Elvis In Concert DVD

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

I have just purchased a new copy of "Elvis In Concert" it also has the Omaha and Rapid city concerts on another disc although the quality of the pictures on these are not as good as the CBS show itself I am quite happy because it is better than the one I already had.

It never ceases to amaze me that this material has been out there for many years and you can still buy a copy with excellent quality.

I have to say that everytime I watch the CBS show all the way through I kind of feel sad, what makes it worse is when you seen Vernon at the end I always get a lump in my throat, what that poor man must have gone through at the loss of his only child and he still takes time out to record a message for the fans, takes some doing, the grief is written all over his face.

If you haven't got a copy I highly recommend that you get one.

Matt

[Cryogenic]

Got it.

The quality looks virtually identical to mine.

All in all, it's a very unsubstantial - yet vital - concert presentation. It features very few songs and even fewer decent performances. It's also heavily edited. And I'm not talking about the fan inserts (which are annoying enough) but the fact that footage for individual songs is spliced together from two (and what at times seems like more than two) concerts. To give but one example... Elvis actually stopped the band for a second right in the middle of C.C. Rider in one of the concerts but this was creatively patched up for the CBS broadcast.

Vernon is definitely also a bit of a bull$hitter. He praises Colonel Parker and calls him an "honest" man when in reality there had been considerable friction between the two for many years and Vernon had previously wanted (and tried) to get rid of him. He also remarks that Elvis is perceived as a hermit and that it's not actually true - but for all intents and purposes, we all know **** well that Elvis was a hermit and led a life that became increasingly insular after his mother died. Notice also the implication when Vernon talks about remarrying and not having lived in Graceland since that time. Elvis supposedly threw a rage of frightening proportions when he learnt of Vernon's re-marriage and treated Dee (Vernon's wife), who he no doubt perceived as a threat to his precious mother's memory, very coldly. All this just renders the footage even more fascinating, however. It pays to read between the lines!

I've barely watched the individual concerts since they have playback issues on my PC (random freezing in different points every time I watch) and are of a particularly low quality. Elvis' health is not really a detracting issue, though . If anything, it's more reason to watch the concerts for historical reasons and, as sad as it sounds, to appreciate how far he'd gone off the rails.

All in all... decent bootleg and reputable trader permitting, it's a good product that no true Elvis fan should be without. But... buyer beware. Aside from a few heartfelt performances like "How Great Thou Art", "You Gave Me A Mountain", "My Way" and "Hurt", Elvis In Concert should be treated more as an historical document than an exhaustive and entertaining musical package.

[Albert]

I'm always looking for a better version than I already own.... could you show us the cover of the one that you've purchased?

[Lonniebealestreet]

Cryogenic, you'll find that there are plenty of fans of the CBS material who post here. Obviously you have an appreciation for it too, but some of us have rather high opinion of a number of the performances, in addition to enjoying some of the other aspects you named.

Good idea, Albert. Anybody have this one? The discs have basic white labels with black lettering. I'm pretty pleased with it. Please excuse the low res.

The CBS special disc has a "video thumbnail" menu screen, if you know what I mean. Disc 2, the outtakes, just has the two shows as the only menu options, but advancing to the next chapter will jump to the start of each song. I kind of wish it was all on one disc, but if they had done it that way then they wouldn't cost as much.

I'm interested to see what your DVD looks like, JJ. If I'm not mistaken, NightRider has a good looking one too.

[spinout-designs]

I'm always looking for a better version than I already own....

Aren't we all Albert.

could you show us the cover of the one that you've purchased?

I suggest there are far more cover variations floating around ebay than there are actually 'different versions' of the DVD itself.

Regretably, this mudying of the waters using numerous different cover combinations really makes it a difficult task for the genuine buyer that only wants to get the best quality version available.

[Cryogenic]

Lonnie... I'd like to get a high quality CD of the concert and the first volume of "The Greatest Performances" DVD (for Unchained Melody) to get a better sense of the music Elvis made in those shows. I have an MP3 of "My Way" and it sounds considerably richer than the hissy, monoural source of the video tape the bootlegged DVD was made from. Speaking of which...

I have the exact same DVD set! The box is exactly as pictured and the discs themselves are exactly as described.

I'd bet that what we own is as good as it's going to get unless EPE ever reverses its stance.

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

All in all, it's a very unsubstantial - yet vital - concert presentation. It features very few songs and even fewer decent performances. It's also heavily edited.

