Baz Luhrmann's EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert restores Elvis's live performances

Using 59 hours of restored 35-mm and 16-mm footage recovered from a Kansas salt mine, Baz Luhrmann's EPiC pieces together early-1970s concerts and an unearthed audiotape to present Elvis as a commanding live performer.

Baz Luhrmann has assembled a found-footage concert film using long-buried reels and home movies to present Elvis Presley in performance. The material includes 59 hours of 35-mm and 16-mm footage stored in a Kansas salt mine and a newly unearthed audiotape of Elvis recounting his life. The project was edited by Jonathan Redmond and digitally restored by Peter Jackson's team. Luhrmann discovered the reels while making his 2022 biopic "Elvis." Notable details: - The film uses restored early-1970s concert footage and rehearsal material to focus on Elvis as a live performer. - Restoration and editing credits include Jonathan Redmond and Peter Jackson's digital restoration team. - The source material includes reels from MGM's "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" (1970) and "Elvis on Tour" (1972), plus 8-mm home movies from Graceland. - A newly found audiotape features Elvis speaking about his life and performances, recorded largely during his Las Vegas residency years. - The restored presentation highlights a wide range of songs, including originals and cover versions of Beatles, Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Ray Charles and others. - A text coda notes Elvis performed about 1,100 shows between 1969 and 1977. Summary: The film reframes familiar archival material to foreground Elvis's stage presence and musicianship, with a sound and image mix that emphasizes clarity and immediacy. It may introduce younger viewers to his live-era performances. Undetermined at this time.