The premiere of the biopic “Elvis” triggers great enthusiasm in Cannes. Priscilla Presley moves with an emotional performance. And Tom Hanks explains what makes an exciting villain for him.
Tom Hanks and the rest of the team of the film biopic “Elvis” were celebrated in Cannes with more than ten minutes of applause and standing ovations.
Priscilla Presley, once the wife of the legendary singer, also came to the world premiere on the Côte d’Azur. “It’s her life,” said director Baz Luhrmann on Thursday. After the premiere on Wednesday evening, she visibly moved her arms around the director.
“No criticism, no review would ever mean more to us than that of the woman who was married to Elvis Presley.” Luhrmann said that he had therefore been awaiting her verdict with great impatience. When Presley’s family finally made it clear to him that the film adaptation of Elvis’ life “shows the truth about him as a person”, for the director it was “the best criticism I have ever received in my life”. Priscilla and Elvis were married from 1967 to 1973.
From the manager’s perspective
“Elvis” tells the story of the musician from the perspective of his manager Tom Parker. Tom Hanks portrays him in the film as a greedy man who enriches himself excessively on Presley’s financial gain. He describes Elvis as a “fairground attraction” and prevents the singer from giving concerts abroad – because Parker himself was not allowed to leave the USA because of a false identity he had assumed.
But Parker wasn’t just a villain, Hanks said on Thursday. “He was a man who saw an opportunity to turn a unique talent into a cultural force.” The variety of ways Parker has scammed people out of money is extraordinary. “By the way, I’ve incorporated a few of these ways into my own daily routine,” Hanks joked. “You learn a little bit from every role.”
What is important is the appearance of the soul
Austin Butler plays Elvis in the film. “I basically stopped my life for two years,” said the 30-year-old on Thursday about the strenuous shooting. He meticulously studied Presley’s appearance during this time. “I had this unrealistic expectation of myself that if I worked hard enough, my face could become identical to Elvis’s, that my eyes would look exactly like his and you wouldn’t tell the difference. But at some point I realized: That would be like going to a wax museum. What’s really important is that his soul comes out.”
Luhrmann stages the life of the music icon in dizzying images. Many live performances by Elvis can be seen, which make the cinema viewers rock in their seats to songs like “Hound Dog”. With glaring scene changes or split screens, the film imitates Presley’s feverish life.
“Elvis”, which runs out of competition in Cannes, received the longest round of applause from a premiere at this year’s festival. Numerous stars from the music, film and fashion worlds such as Shakira, Kylie Minogue, Ricky Martin and Sharon Stone attended the premiere. Leading actor Butler was accompanied by his girlfriend, model Kaia Gerber. After the premiere, the two shared a kiss on the red carpet. That night, the team celebrated the premiere at a party that included DJ Diplo, who features on the film’s soundtrack.
