At the time of writing, it has been not a full 24 hours since I sat through not one, but two back to back screenings, of Baz Luhrmann’s insanely phenomenal documentary ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’. To give you some context, I have been a Presley fan since the age of 8. I grew up watching Elvis movies on tv on a Sunday afternoon, got my first Elvis record at age 10, and eventually sought out his albums one by one – playing each one over and over and over (often lying on the floor of my bedroom, eyes closed, with the volume up full blast) – until I knew those LPs inside out, back to front, and off by heart. After all, too much Elvis is never enough.
Obviously, some things never change.
It feels like I have been waiting for EPiC for most of my life. Tales of ‘lost salt-mine footage’ of Elvis have abounded for decades. In the late 80’s and very early 90’s, fans would swap video tapes (copies of copies of copies) of unseen Elvis footage: fan home movies, live concert clips, and what we assumed were unreleased ‘leaked’ snippets (we were never sure). Regardless, the quality was extremely poor, sometimes so washed over that it was almost unwatchable – but at least it was something. And that was better than nothing. Oh how us Elvis fans so desperately longed to properly see this fabled ‘lost footage’! And then, in 1992, shit got real. Finally. An official VHS release. ‘Elvis: The Lost Performances’ featured both 1970-1972 rehearsal and concert footage not seen in the original versions of ‘Elvis That’s The Way It Is’ and ‘Elvis On Tour’. Finally! An official release of footage from the legendary Kansas salt mines: no longer a myth, but actual proof it was real. To experience this lost footage was amazing, and we were blown away! Even though it was only VHS and the quality wasn’t brilliant and we could only watch it on TV, we absolutely beyond loved it. But it wasn’t…what’s the word I’m looking for? EPIC.
Fast forward to 2026. There have been other releases since ‘Elvis The Lost Performances’, but Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis Presley in Concert’ (EPiC) is not only next level, it’s through the freaking stratosphere. Here we have more of the legendary lost salt mines footage – some of which has never, ever seen the light of day. And let me tell you – as an Elvis fan – to be able to walk into a cinema and see footage of Elvis you have never in your life seen anywhere before, on a humongous screen in the highest quality you can ever imagine? Is mindblowing.
But EPiC is not just for the Elvis fan. This film is a standalone, brilliant piece of work, for anyone who loves music or is interested in finding out what Elvis Presley was truly about. This is a documentary that blends already established footage together with unseen gems in a brilliantly curated edit that tells the story of Elvis Presley – narrated by Elvis Presley – in a way that showcases so much more than Elvis the Entertainer or Elvis the King. This film takes us behind the curtain and into his soul. You can FEEL it. Watching this film really is like having Elvis in the room. I love that EPiC is narrated by Elvis and Elvis only. I love that there is so much close up footage, it’s almost like he’s standing there in front of you and you have the glorious privilege of letting your eyes wander over every beautiful detail of that perfect face. DAMN!!! I love that this film gives a TRUE representation of Elvis the performer: the passion he has for what he does, the respect he has for the music, and the love he has for his audience. I love that this documentary gives us a true glimpse into Elvis the Human Being, hanging out with his friends, saying completely inappropriate shit, meeting his fans, his loneliness and longing for love, the exhilaration he experiences, and the exhaustion too. I love that this film shows his humour, his hilarity, his humanity. All of it.
In the live footage, Elvis Presley’s unique mix of introspection, vulnerability, and charismatic sexuality, added to the God-given talent that literally overflows from him in every single song, is repeatedly and gloriously evident. Intoxicating. Mesmerising. Exhilarating! Baz Luhrmann’s editing style is used to it’s full advantage here.
But Luhrmann is also genius in how he is able to take an almost subconscious nuance, pick it up, and amplify it to illustrate a point to the audience. Cross to the famous press conference footage of Elvis in 1972, where we see a reporter probe Elvis with questions about war protesters and the Vietnam War. Elvis responds with the famous line, “I’m just an entertainer and I’d rather not say.” But it’s Luhrmann’s focus on what he says next, that is the real showstopper. Because Elvis quickly adds at the end of that sentence: ‘I can’t even say that’. “I’m just an entertainer and I’d rather not say. I can’t even say that” – and those last five words are echoed and echoed back to us as we contemplate Elvis under the reign of manger Colonel Tom Parker – a reign so tight that Elvis never got to play a single show outside of the United States, even though he ached very much to do so. Yes, the film clearly illustrates that the Colonel’s steel hold over Presley was poisonous and strong. But while Elvis wouldn’t – or couldn’t – comment on important current issues of the time – Luhrmann shows us that, yes, Elvis DID have a voice. The film cuts to his incredibly powerful performance of Joe South’s ‘Walk a Mile in My Shoes’. And although not included in the film, it is in a similar vein to Presley’s groundbreaking 1968 Special performance of the now iconic ‘If I Can Dream’ – a very obvious political plea for peace in a time of incredible social and racial upheaval. He’s answered the question.
The urge to clap at the end of each of these concert numbers is nothing short of overwhelming. You literally want to applaud! It’s not an exaggeration to say it really is like freaking being there. The clarity of what you’re seeing, the upcloseness of it all, the sound (the beat the beat that they tried to silence, but couldn’t) – this film is an unbelievably immersive experience of the very best kind. I want to say that ‘Polk Salad Annie’ is my favourite, but really, no. It’s all of them. There was not one second of that film where I was not fully engaged. There was not one song where I didn’t feel it down to my very soul.
The diehards will complain that there should be more unseen footage than what’s included, but once they’re in the cinema, for the majority this complaint will dissolve in a heartbeat as they experience the unbelievably restored footage and remastered sound that is beyond anything they’ve ever seen or heard in an Elvis context before. There’s plenty to be thankful for. There’s not only new angles of known footage, but completely brand new behind the scenes footage – and watching this stuff – the glorious shock of it made me literally gasp as it appeared up on the screen in front of me. Oh. My. God. Never in my life as an Elvis fan have I felt so out of my mind with absolute joy!!! Amazing.
Across the final montage is a spoken word poem written and performed by U2’s Bono – an injection of art, an interpretation, overlayed on top of footage that had otherwise been narrated by Elvis alone. To me, it felt jarring and unnecessary. The final words should have been those of Elvis Presley. It’s my only criticism though, of a film, that is otherwise absolutely magnificent.
[Linda Memphis, February 2026]
© 2026 Linda Memphis
