When Elvis died on August 16th, 1977, at just 42 years old, he was the most famous entertainer the world had ever seen. From the release of his first record ‘That Alight’ in 1954, every step of Elvis Presley’s musical journey left a footprint that others would follow. The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and countless others have recognised their debt to the King of Rock n’ roll. But his influence extended beyond music, and when Hollywood came calling, Elvis’ charisma lit up screens around the world. Through much of the 60’s, Elvis was Hollywood’s highest paid actor – eclipsing his heroes Marlon Brando and James Dean with a million-dollar pay-check per movie. Featuring emotional accounts from family members and friends, this film dives deep into the inner world of Elvis Presley and examines the sometimes-bizarre relationships that impacted his life and career. Elvis Presley’s larger -than-life public persona was partly a fiction created by his manager Colonel Tom Parker – but the private Presley was a very real product of the extraordinary circumstances of his impoverished childhood. Elvis survived a birth that left his twin brother dead – and the effects of that trauma reverberated throughout Elvis’ life. Aside from being a twinless twin, by far the biggest influence on Elvis was his mother Gladys. God fearing and devoted to her surviving son, Gladys and Elvis were locked in orbit until fame began to erode their bond – and depression sent Gladys to an early grave. Elvis’ cousin Billy Smith throws new light on this ill-fated mother-love that underscored every relationship that Elvis had with a woman.
