Toronto is one of the “big four” international film festivals, Berlin in February, Cannes in May, Venice in August and Toronto in September. Of the four, TIFF is the most consciously outward facing: more than 250,000 ticket holders will pass through the festival’s turnstiles, attending screenings and other presentations.
Unsurprisingly, the reaction to EPiC: Elvis in Concert in Toronto at the weekend was overwhelmingly positive.But Luhrmann was hesitant to draw parallels between himself and Presley, gently dismissing the notion that they both possess showman-like qualities.
Baz Luhrmann signing autographs on the red carpet at the EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert premiere in Toronto.Credit: Robin Marchant/Getty Images
“Showmanship can sometimes be misunderstood,” Luhrmann said. “As when you see Elvis, one thing that I’m really sure you can see is that he’s also a very spiritual person. So if you go into a gospel church, or a spiritual place, there’s a degree of theatricality that also comes with a way of bringing an audience into … a spiritual unity.
“You can som
Lost Elvis concert Footage Restored and Set for Release with Previously Unheard Interview
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A remarkable revelation during research for Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 film Elvis has led to the restoration of 59 hours of concert footage featuring Elvis Presley, along with a 45-minute lost audio interview. The restored footage and interview will be compiled into a new film allowing Elvis Presley to “sing and tell his story himself,” according to Luhrmann.
The Discovery in “The Salt Mines”
Luhrmann’s interest with Elvis Presley culminated in the critically acclaimed Elvis film, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7984632/ During the extensive research process for the film, the team began investigating the possibility of locating footage from Presley’s legendary Las Vegas shows. This search unexpectedly uncovered what was previously considered “mythical footage.”
The film negatives were found in storage facilities in Kansas, which Luhrmann playfully referred to as “the salt mines.” He recounted receiving a phone call informing him of the discovery, a moment he described as pivotal.
A Two-Year Restoration Effort
The recovered footage presented a notable challenge: it was entirely without accompanying sound. Luhrmann’s sound editing team embarked on a two-year project to synchronize the visual material with existing audio fragments from the concerts. This painstaking process ultimately yielded an even greater treasure – a 45-minute audio recording of an unguarded interview with Presley himself.
“He just talked about his life, and he was so unguarded, and we thought, that’s it,” Luhrmann explained. The team decided to utilize this interview as the narration for the new film, allowing presley to narrate his own story.
Luhrmann’s Artistic Vision: beyond “Razzle-Dazzle”
Luhrmann, known for his visually dynamic and emotionally resonant filmmaking style, described his approach to storytelling as going beyond superficial spectacle. He stated, “some people call it razzle-dazzle, but than right in the middle of it, I like to flip it and say yes, but it is about something. Weather that’s about growth through pain or impossible love,it is about something.” This philosophy appears to be central to the new Elvis film, aiming to provide a deeper, more personal understanding of the iconic performer.
Release date
An Australian release date for the film has not yet been announced. Further details regarding international distribution are expected to be released soon.