EPiC World Premiere

One of the journalists who saw a preview stated: 'I'd thought that when he emerged from the atom-splitting moments of him you depicted as he became this edgy risk taker who inspired so many kids to become musicians, he went to Vegas and became a caricature in a jumpsuit. I stand corrected; he was a badass who could really sing, from what you captured'.

From the exclusive interview with Deadline, the director tells how Elvis Presley wouldn't let him go after his feature film Elvis and why he decided to make a completely new film project. 

Luhrmann emphasizes that EPiC is not a classic documentary or concert recording, but a 'cinematic poem' about Elvis: 'Elvis is fully present in concert. Elvis sings and tells his story like never before. It's not a documentary, it's not a concert film. It is epic'.  

The film combines carefully restored footage of Elvis' concerts in Las Vegas in the '70s with never-before-seen fragments and audio recordings. Personal interviews that remained hidden in vaults for years are also incorporated. 

For this project, Luhrmann gained unique access to the so-called 'salt mines' in Kansas, where original MGM negatives are stored. There he found countless reels without sound. Using modern techniques – including lip reading, digitalization and retrieving original sound fragments – these images have been brought back to life. 

Much of the material has never been shown before. Luhrmann: 'We simply couldn't make yet another version of That's The Way It Is or Elvis On Tour. What we have done is reconstruct the footage and combine it with the original vocals and musical parts. This brings Elvis to life in a quality you've never seen or heard before'.  

In the interview, Luhrmann explains why Elvis continues to fascinate him: 'Elvis reflects like no other the journey of America, from the '50s and beyond. For the older generation, he was frightening because of his roots in black music, his energy and his sexual appeal. But later, under the influence of The Colonel, he became a family entertainer in Hollywood films – often to his own frustration'.

According to Luhrmann, EPiC also shows that side: the struggle of an artist who wanted to be taken seriously as an actor and musician, but was often trapped in commercial interests. Thus the chance for a role in A Star Is Born was lost due to decisions by Colonel Parker. The role of Parker also remains present in EPiC. 

Luhrmann calls him both a marketing genius and a manipulator: 'The Colonel was a brilliant salesman, but also someone who limited Elvis in his artistic choices. Their relationship was both loving and toxic, almost like a marriage from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf'. With EPiC, Luhrmann especially wants to make clear that Elvis in the '70s was anything but a caricature: 'He was a real badass who could sing incredibly well. On stage he radiated an almost spiritual power, while behind the scenes he remained that vulnerable boy from Tupelo'.  

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert has its world premiere at TIFF today. The film is presented there in IMAX quality, with unparalleled image and sound reproduction. For fans, this promises to be an experience that brings together Elvis' performances and life story in a completely new way.

Read the interview with Luhrmann by Deadline. Baz talks about the quality improvements on the movie on his >>> Instagram page. More updates when they become available.

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