Review: The King
DVD: The King (2017)
There is a moment at about the mid-point of The King where writer/director Eugene Jarecki is asked if he knows the direction that this documentary is taking. His non-answer may well be reflective of the narrative progression of The King, yet it also gives it one of its strengths as, never really sticking to one particular thing, it continually goes down roads, both figuratively and literally, that give moments of insight and emotion into the life of Elvis Presley.
Driving a 1963 Rolls Royce that Elvis once owned across the vast American landscape, Jarecki meets people who all either met the man himself, or are strongly influenced by him.
Music performers sing songs in the back of the car (a highlight being a fantastic young choir where the female vocalist should really be snapped up by a record company ASAP), while passers-by gasp in awe as a Rolls Royce appears (sometimes pushed, as it has a tendency to break down) in their small town neighbourhood.
With such an incredible life to tell the story of, The King gives snippets of certain moments of Elvis’ life, from his poor upbringing, his sudden stardom, the controlling nature of Tom Parker, the lure of Hollywood, and his ultimate demise as an overweight and unhealthy Las Vegas performer.
No new revelations are made (especially as the life of Elvis has been covered in a multitude of movies and television shows about him), yet the The King keeps your interest piqued as it moves from town to town and person to person.
The emotional impact that Elvis had on peoples lives in undeniable, and even now, 41 years after his death, the very act of just sitting in one of his cars still brings tears to the eyes of those that sit inside of it.
Hardcore Elvis fans will not be given any new information about him, but the personal stories which are told throughout The King make it both interesting and entertaining for fans both old and new.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Deleted scenes
- Theatrical trailer
The King is released on 1st October 2018 and you can buy it by clicking HERE. ALL money raised by purchasing from Amazon via our website is given back to our listeners and followers in upcoming competition prizes. The more people buy, the bigger our prizes.
Review by Dave (host of 60 Minutes With) from a disc kindly supplied by Aim Publicity.
