MovieChat Forums > Elvis (2005) Discussion > This whole production made Elvis out to ...

This whole production made Elvis out to be...

posted 18 years ago by PanicPop
24 replies | jump to latest

* Angry
* Spoiled
* Aggressive
* Mean

The entire movie had Elvis veer from one negative emotion to the other- it was practically a one-note performance.

And what in the world were they thinking when they cast that actress as Priscilla???? Her whole performance depicted her as being completely stupid.

As far as I know, Priscilla had something to do with this production and if she couldn't get the casting of her 'character' right, what hope did Elvis?

It's a shame.

[–] rachelpendle25 18 years ago

That sounds like part two but from what I recall part one showed a very naive Elvis. Almost kind of innocent as he starts out in his career particularly in his dealings with the Colonel. I also remember that confusion seemed to be a biggy in the second part too. When they showed him going through his crisis of faith.

I have to agree with the casting of Priscilla though. That was just all wrong.

[–] PanicPop 18 years ago

I've seen it again, and it gave me a better perspective.

It just made him look totally miserable with this life- I'm not claiming that he was always happy, but if I didn't know anything about Elvis, I would think that he was how I described him above.

[–] rachelpendle25 18 years ago

It made me feel that ultimately nothing in his life ever beat the thrill of the rise to the top. Once he was there, there was no where else to go really. But by ending on at the '68 comeback they were trying to show that he didn't necessarily just spend the time after his rise going down, but it was a continual struggle not too.

[–] bjossa10 17 years ago

I am obviously no expert on this subject, but I do believe the entertaiment life back then was a lot different compared today, where studios and people ran your career the whole time a celebrity even had one, and was nowhere near to the way it is today. More actors and other celebrities call their own shots now, from making a ton of money and opening their own production companies, which is smart. Back then was different, and even now it is a little like that, but a lot less, is that during that era, people were more dependant on pharmeuciticals/drugs for everything. You can't sleep, headaches pain, they would prescribe heavy duty anti depressants, and painkillers, because back then that seemed like the only solution. I feel Elvis was not happy towards the end, because other people did run him, and among others, and the downward spiral of his use of prescriptive drugs consumed him, and he probably did feel miserable and if infact Pricilla produced this or whatever someone said, then she probably wanted to show what it was really like for Elvis back then, and not some fantasy that people may have perceived his life to have been. Sorry I rambled, but I replied to your post because I completely agree with you. He must have felt very isolated, because he became a product, and something tangible to many people, who forgot that he was a person and not just some commodity.

[–] acivgwtw 17 years ago

Elvis was all of those things. He was messed up. He was also generous, funny and warm-hearted, too. When he was not drugged.

Team Aniston, Team Nick and TEAM REESE!!!

[–] jarvinenjp 17 years ago

1) There wasn't one major side of Elvis in this movie.
Elvis had great sense of humour and he joked a lot.

2) They should have had more prettier girl playing Pricilla.

3) Rhys-Meyers hairline started too high, looked like Elvis was becoming bald and that was so wrong.

I give credits to screenplay. It followed closely the Pricilla Presleys Book ELVIS AND I

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ilahilda 17 years ago

I really liked the movie, it was entertaining. By the way, the real Elvis died on my birthday. I was 10.

[–] tranz9 17 years ago

That's why you would find it entertaining.

[–] argia_oriana 13 years ago

If you have read both books by Peter Guralnick, the image portrayed of Elvis in this TV series is pretty accurate. The producers modified dates and other things to fit it in the show, but Elvis was not a happy camper in the end.

He became angry, he became snappy. Drugs didn't do well on his personality. He was trapped in his own image, and I perceived by the books that he was frustrated with the way his career went after all those silly movies.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a passionate fan of Elvis, but I like to see him under a realistic light, and not only the fanatic perspective that many do. The man had tons of flaws. We all do! His legacy in the musical world is undeniable, and nothing can change that.

I think this show was very well done. Rhys-Meyers resembles the young Elvis significantly (a shorter version), and his performance is well executed. If anything, what killed it for me was the bad lip syncing. Besides that, I think it portrayed a realistic idea of who Elvis was.