My oh my, a very glib comment indeed, granted Elvis was not at his peak but there are some stunning vocal performances which make this a very substantial concert.

Vernon is definitely also a bit of a bull$hitter.

Aside from the fact that if Vernon wanted to speak the truth I'm pretty sure that libelling himself on CBS would be the last thing he needed considering his health and his recent loss. The relationship between the Colonel and Vernon was purely business, a breakdown at this time would have been a disaster for both parties.

but for all intents and purposes, we all know **** well that Elvis was a hermit and led a life that became increasingly insular after his mother died.

I am not certain that Elvis became insular after his mother died, I would say that became more so in the mid 70's.

All in all... decent bootleg and reputable trader permitting, it's a good product that no true Elvis fan should be without. But... buyer beware. Aside from a few heartfelt performances like "How Great Thou Art", "You Gave Me A Mountain", "My Way" and "Hurt", Elvis In Concert should be treated more as an historical document than an exhaustive and entertaining musical package.

There are many different sides and Images associated with Elvis, from what you have written above you have decided that "Elvis In Concert" should be a sad footnote which "computer" permitting might get to see the light of day.

Don't get me wrong "Elvis In Concert" does have it's faults and can't be compared to "That's The Way It Is" or "Elvis On Tour" but the review you have posted plays right into the hands of EPE who would love to be able to say that even the fans see it as a HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, personally I see it as a musical package and would love to see it get the "Aloha From Hawaii" and "68 Special" Deluxe treatment.

This footage does not deserve to be swept under the carpet

Now my rant is over this is the DVD set I got.

[Captain Elwood David]

Vernon is definitely also a bit of a bull$hitter. He praises Colonel Parker and calls him an "honest" man when in reality there had been considerable friction between the two for many years and Vernon had previously wanted (and tried) to get rid of him.

Vernon held The Col. in generally high regards, mainly for his role in pulling The Presley's out of poverty & keeping them out. He also trusted The Col. & was active in convincing Elvis to keep him on.

He also remarks that Elvis is perceived as a hermit and that it's not actually true - but for all intents and purposes, we all know **** well that Elvis was a hermit and led a life that became increasingly insular after his mother died.

EP was not a "hermit", even in 1977. He was often out and about around Memphis & Hawaii in both early & late 1977; in fact, in Hawaii, EP was a very active tourist - shopping, sightseeing, horsing around, taking in shows, hosting private dinner parties out on the dining circuit, ................... and the list goes on. He was also actively romping around Memphis in the days before his death.

Notice also the implication when Vernon talks about remarrying and not having lived in Graceland since that time. Elvis supposedly threw a rage of frightening proportions when he learnt of Vernon's re-marriage and treated Dee (Vernon's wife), who he no doubt perceived as a threat to his precious mother's memory, very coldly. All this just renders the footage even more fascinating, however.

There is no "implication" here. Vernon was instructed to simply discuss his, Elvis' lives & the path that led to fame. It was a biographical reply, nothing more.

EP's dislike of Dee had more to do with the type of person that he perceived (correctly, I might add) her to be, rather than somebody trying to fill his mother's shoes. That said, EP was always up front with where she stood with him ................ and .......... recognized that if she made his Father happy ---------> he wouldn't prevent it. He also, became a father figure to step-brothers for the rest of his life, later even taking them on as part of his entourage.

Much of the bile that you are spewing in multiple directions is overblown MYTH.

It pays to read between the lines!

So long as one does it - correctly.


- Capt. "EL."

[Lonniebealestreet]

Don't have this one, but i did make most of this dvd cover.

Ha, ha! That's not surprising, is it?

Lonnie... I'd like to get a high quality CD of the concert and the first volume of "The Greatest Performances" DVD (for Unchained Melody) to get a better sense of the music Elvis made in those shows.

Yes, you really should--on both counts. Track down the Japanese 24-bit paper sleeve CD. Cool gatefold LP-styled packaging and the best sound available, as far as I know. The UM performance featured on the GP DVD is a great teaser of what could (or will) be once EPE finally decides to take the plunge. It's fantastic.

I have the exact same DVD set! The box is exactly as pictured and the discs themselves are exactly as described.

I'd bet that what we own is as good as it's going to get unless EPE ever reverses its stance.

I would think most of them are pretty comparable.

The packaging you've got, Spinout, is pretty sharp. A VCD I used to have had that same disc art (on the cove too).

On this subject, though these shots were taken of my TV with my cameraphone, I thought they turned out pretty well. (From the GP DVD.)

