Boobirt
Stylish but barely mediocre overall
Contentar
Best movie of this year hands down!
Melanie Bouvet
The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.
Allison Davies
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
dougdoepke
Love him or not, Elvis is considered by many as the single greatest influence on pop- culture of the last half of the 20th century. Here he shows some of that impact in what's mainly a cross-section of stage shows from a 1972 concert tour. There's not as much backstage as I hoped, but it's still revealing of a genuine legend. At 37, he's heavier and less lively than earlier, which is understandable, given the passing years. Plus, there's little of the patented swivel-hips, even though the girls still go crazy. Then too, the split screen technique synchronizes the stage act with audience reaction in revealing fashion. Note too, how his act is more dependent on stagecraft (the cape, the lighting, the banter) than during his emergent years. But that too is understandable, given the rigors of a multi-city tour. The musical selections are a mix of tried and true ("Don't Be Cruel", "Love Me Tender" et al.) and new, and makes up most of the documentary. All in all, this is not Elvis at his most dynamic. Still, the 90-some minutes amounts to a worthwhile look at a giant of R&R, doing what he liked best.
kevin
this documentary was excellent. it is the king at his finest. he comes onto the stage sings a brilliant see see rider with all the surge of electricity of his entrance then he bursts into an excellent Polk salad Annie and rocks the joint. then throughout the film he sings love songs and dramatic songs and more rock songs all with the rawness and power that is the king Elvis Presley! this documentary deserved the golden globe that it had won. it is a professional---yet raw and rocky performance by the king following him from his changing room to the stage and then off stage into his limo and then on to the next city. this film deserves a lot more than what it got in the ratings i would give it a 9/10 because it is not just a film---it is a film of the king of rock'n'roll doing what he does best!
Michael_Elliott
Elvis on Tour (1972) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Pretty good documentary that (once again) captures Elvis on stage and behind the scenes. Sadly I had to watch a P&S version of this film, which was amongst the worst I've ever seen since the film used multi-screens and the left and right were usually just cut off. The performance by Elvis here is rather hit and miss but overall it's a nice collection of songs from a 15-city tour. 'See See Rider' and 'Proud Mary' don't come off too hot but The King once again nails a cover of 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. Classics like 'Love Me Tender', 'Can't Help Falling in Love', 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Suspicious Minds' comes off very good. The behind the scenes stuff isn't as interesting here as I had hoped but it was rather funny seeing the Gov. of North Carolina kiss Elvis' ass so much. The stuff with the fans reactions to be kissing by Elvis were also great. The flashback scenes to the younger Elvis weren't needed and the movie kisses sequence wasn't needed either. Martin Scorsese worked on the picture as an editor, which I didn't know until after the movie.
artbyshan
This is a good film for those that consider themselves as fans. The film shows many behind the scenes footage as well as concert footage. The casual fan may become board, and I would probably recommend Aloha From Hawaii for a simple concert with polished sound. However, this film goes beyond the concert and shows the preparation, fan fair, and a glimpse into a superstar's life. Elvis still looks to be in good health, and one must consider the fashion of the 1970's. This is before giant screens, laser shows, and special effects were on the scene. So extravagant costumes added to his persona. For the most part Elvis seems to be very jovial, but a few times (e.g., When staring out of car window and when receiving a gift from a town official {Though he is humble and respectful}) somewhat bored and reflective. One must also consider that this is filmed approximately five years before his untimely death (i.e. His appearance remained good up until approximately the last two years of his life). The spiritual side of the man is also shown to a great degree in this film, with several gospel songs sung by him and his backup vocalist.