Just my 2cts.

[–] rhodescabbin 17 years ago

I have been an Elvis Fan Fanatic for 40 years and I can say with conviction that Elvis would have never made a habit out of talking to elders like the way they show him insulting his Dad all the time, This show is a fairytale of Vengence and doesnt show the compasionate Elvis. but rather focuses on all the negatives and blow them way out of reality!!!

[–] SellaSellyBowBelly 11 years ago

I'm a stickler for manners and respect for elders, myself. I was not raised that way, it is just the way I am. I am much more old-fashioned and conservative than my own mother. However, my mom and I don't have the greatest relationship and she and I can go at it at times. But I'm sure most people would never guess I would talk that way with my mom based on my behavior when I am not around her. You don't know how Elvis was with his father when he wasn't entertaining guests.

Then- a place in time.
Than- preference between one or the other.

[–] technut 17 years ago

Elvis was miserable with his life

He was not happy

I have always said that Elvis had the magic and everyone felt it but him

Acts 2:38

I'm The Only One Who Can Walk In Both Worlds -Johnny Blaze

[–] meg_kirkwood-1 17 years ago

The movie had almost every element from Priscilla's book 'Elvis and I'. Priscilla also worked closely on the production and even told them to edit out certain aspects of the movie that she found false.

[–] catdaddyd 9 years ago

Priscilla's book was Elvis and Me. She had little to nothing to do with this movie. She did have a horrible miniseries made in the 80's from her book, that made Elvis look bad and her look great.

[–] straightedgemj 17 years ago

This was released alongside a big TV interview with people that were close to Elvis called "Elvis by the Presleys" where they pretty much portrayed him as the same.

[–] Spaceygirl 16 years ago

* Angry

He was only shown as being angry towards the end, mainly, as I see it, due to frustration that Colonel Parker was mismanaging him.

* Spoiled

His mother, as depicted in the series and according to the Biography I have, completely indulged his every whim and all his friends and his entourage looked up at him in awe, so in all probablity he was spoilt.

* Aggressive
* Mean

Hello! I mean,he was on DRUGS. I don't know if you've had any dealings with an addict but they're not the most attractive people to deal with.

I disagree with you that it was a one-note performance. Jonathan Rhys Myers, in my opinion, puts in a very affecting performance of a very real person, with all his flaws.

I also thought that the character of Priscilla Beaulieu was well-cast. She was a young, naive, teenage girl and the actress portrayed that perfectly.

All in all, I found this a near-perfect biopic.

"I never knew magic crazy as this"
Nick Drake
19/06/1948 – 25/11/1974
RIP

[–] beardouk 15 years ago

In parts, I think the series shows Elvis as decent, honourable, enthusiastic.

I am not an Elvis fan, and this made me feel more positive about him.

[–] fanaticita 8 years ago

I've been an Elvis fan forever, and I absolutely loved this series. I watched it again last night, and it brought back so many memories. Elvis could be almost childlike at times, but he was just having fun. He wasn't prepared for how people would react to him, and it influenced rock 'n roll as nobody had done. He truly was the King. It's just so sad that his life ended the way it did. While Parker paved the way for his fame, he also neglected Elvis' health and drug problem. For that neglect everybody paid the price.

[–] nic_cholio 16 years ago

In my opinion, whenever Rhys Meyers is tapped to play a historical person, he always comes off as angry and spoiled, needy, whiny, and aggressive. Take Henry VIII in "The Tudors." He was horribly miscast in that show (and yes I know the show is taking a lot of liberty with actual historical facts). He portrays Henry as a whiney little brat who throws a fit whenever he doesn't get his way; which, don't get me wrong, he was a little that way. But he was also powerful and strong and incredibly self confident, none of which Rhys Meyers portrays. So the fact that he portrays Elvis in some of the same light, isn't surprising. I think he should stick to original fictitious characters; he's great in those.

[–] eddieadams09 16 years ago

Yeah even though he could be all those things at times they showed too much of it. They should have shown more of his humor and generosity.