‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ Review

Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert assembles newly restored performance footage unearthed while he was making his earlier Elvis biopic. The negatives were found in Warner Bros. vaults buried in underground salt mines in Kansas and, together with material from the Graceland Archives, were cleaned up for this theatrical release.

The film opens with snippets of Elvis narrating bits of his life — he quips that he can’t stand still while singing — and then shifts into full-scale concert mode. Luhrmann’s restless, kinetic direction keeps the camera moving, and performances from different shows and eras are stitched together to create a panoramic view of the singer onstage.

Small biographical touches surface amid the songs: a montage of Col. Tom Parker runs under “You’re the Devil in Disguise,” and playful moments include a roll between “Little Sister” and The Beatles’ “Get Back.” The editing lets familiar hits sit alongside surprising connective ideas, keeping the experience lively.

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