From Tupelo to Memphis, from Hollywood to Vegas, Elvis Presley conquered America–and now, telling his story, an Australian filmmaker has conquered the biopic. The operatic, maximalist, subtlety-eschewing Baz Luhrmann returns to the screen with Elvis, delivering the glitzy, excessive tribute this mythical/kitsch-ical icon deserves. Paul and Arlo share their personal connections to Elvis, rave about Austin Butler’s transformation into the King, discuss how the film’s portrayal of Elvis’ racial and sexual impact stack up to the real deal, and behold Tom Hanks’ embodiment of Satan. Here comes Sandy Claws! 

 

NEXT: when the last streaming podcast deletes, our job will be finished. Eric Sipple joins us to discuss Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman.

 

 

BREAKDOWN

00:00:21  -  Intro

00:03:08  -  Our histories with The King

00:29:48  -  Elvis

01:54:05  -  Outro / Next

 

 

LINKS

 

• “Rumors of Elvis Racism in the ‘50s Still Cloud Presley’s Musical Legacy” by Alan Hanson, Elvis History Blog

 

 

 

MUSIC

• “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton, Hound Dog: The Peacock Recordings (1992)
• “Steamroller Blues” by Elvis Presley, Walk a Mile in My Shoes (1995)

 

 

GOBBLEDYCARES

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