With almost everyone rushing to watch one of the most anticipated biopics of recent years, nearly every aspect of Elvis’s past has been revealed to the general public. Thanks to Baz Luhrmann, eager audiences can enjoy an enthralling re-enactment of the King of Rock n’ Roll’s life.
However, when it comes to dealing with the somewhat problematic elements of Elvis’s personal and professional life, it seems that there is little acknowledgment of the backlash that he would have likely received as a result of today’s climate.
There is no doubt that the 1940s, 50s, and 60s were different eras, with societal standards looking completely different as well. As a result, it is important to keep this in mind when looking at this list. However, this should not be used as an excuse when considering some of the choices that Elvis made. Here is a handpicked list of 3 surprising things that Baz Luhrmann’s new movie fails to acknowledge about Elvis’s past.
1. The Age Gap Between Elvis and Priscilla
The movie highlights how the pair met when Elvis was in the US Army in 1959 when he was based in Germany. Elvis who was 24 at the time, met 14-year-old Priscilla at a party. Yet, this surprising 10-year age gap between the two isn’t directly acknowledged. The film portrays how Elvis came to meet Priscilla and their high-profile relationship that followed before their separation. If audience members are unaware of this fact before watching, it seems from the movie that there is no issue. However, in today’s society, a man choosing to pursue a relationship with someone that young is unacceptable. Although, it is claimed that Elvis and Priscilla did not consummate their relationship until their marriage when Priscilla was 21. Even if this is true, it still begs the question of why Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship was normalized then and why the movie continues to normalize it now, by failing to acknowledge the issue.
2. How Risky His Relationship With Fans Was
Elvis clearly had an amazing relationship with his fans, and Baz Luhrmann does a great job at showing this. Throughout the film, screaming girls practically throw themselves at the heartthrob while he performs. Elvis adores their appreciation and laps the female attention up. However, how far is too far for both Elvis and his fans? This is answered in another scene, in which fans can be seen lining up as Elvis kisses them one by one. Not only was this shocking for the actual audience who witnessed it happen, but for those watching in cinema theatres, it was equally as shocking. Although the act of Elvis kissing his fans was acknowledged by the biopic, the occurrence was displayed in a very light-hearted and trivial way. This helps to undermine the weight of Elvis’s actions and how wrong they were. After all, there is a reason why we don’t see modern-day pop stars kissing lines of fans, as it crosses a boundary that simply should not be crossed.
3. How Parts Of The Black Community Truly Felt About His Music
The biopic shows how the Black community that Elvis grew up with had a massive impact on his music. It also showcases many important Black artists that inspired him, such as B.B King and Little Richard. Big Mama Thornton is even portrayed singing “Hound Dog”, with Elvis later covering the song which went on to become one of his top hits. However, the biopic fails to acknowledge the sense of hard feeling that parts of the Black community felt because of his success. Ray Charles, a pioneer of the genre of soul music, explains his feelings about Elvis in an interview. It is clear from this that Elvis had been doing something that was already done by Black artists for years. Sadly, it seems that because Elvis was a white man, he was able to gain all the fame from it. Regrettably, the movie seems to fail to acknowledge the extremely valid feelings of parts of the black community. This only continues to hide the opinions of Black communities further when they should be highlighted and at the core of the biopic.
There are probably many more surprising things that weren’t acknowledged in the Elvis movie, and this only covers a small selection. Whilst these things may seem disappointing, it is important to remember that no one is perfect, and everybody has flaws. It does raise the question of what should and should not be included in biopics. If one thing is clear from this article, it should not simply be a highlight reel of the person’s life.
Whether these things have left you feeling all shook up or with a suspicious mind, it seems that Elvis will always remain the King of Rock n’ Roll no matter what.
