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5d ago

Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC Opens Nationwide as Restored Elvis Concert Film Draws Raves

The film uses painstakingly restored Vegas-era footage with Elvis’s own archival narration to recreate the sensation of being at his shows.

In “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” filmmaker Baz Luhrmann used hours of never before seen film and audio of Elvis Presley performing in Las Vegas in 1970 and cities around the United States in 1972 to let Elvis tell his own story in a way that’s never before been done. (Film still courtesy of Neon)
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Teyana Taylor, left, and Leonardo DiCaprio in "One Battle After Another."
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Overview

  • The hybrid concert documentary expands to theaters on Feb. 27 following a high-profile IMAX rollout that drew strong critical praise for its immersive presentation.
  • Luhrmann centers Presley’s 1969–1976 International Hotel residency, weaving unseen concerts, rehearsals, press moments and onstage banter into a performance-first collage.
  • Dozens of hours of film and audio discovered in Kansas vaults were restored at Peter Jackson’s Wingnut facilities for premium big-screen formats including IMAX and Dolby Atmos.
  • Instead of talking-head commentary, the movie relies on Presley’s own interview audio, letting him frame the music, backstage preparations and career reflections in his words.
  • USA Today notes a brief spoken-word coda by Bono, and Page Six reports the IMAX preview grossed about $3.25 million from 325 locations ahead of the wider release.