[spinout-designs]

Matt, this cover art you posted was an alternate design made by Johnny Tyronne and is downloadable from his website. It has been 'mixed and matched' with an alternate design on the discs that has been around for years.



Sadly, a great example of the muddying of the waters that goes on on ebay where sellers will use the best cover art they can find at the time or adapt existing ones to their own advantage.

Typical.

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Matt, this cover art you posted was an alternate design made by Johnny Tyronne and is downloadable from his website. It has been 'mixed and matched' with an alternate design on the discs that has been around for years.



Sadly, a great example of the muddying of the waters that goes on on ebay where sellers will use the best cover art they can find at the time or adapt existing ones to their own advantage.

Typical.

Still I can't complain, the quality is very good, just wish EPE would do the decent thing

[Cryogenic]

I didn't mean to offend or upset anyone. I apologise for that. Some of my comments were far too sweeping, exaggerated and plain unfair.

My oh my, a very glib comment indeed, granted Elvis was not at his peak but there are some stunning vocal performances which make this a very substantial concert.

You've misinterpretted me here. When I said, "All in all, it's a very unsubstantial - yet vital - concert presentation", I muddied my own point by then saying, "It features very few songs and even fewer decent performances." That was not the primary thrust of my opening sentence at all. What I meant was that it's just a very unsubstantial presentation of a concert/concerts.

1) The entire broadcast is just 50 minutes long - and both the opening 5-6 minutes and the ending 2-3 have nothing to do with Elvis singing at all. While they are important components in their own right, it means one is left with less than 45 minutes of musical material. Very paltry.

2) Even worse, some genuinely good performances of Elvis' are actually interrupted and ruined by commentary from fans and Vernon. Again, I have no problem with the commentary in and of itself, but the fact that the commentary is layered in on top of Elvis' live singing is shameful.

3) A lot of songs - some really good performances - didn't even make the CBS broadcast at all.

4) Felton Jarvis supposedly forgot to record the TCB band and every vocal had to be overdubbed. If this is true, it means we are essentially missing one half of the original performance. Elvis had a lot of respect for his band. And with good reason, of course. They were incredibly talented. This point is particularly disgraceful.

5) Last but not least, some of Elvis' performances are lacklustre. But this is only actually centered on a few songs (his old rockers). Unfortunately, these scant weak performances take greater precedence than they should because of the aforementioned issues with length and editing.

Aside from the fact that if Vernon wanted to speak the truth I'm pretty sure that libelling himself on CBS would be the last thing he needed considering his health and his recent loss. The relationship between the Colonel and Vernon was purely business, a breakdown at this time would have been a disaster for both parties.

Agreed. And Vernon calling The Colonel an "honest" man actually has some truth to it. My statement completely disregarded that and everything you've just outlined. I won't edit my original post, however. Once a comment has been made on a message board and other people have responded to it, there's no point. But I am sorry for it.

I am not certain that Elvis became insular after his mother died, I would say that became more so in the mid 70's.

Insularity can take many forms. In some ways, Elvis was always a little insular. I was, however, communicating the same point that you have just made. As I said, he became increasingly insular after his mother died but, as you have essentially just said, it only took on extreme proportions in the mid 70s.

"Elvis In Concert" does have it's faults and can't be compared to "That's The Way It Is" or "Elvis On Tour" but the review you have posted plays right into the hands of EPE who would love to be able to say that even the fans see it as a HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, personally I see it as a musical package and would love to see it get the "Aloha From Hawaii" and "68 Special" Deluxe treatment.

In its current form, it *IS* more of an historical document than anything else. What it needs is a drastic re-edit. First and foremost, fans should not, under any circumstances, be talking over his performances. Secondly, the show deserves and needs to be expanded with additional performances that Elvis gave. Where the heck, amongst others, are "Love Me", "Trying To Get To You", "Hawaiian Wedding Song" and "Unchained Melody"?

With a proper re-editing and remastering job, "Elvis In Concert" could be utterly fantastic. I'd love to buy it.

Vernon held The Col. in generally high regards, mainly for his role in pulling The Presley's out of poverty & keeping them out. He also trusted The Col. & was active in convincing Elvis to keep him on.

Was he? Really...? Wasn't there an instance where Vernon and Elvis jointly tried to fire the Colonel but the Colonel sent a list of his expenses to Vernon's office and they realised they could never afford to do it? Unless, of course, you know better, Captain Elwood (and I'd certainly defer to your own knowledge based on the posts I've seen).

