Elvis Presley: The Searcher

Elvis Presley: The Searcher
Film poster
Directed byThom Zimny[1]
Written byAlan Light[1]
Produced byJon Landau[1]
Thom Zimny[1]
Kary Antholis[1]
CinematographyLuke Geissbuhler[1]
Edited byAnoosh Tertzakian[1]
Thom Zimny[1]
Music byMike McCready[1]
Production
company
Old Farm Road Films[1]
Distributed byHBO Documentary Films
Sony Pictures Television
Release dates
  • March 2018 (2018-03) (SXSW)
  • April 14, 2018 (2018-04-14) (HBO)
Running time
215 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Elvis Presley: The Searcher is a 2018 television documentary film produced by HBO Documentary Films about the life of American singer Elvis Presley, highlighting the development of his musical artistry. Co-edited, co-produced, and directed by Thom Zimny, the documentary premiered at the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival in two parts on March 14 and 15, 2018, before airing on HBO in its entirety on April 14.[2]

Production

In 2014, Priscilla Presley, the ex-wife of American musician Elvis Presley, began discussing with the singer's close friend Jerry Schilling the prospect of an honest telling of Elvis' story through his music. The two soon approached HBO Miniseries president Kary Antholis with their plan, which he ardently agreed to, enough so that he and the network reached out to producer Jon Landau to jumpstart the project.[3]

Landau brought in Thom Zimny as the director, having worked together for nearly two decades on Bruce Springsteen documentaries.[3] Landau thought of the title Elvis Presley: The Searcher upon hearing Priscilla's comment about Elvis as "a searcher".[4]

Soundtrack

Main article: Elvis Presley: The Searcher (soundtrack)

Marketing

The photo of Elvis Presley used as the documentary's key image is from a test shoot for his 1960 film Flaming Star, in which he wore brown contact lenses to assess if it was a better fit for his role as a half-Native American character, as Elvis had naturally blue eyes; this plan was discarded, however, when they began shooting the film. The test shoot photo was chosen to represent The Searcher for its "unearthly quality".[4]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 96% based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 7.50/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Elvis Presley: The Searcher delves into an American icon's early career with patience and skill, delivering a lengthy close-up look that should satisfy fans of all persuasions. "[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j DeFore, John (March 22, 2018). "'Elvis Presley: The Searcher, Parts One and Two': Film Review | SXSW 2018". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  2. ^ Perry, Elle (March 1, 2018). "Priscilla Presley, David Porter to premiere Elvis HBO film at SXSW". Memphis Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Greene, Andy (April 4, 2018). "'Elvis Presley: The Searcher' Pulls Back the Veil on the King". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Beifuss, John (April 9, 2018). "Elvis the Artist: The 'Searcher' Finds 'Rescue' in New HBO Documentary". USA Today. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  5. ^ Elvis Presley:The Searcher, retrieved February 23, 2022
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