surrounding him, and had better selection of songs, but that's just my opinion. Having both versions you can choose, and pick your favorite version. The remastered version have better color and sound. Take a tour back to 1970 with this movie, and see the KING in all his splendor. Guaranteed to be one of the best entertainment you've had in your life.

Since this captures Elvis at the beginning of his white jump-suited Vegas years, it's valuable. The song performances range from great to rushed, depending on what kind of effort Elvis wants to put into a particular song. As a total performance, it is good - but, it doesn't tell the whole musical story that is Elvis Presley. As a documentary, it's no great shakes.Since we knew Elvis was an extraordinary vocalist, what else doe the film show? I was surprised by the backstage "banter" sessions - it looked, to me, like some of Elvis' friends and personnel were confused about their own relationships with "The King". They seemed, at times, more like idol-worshiping fans than real friends - laughing at bad jokes and demonstrating random subservience. Elvis' fame must have been difficult all those concerned. ***** Elvis - That's the Way It Is (11/11/70) Denis Sanders ~ Elvis Presley, James Burton, Red West

Having recently read Peter Guralnick's extraordinary "Careless Love" (the second part of his gold-standard Elvis biography), I was pleased when I saw this was going to be shown on TCM. The film shows Elvis at the very beginning of his Vegas period (August 1970)--that is, soon after his '68 comeback to live performing, but before he was hugely bloated and out of it. The Elvis here is still reasonably fit, in good voice, and enthusiastic as a performer (most of the time). It's amazing--after seeing so many Elvis impersonators and cultural kitsch surrounding the King, I think I've very rarely seen real footage of Elvis singing from this period. He definitely still had it, even if he's not quite at the peak form of the '68 special.This film was shot by Lucien Ballard ("The Wild Bunch" among others) and looks good. This is definitely the best thing to see if you want to see the rapport the later Elvis had with the audience. The band is probably the best one he had in Vegas--Burton, Tutt, Scheff, etc. Props to TCM for assembling the most useful outtakes from the sessions with the band--a rare chance to see Elvis in the studio, jamming and working out his ideas.Definitely worth a rental or Tivoing if it comes back on--this is a crucial historical record.