Actors everywhere rejoice about Elvis and Nixon film - this fan not so much!

Here is a bit of an article from Newsweek  which I feel the need to challenge.

Who wore it best?

Newsweek:  The hair is immediately recognizable, the outfit unmistakable: It’s Elvis—except he’s taller, skinnier and looks nothing like the King.

BIM:  Really? REALLY? Taller and skinnier? Let's remember Elvis has a coat wrapped around his shoulders in the photos.Outfit unmistakable? Come on.....MS is wearing a typical ETA outfit while Elvis is decked out!
I do agree MS looks NOTHING like Elvis. NOTHING! One of the LEAST attractive actors to play the MOST HANDSOME MAN EVER????? While Magic Mike HUNK plays Jerry?

Read on for the media spin.....Don't be fooled!

Newsweek:  When Michael Shannon signed on to star in Elvis & Nixon, he was “not a huge Elvis Presley aficionado.” The actor, known for his creepily intense portrayals in theater (Bug), television (Boardwalk Empire) and movies (Revolutionary Road), admits he isn’t great at mimicry, and, to be honest, even with a wig and an outfit made by Elvis’s original suit-maker, he doesn’t resemble Presley very much. Yet Jerry Schilling, who was one of Presley's closest friends—and who accompanied him on the surreal 1970 journey to meet President Richard Nixon, recounted in this movie—says Shannon was able to transform himself into Presley. “They've never cast anyone who looks less like Elvis than Michael,” says Schilling. “Yet he really captures the inner Elvis. He did my friend justice. He may be the best Elvis of all time.”

BIM: Seriously Jerry? Have you consumed Ayahuasca recently? He did NOT do Elvis justice, neither has this remake of of the 1997 movie. This movie is being plugged as a historical movie, based on a true story, comedy, satire.Make up your mind!
The best Elvis of ALL TIME??? Come on now! His voice is mouse like and very meek  closer to Liberace than Elvis. There isn't even any Elvis music on the soundtrack. And while Jerry is lining his pocket, he could have at least lined Elvis' pocket using his music.

Song Credits

"Hold On I'm Coming"
Written by Isaac Hayes & Dave Porter
Performed by Sam & Dave
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

"Susie Q"
Written by Dale Hawkins, Stanley Lewis, Eleanor Broadwater
Performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Courtesy of Fantasy
By Arrangement with Concord Music Group, Inc.

"Push And Pull"
Written and performed by Rufus Thomas
Courtesy of K-tel Music, Inc.

"There Will Be Peace In The Valley For Me"
Written by Thomas A. Dorsey
Performed by Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Courtesy of Geffen Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

"Hard To Handle"
Written by Otis Redding, Allen Alvoid Jr. Jones, Alvertis Isbell
Performed by Otis Redding
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

"Spinning Wheel"
Written by David Clayton-Thomas
Performed by Blood, Sweat & Tears
Courtesy of Columbia Records

By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

Newsweek:  In 1997 Showtime aired a variation of this same story in Elvis Meets Nixon, but Schilling made them change his character's name because “the script was a joke, and the whole movie was atrocious.” Shannon agrees, noting that “makeup can be a distraction. If you really want to spend time with Elvis, you can watch one of his 50 movies.” During his decade at Elvis Presley Enterprises overseeing all record and film projects, Schilling insisted on cast approval for ABC's TV series about Presley in 1990; he forced a last-minute change from “a stiff who should have played Bill Haley” to Michael St. Gerard from Hairspray, who was Schilling's favorite Presley (along with Jonathan Rhys Meyers in a 2005 CBS miniseries) until Shannon came along.

BIM: What a load of PR BS hype to get fans to go watch this silly nonsense! Fans disliked Rhys Myers as well! Great taste! Just because you cast well known actors doesn't make it a GREAT movie.


Newsweek:  Schilling had to push the Elvis & Nixon screenwriters to capture Presley’s human side. The movie shows how Presley revels in fame's indulgences—no rules apply, and no one ever says no to him, not even the president—yet he's acutely aware of his isolation and is consumed by it.


BIM:  Elvis was raised to respect others especially his elders. He respected rules, they did apply to him. He served our country and did not go into special services entertaining the troops. Let's NOT change history and make Elvis look like a bratty Justin Bieber.

Newsweek:  One scene the writers added has Elvis commenting to Schilling about the hairspray, black dye and facial cream required to create his public persona. “I become a thing. I become an object,” says Shannon-as-Elvis. Shannon says of the real Presley, “They buried him so deep under gold, jewelry and money, flashbulbs, stage makeup, screaming fans.”

BIM: "THEY" Who is THEY? Elvis always had his own style and HE made all decisions what he wore. And how he looked. More changing history and who Elvis was!

Newsweek:  Shannon could not have played Presley without Schilling, who gave him a private tour of Graceland and his and Elvis’s childhood neighborhood. “When I met Jerry, the movie began making sense to me,” Shannon says. “I was very moved by his devotion to and love for his friend.” Shannon's “Rosetta stone” was an unpublished tape of Elvis talking, given to him by Schilling. “When I wasn't shooting a scene, I had my headphones on listening to that tape,” Shannon says. “Some people say, 'You didn't try very hard on the voice,’ but the voice on the tape seemed appropriate for this. I didn't want the public voice.” (Shannon did sing an a cappella “Battle Hymn of the Republic” as Presley, but it was cut from the film.)

BIM: OH PLEASE! More Bullsh$t! Come on! Elvis didn't have a "PRIVATE" and "Public" voice. He wasn't Michael Jackson! Again changing history. And We Elvis fans have loads of bootlegs, documentaries  interviews, the Red West call, we know what Elvis sounded like on stage and off. So don't SPIN why you sound and Look NOTHING like Elvis.

Here's TWO Examples:

Elvis Private Phone Call 1971

Elvis and Red West Phone Call 1976

Magic Mike Hunk as Jerry

BIM: And lastly, this movie reminds me of the 2007 film, Protecting The King in which Elvis' bodyguard was made out to be a SUPER HERO. While Jerry thinks Michael Shannon is the BEST ELVIS EVER, casting a creepy looking guy as Elvis, he's entitled to his opinion but....

He picked Magic Mike HUNK, Alex Pettyfer as himself. Hmm....ego trip?

Hey Jerry, why not Joe Manganiello as Elvis? Since no one can look like Elvis as you say. He's a great actor and he is HOT!

Is it because for once you can make yourself outshine Elvis in a fictional comedy? Schilling plays the cool guy and Elvis plays the fool. I'm very sad about that.

Fans of today are different and will go see this film and put $$$$ in Jerry's pocket. Not Me. Wait for the bootleg folks! Years ago, fans around the world would boycott this film. I always admired Jerry. I'm disappointed in this. But we will agree to disagree on this film.

What we truly need is a movie like Walk The Line, a serious film about Johnny Cash. That's what we need for Elvis. And the saddest part to me is, Jerry of all people could have honestly done such a film. A true historical film not a remake of satire film.

It breaks my heart how people sell out on Elvis for a quick $$ and how the media makes Elvis a constant joke. If this keeps up, he will one day be like Santa Claus. And no one will know the great humanitarian and American icon he is. That is terrible. Elvis Presley has given me so many amazing friends and happiness, I owe it to him to not let his memory fade into a parody. No other artist has accomplished what Elvis has yet he gets little respect.

So while Newsweek claims actors everywhere rejoice,  this Elvis fan isn't rejoicing.

 Megan Murphy

 NewsWeek full article