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

Such a frustrating disappointment

hyped garbage

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

I can't let my appreciation of Elvis Presley's music and career get in the way of this review. The first twenty five minutes or so of rehearsals, fooling around and Elvis falling off his chair a few times seemed a frivolous waste of time. You couldn't even call the rehearsals anything serious because what was shown didn't have Elvis deliver anything in it's entirety, except perhaps his dual rendition of 'Little Sister' riffing into a refrain of the Beatles' 'Get Back'. When the documentary finally got to the actual concert things picked up considerably, but maybe for all the wrong reasons. Looking tanned, healthy and fit, and clad in his signature white jumpsuit, Presley was energized beyond the requirements of his considerable song list, with rushed arrangements of classics like "Hound Dog' and 'Heartbreak Hotel', with his martial art persona very much in evidence and striking an almost embarrassing posture for much of the latter portion of the film. Granted, the concert footage consists of six separate performances over a three day span, so I'm thinking that actually being there one might have experienced a more natural delivery from The King; on screen it just looks like the adrenaline kicked in and Presley had to work off his considerable energy. What was definitely cool was catching some celebrity faces in Las Vegas on hand to catch the opening show, names like Joey Bishop, Cary Grant, Sammy Davis Jr., Juliet Prowse and Norm Crosby. The after show credits showed Elvis greeting some of them and for anyone in attendance I'm sure it had to feel special. But of all the Elvis Presley specials, documentaries and concert films out there, this one doesn't qualify as the definitive one.

Excellent movie for True Elvis fans. there are some rare scenes. But the songs were good. I'd highly recommend that fans as well as people that didn't like his music watch this movie. Every time i watch Elvis That's The Way It Is I think about why the chose the name. The reason at least in my mind is because it show Elvis as fans didn't see him when he was alive and well. The song choices were very good. My best memory of this one was him sinning in Vegas. The reason I'd recommend this movie it showcases the King at his best. It show's Elvis before all the jumpsuits came out. He sound's just as good as he did on stage. God bless Elvis and his band.

This is the movie to see if you want to know what the deal is about Elvis. Forget the movies, which were mostly rubbish. This is the king at his on stage best. The only reason I never rated this movie as a 10 is that it came hot on the heels of the 68 Comeback Special and that cannot be beaten. This film shows Elvis backstage in Las Vegas before one of the Elvis summer festivals organised by Col. Parker. There is also footage of Elvis in rehearsals for his shows. You get a glimpse of the man behind the image at certain points. For us ladies there is also the bonus of seeing Elvis at his sexy best! The only thing to remember is this was made in the 70's so there are flares everywhere.

This is classic Presley during the peak of his all too short comeback. This was filmed mostly in Las Vegas before his emotional problems and drug abuse had taken their toll. His talents as a showman are evident throughout, and he has enough charisma and sexuality for ten men. For those of you not fortunate enough to see Elvis live, this is probably the next best thing. The special edition DVD eliminates the sometimes embarrassing fan comments of the original film and replaces them with additional performances and some extra backstage material, which is, after all, the main reason to see this movie. It's a shame Elvis wasted so many years in Hollywood making cut-rate films when he could have been performing live or at least producing quality movies like this. If you're just one of those people who knows Elvis simply because he is an icon who is an integral part of our society, then watch this film. Afterwards you'll see why they call him The King!