Anyone gonna watch “Elvis Presley; The Searcher” on Saturday?

[radd]

HBO special, 3 1/2 hours long and appears to be getting some very good reviews. It airs at 8pm tomorrow.

My guess it will be a bit much being 3 1/2 hours so I’m just recording it.

 

[freddyfingers]

I don’t have hbo or I would watch it.

 

[cielski]

Nope. I don't have HBO. I pay the cable bandits too much as it is.

 

[thunder58]

Sounds cool . 3 1/2 hours aint bad , Dances with Wolves ( 3hrs 56 min ) and Scent of a Woman ( 2hrs 36 min ) were long movies too and they were great .
Can't watch it tho , meeting tonight , enjoy

 

[radd]

Watched the first part, great documentary, very well done. Great music. It is all about his early days and his deep roots in gospel music and blues. Lots of clips of the early blues guys and the black clubs. Lots of clips and info about the Sun records days.

There is a great black and white film of an early TV appearance where at the end of the song instead of ending he slowed way way down into a blues style and Scotty and Elvis had never practiced it that way. There are lots of comments from Scotty including him talking about trying to follow where Elvis was going with that song.

 

[gjohnson441496]

I never cared for Elvis Presley, just not my cup of tea, but after watching that HBO special I now have a ton of respect for him. The special made it very obvious that he was manipulated by the Colonel strictly for money and the Colonel's ego. Elvis was "caught in a trap" of fame, especially during the last years of his life in Las Vagas. I plan on watching it again.

 

[radd]

I never cared for Elvis Presley, just not my cup of tea, but after watching that HBO special I now have a ton of respect for him. The special made it very obvious that he was manipulated by the Colonel strictly for money and the Colonel's ego. Elvis was "caught in a trap" of fame, especially during the last years of his life in Las Vagas. I plan on watching it again.

I was just a couple years to young to be into Elvis, my older sister was into him. I guess I never really appreciated how he came out of dirt poor poverty and was able to blend blues, country and gospel music into his own style. I have not seen part 2 yet.

 

[Dreamtime]

Beware, folks, Priscilla was an Executive Producer on this film.

Meaning, we ain't getting the real Elvis. And the real Elvis is a subject worth exploring.

The two Peter Guralnick books on Elvis are essential reading to not just any music fan, but to any American. Those two volumes truly are among the best biographies ever written (that's not me saying that, many reviews labelled them that.) Stunning books. Great reads. They captures Elvis - and thus, America - perfectly.

Read these!!!!

 

[TV the Wired Turtle]

Elvis was religion in my grandparents and parents home. I named my youngest son after him.. nuff said. just got hbo, see you in a few days

 

[russmack]

I never cared for Elvis Presley, just not my cup of tea, but after watching that HBO special I now have a ton of respect for him. The special made it very obvious that he was manipulated by the Colonel strictly for money and the Colonel's ego. Elvis was "caught in a trap" of fame, especially during the last years of his life in Las Vagas. I plan on watching it again.

Yes. I wish we could get to see and hear it in Oz. It'll eventually be broadcast here in about forty years.

Russ

 

[Gretsch Kiwi]

Haha, Russ I hear ya.

As a huge Elvis fan I can't wait for it either...will be checking "online" for the next few months for sure....probably buy the DVD if they make it too.

 

[wildeman]

Watched part one, it was good.

 

[MKunie]

Good for someone who does not know the Elvis story. Otherwise? Not really. Same stuff again,

 

[radd]

Watched part one, it was good.

Part 2 is not near as good, still fun to watch.

 

[loudnlousy]

Although I lived "in that time" when I was a kid, Elvis became relevant to me and my microcosmos only 10 years ago. Love his stuff, love his showmanship, love his colaborators.
He is The King.
Even in one hundred years people will acknowledge his contributions to popular music. I would really like to watch this feature.

 

[afire]

Part 2 is not near as good, still fun to watch.

Sounds about like the reality.

 

[radd]

Sounds about like the reality.

That is really the truth. The documentary spends very little time on his drug addiction and his final days, but it also does not hide it.

Sadly, the main voice over (the entire program is done with voice overs by different individuals) speaking about Elvis’ drug addiction is none other than Tom Petty.

 

[freddyfingers]

Finally saw it. Got hbo on the go or something like that on a free trial. I will cancel it soon. I liked the documentary. Got my wife and one son to watch a bit, but each part was way too long for them, so I was alone at the end of both segments. I knew the colonel had immigration issues, but I liked how they focused on that more than most stories did. Elvis could have toured the world, could have recorded more music of his choice, and done less movies and what the colonel wanted, but ultimately he didn’t. So we will never know