It’s easy to feel a bit of burnin’ love for the King when watching this well-made documentary/concert movie hybrid, which was produced by MGM under the supervision of Colonel Tom Parker. Elvis Presley is in rehearsal, preparing to appear at an extravagant Las Vegas show, swinging his hips like there’s no tomorrow. This was a time when he was still a sex symbol and he cleverly charms anyone on or off stage. Included are quick interviews with organizers, PR people and fans who all idolize him – the purpose of the film is not to view its subject critically, and that is why it succeeds more as a concert movie than a documentary. Consistently great music, and the collaboration between the director and the cinematographer keeps the film visually arresting.

1970-U.S. 97 min. Color. Widescreen. Produced by Herbert F. Solow. Directed by Denis Sanders. Cinematography: Lucien Ballard.

Trivia: Cary Grant and Sammy Davis, Jr. can be seen attending the concert. The film was re-edited in 2001; that version has less interviews and more concert footage.

Last word: “I met with [Presley] in his dressing room at MGM, surrounded by hordes of people – his contingent, the colonel’s contingent, my contingent. It was a summit meeting. I sort of got over next to him and while everybody was talking with everybody else, I sort of put my head next to his head and told him what I was going to try to do [on the film]. And at that point all the other noise ceased and we could talk, and had to use the time fruitfully!” (Sanders on his first meeting with Presley, interview with Ann Moses)

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