"Elvis Lives" Review by Beachcatuesday

Most people born in the Twentieth Century knew the life story of Elvis Presley, a singer, a hip shaking ringer, star of many movies, and the "Undisputed King of Rock and Roll." If you don't know Elvis's voice, or songs, or evolution of looks, you have robbed yourself of an important part of American history, and a passel of personal entertainment.

The movie begins toward the end of Presley's years. The 1976 (?) concert tour is not going well for the white leather and rhinestone clad Elvis. He shakes visibly, drinks alcohol freely, and hangs over his rhinestone and leather jumpsuit, creating an unattractive silhouette--except that this was the King of Rock and Roll, and everybody loves Elvis Presley. He was the King of Rock and Roll since Rock and Roll began, sometime in the 1950s.

Elvis loads himself with prescription drugs out of a sandwich bag, whether at home at Graceland or on tour. He wakes popping uppers to go all out, and he gets to sleep by swallowing downers. Presley made a good and evil black and white decision about drugs and pharmaceuticals. If you bought it from a guy on the street, it was an illegal drug. However, if your medicine was a pill prescribed by a physician, it was a pharmaceutical and it was good, right, okay, no problem.

Elvis was proud of his meeting with President Nixon, when he received a DEA badge, and pledged his commitment to the war on drugs. His music family, his entourage, and his hangers on knew Elvis had a problem. Handguns, beautiful women, and the lifestyle that developed for the icon were a recipe for emotional outbursts, unexpected behavior, and the ultimate untimely disaster that was Presley's death in August of 1977.