Additional Coverage:
- Baz Luhrmann found 65 reels of lost Elvis Presley footage in Kansas salt mines (businessinsider.com)
<h2>Baz Luhrmann’s Lifelong Obsession with Elvis Continues in New Documentary “EPiC”</h2>
Local audiences are no strangers to the flamboyant cinematic style of director Baz Luhrmann, whose projects are renowned for their vibrant energy and unapologetic showmanship. From a modern-day “Romeo + Juliet” to the dazzling jukebox musical “Moulin Rouge!”
and the recent “Elvis” biopic, Luhrmann’s films are defined by their captivating visuals, elaborate costumes, and dynamic storytelling. It’s no surprise, then, that one of his most enduring fascinations has been with the ultimate showman himself: Elvis Presley.
Luhrmann’s journey with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll began in the 1960s, growing up in the small Australian town of Herons Creek. His father, a gas station owner and photography enthusiast, took over as the local cinema’s projectionist, granting a young Luhrmann access to Sunday matinee screenings of Elvis movies.
“I particularly remember watching ‘Easy Come, Easy Go,'” Luhrmann, 63, recalled, referring to the 1967 Presley film. “Which is probably one of the worst ones.
But I was just thinking, ‘Oh man, he looks cool.'”
That initial spark ignited a lifelong obsession. Luhrmann would pester his grandmother for an Elvis jumpsuit and dance tirelessly to “Burning Love.”
Decades later, this childhood fascination culminated in the critically acclaimed 2022 biopic “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler as the King and Tom Hanks as his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The film garnered eight Oscar nominations and was lauded for its raw portrayal of Presley’s life and authentic recreations of his iconic performances.
After the whirlwind of “Elvis” production, Luhrmann, much like the King after a high-octane Vegas show, was exhausted. Yet, the allure of Elvis proved irresistible.
His latest endeavor, “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” is now gracing theaters, a culmination of Luhrmann’s deep dive into Presley’s legacy. This documentary restores never-before-seen archival footage from Presley’s early 1970s tours and Vegas residency, blending concert film with autobiography.
The film also features 40 minutes of previously unheard interviews with Presley, offering an intimate look at the man behind the myth.
In a recent interview, Luhrmann shed light on the enduring influence of Elvis, the meticulous process of unearthing rare footage, and his thoughts on the evolving role of AI in filmmaking.
<h3>From Salt Mines to Sound Waves: Unearthing Elvis’s Voice</h3>
Luhrmann revealed that “EPiC” was an “accidental experience,” born from whispers of hidden footage. “We heard rumors of the footage,” he explained.
“I have the money to go into the salt mines [where they’re stored]. They find the 65 reels.”
Despite his exhaustion from the “Elvis” biopic, his creative partner, Jon Redmond, urged him not to let the reels return to obscurity.
The true turning point came with the discovery of 40 minutes of Presley speaking candidly. “That was the lightbulb moment: Why don’t we just get out of the way?”
Luhrmann recalled. “What if he just tells his story through song and speaking?
And that was the trigger.”
The journey to bring “EPiC” to life was fraught with challenges, including securing rights for 75 songs and painstakingly reconstructing audio for footage that often lacked accompanying sound. “That took two years.
How crazy is that?” Luhrmann mused.
He even recounted tales of meeting “gangsters in car parks” to acquire black market Elvis audio from collectors reluctant to share their treasures.
The documentary’s poignant ending features a voiceover from Bono reciting his “American David” poem, a departure from the “Unchained Melody” performance that concluded the “Elvis” biopic. Luhrmann explained that he wanted to avoid dwelling on Presley’s decline, instead focusing on “the man behind the myth.” Bono, a friend, generously lent his voice to the project.
<h3>The Unmade Alexander the Great Film and the Soul of AI</h3>
Luhrmann also teased a fascinating, unmade project that would have united two of his frequent collaborators: Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman. He revealed he spent years developing an “Alexander the Great” film, with DiCaprio slated to play Alexander and Kidman as his non-Greek mother.
Mel Gibson was even considered for the role of King Philip. However, the project ultimately fell through due to funding issues and a competing Alexander film by Oliver Stone.
When asked about the role of AI in filmmaking, especially in documentaries where authenticity is paramount, Luhrmann offered a thoughtful perspective. “AI is a tool,” he stated.
“The thing about AI is you can take a black-and-white picture of Elvis and give it movement, and go, ‘Wow, that’s cool,’ but it’s not actually Elvis. It has no soul.”
He emphasized that while AI can achieve perfection and flawless copies, it lacks the originality and inherent flaws that define human creativity. “What makes human beings human is what AI isn’t,” Luhrmann asserted.
“AI is perfect… What it doesn’t do is be purely and absolutely original, and human beings are flawed.
And it’s the flaws that make them original.” He drew a parallel to the advent of photography, noting that while it seemed to threaten portrait painting, artists like Picasso continued to thrive by exploring the psychological depth that AI cannot replicate.
“What AI can’t do is have an original idea.”
Luhrmann’s continued dedication to Elvis Presley, evident in “EPiC,” is a testament to the enduring power of a true showman and the director’s own commitment to bringing compelling stories to the big screen, with or without the aid of artificial intelligence.
Read More About This Story:
- Baz Luhrmann found 65 reels of lost Elvis Presley footage in Kansas salt mines (businessinsider.com)