ELVIS: Official second trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s movie
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The film just topped the US box office, edging out Top Gun:Maverick. It has been enthusiastically praised by Priscilla Presley, who has been heavily involved in promoting the biopic, and her daughter with The King, Lisa Marie. However, others close to the music icon have blasted particular aspects of the storytelling and disputed the portrayal of major events.
Elvis’ cousin Billy Smith grew up with him in Tupelo Mississippi and then travelled in the same car when their families moved to Memphis. Growing up around Graceland and then becoming an integral part of the Memphis Mafia, he spent more time with the legend than anyone still living.
His son Danny spent his own childhood around Elvis and he discusses his memories alongside his father on the YouTube channel Memphis Mafia Kid.
The latest post about the new movie is an emotional and powerful denunciation of it not showing “the true Elvis.”
Danny said: “When the movie was over and we were walking out I have never in my life felt so down and depressed and sad.
“What really upset me was, for our new generation, to me it made me feel they’re going to see Elvis was the most miserable person… That his whole life was miserable.
“I’m sorry that’s not the Elvis I knew. I’m not saying his life was perfect… Elvis was human, he had his problems, his demons, and he dealt with them on a whole higher level than we can imagine.”
Danny, along with his father Billy and Linda Thompson, Elvis’ girlfriend from 1972-1976, have publicly hit back in particular at the depiction of his final years, after 1973.
They have all criticised the portrayal of the star’s final years as filled with gloom and despair when the star was in two intense relationships and still constantly touring, with major plans for his future.
Danny said: “The last years were totally left out of the film.”
“I can promise you those were probably some of the happiest times of Elvis’ life. There were so many people, my mummy and daddy included, that were left out…. That were all very much part of Elvis’ life… I hate that it was like that (on screen).”
WATCH THE MEMPHIS MAFIA KID VIDEO HERE
Billy and his wife Jo responded to a post from Linda about the film that said: “Since so many people are left out who were very important and instrumental in Elvis’ life – I wouldn’t call it a biopic… Any inclusion or exclusion in any movie ever made can never erase the important role I played in his life and he in mine. But every true fan already knows that.”
Billy wrote: “We agree with everything that Linda said. It is true and everyone that was with Elvis knows it! We haven’t seen the movie either and don’t know that we will. It is a shame so many people were left out.
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