This Is Elvis (1981) on Netflix
Performances, interviews and reenacted scenes tell the story of Elvis Presley, from a boy in Tupelo, Mississippi, to a young man in Memphis. Four actors portray him at different ages.
- Netflix3.4/5
- IMDb7.6/101,790 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes86%
Trailer
Plot summary
Elvis Presley's life and career are told through a mix of archival material and reenacted passages, with four actors playing him at different points and a narration that imitates his speaking voice. Other narrators take the voices of Vernon Presley, Gladys Presley and Priscilla Presley. Clips from his 1956 television appearances, on Stage Show, The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, mark his arrival in the national spotlight. Scenes from Love Me Tender, his screen debut, and King Creole appear, along with his years of film and soundtrack work and gospel recordings. After a long break from live shows, he returned in 1968 for a television special and played Las Vegas in 1969, and a 1973 special was televised live by satellite from Hawaii.
Cast
- David Scottas Elvis - Age 18
- Paul Boensch IIIas Elvis - Age 10
- Dana MacKayas Elvis - Age 35
- Johnny Harraas Elvis - Age 42
- Lawrence Kolleras Vernon Presley
- Rhonda Lynas Priscilla Presley
- Debbie Edgeas Gladys Presley
- Larry Raspberryas Dewey Phillips
- Furry Lewisas Bluesman
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about This Is Elvis (1981)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- For the reenactment scenes Presley was portrayed by four different actors at four ages, from Paul Boensch II as the 11-year-old in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1946 to Johnny Harra as the 42-year-old in the August 16, 1977 death scene.
- The film combines archival footage with reenactments, and its voice-over narration comes from pop singer Ral Donner, who imitates Presley's speaking voice rather than using the singer's own.
- This Is Elvis was the only Presley movie produced and released by Warner Bros. until Baz Luhrmann's biopic Elvis in 2022.