EP was not a "hermit", even in 1977. He was often out and about around Memphis & Hawaii in both early & late 1977; in fact, in Hawaii, EP was a very active tourist - shopping, sightseeing, horsing around, taking in shows, hosting private dinner parties out on the dining circuit, ................... and the list goes on. He was also actively romping around Memphis in the days before his death.

From what I've heard, he still spent considerable time holed up in his room. In his mind, he was a lonely man and effectively a hermit. But you're right in deflecting and deflating my point. Actions speak louder than words. So... Fair play to Elvis. He was active and up out and about until the very end.

[Captain Elwood David]

Hi Cyrogenic -

IMO, there is no need for apology in the course of healthy & robust discussion / disagreement.

It's only a discussion, nothing more.

I am merely trying to correct some (common) misconceptions.

------------------------------

Just a couple of more points for your consideration:

1. Vernon also sent, following EP's death, a very glowing letter to The Col., essentially thanking him for staying on & continuing to look after the interests of The Presley Family / Legacy ...... & expressing full confidence / support behind The Col. and all the does.

2. EP was also battling clinical depression - and on medications for such - since as far back as 1973 (with it becoming increasingly more so as the years progressed). As a natural consequence of this, EP would of course have his moments of preferred isolation / withdrawing. The causes for the depression were complex & multifaceted, but for as often as EP was "down" ........ there were equally or more times that he was not as well. For a number of reasons, many choose to put the negative under a microscope at the expense of the positive .......... and it often makes for a skewed portrait of the man (especially in the later 70's).


- Capt. "EL."

[Cryogenic]

Thanks for that, Captain El.

The "Vernon sending letter" thing is news to me but I've heard that Elvis was suffering from clinical depression or bipolar disorder before. I thought this was merely a modern-day conclusion inferred from his behaviour, however, so to hear he was on medication specifically for it is again news to me. It is, of course, a much more malignant and complex issue than most people credit it for. Giving someone medication only alleviates the symptoms; it doesn't address the root causes of them.

Why was this guy depressed? Man, that would make a whole book on its own, wouldn't it? And dare I say an entire library? The death of his mother (and probably with it, the sense that the first and last person on Earth to ever understand and properly care for him was gone), the army neutering and depriving him of even greater things (though this point, like all of them, is highly contentious), squandering one's career on "teenybopper" movies, the pressures of fame and not being able to live a normal life, the innate lack of ability to easily articulate his own woes, the equally confounding lack of availability of anyone truly sympathetic or trustworthy enough to hear them, his troubled marriage and divorce from Priscilla and all that they entailed, the enormous and overwhelming responsibility of conforming to the idealistic image of "Elvis Presley", his worsening health and growing sense of mortality, the soul sapping tedium of touring endlessly and meeting the same expectations wherever he went, the petty jealousies and infighting amongst his entourage, the greedy and presumptive nature of various members of his entourage, wanting to be one of the guys whilst realising those same people could never truly meet him at the same levels intellectually, emotionally or spiritually (and were also the sort that shunned him at school), also wanting to be surrounded by genuine friends when it was virtually impossible to tell who wanted to be a friend and who simply wanted to be associated with "Elvis Presley", being driven insane with worry over his dad's health, being driven insane with worry/anger over various extortion and blackmail attempts, being driven insane with worry/anger over the possibility someone would assasinate him, and perhaps overarching them all, the feeling that Elvis Aaron Presley was powerless over his own life and not master of his own destiny.

Man, considering all that, it becomes impossible to conceive how someone could not become seriously depressed. A unique life with a unique set of possibilities and pressures.

Wow. That's deeper than I should probably have gone.

Erm... back to Elvis In Concert?

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Some good points Cryogenic.

Given the state of mind that Elvis was in and the circumstances regarding Red West and Dave Hebler over the book "Elvis What Happend?", the racketball saga and the visable and physical decline in Elvis' health, what was the thought process that concieved the CBS show.

Elvis would have been aware of his appearance and how that could have been recieved by the wider media given such a platform to be reviewed by. I can't see it being a purely financial venture because touring was already a steady source of income nor was it a challenge that would stretch Elvis in any way.

If it was to show everyone that he was still out there touring, would this not have served to prove that his health was failing due to the gruelling tour schedule and only end up being detrimental, only supporting the view espoused by Hebler & West!

Also EPE's total disregard for "Elvis In Concert" and the way they allow and support commentary used in hushed tones e.g. "Shortly after this concert was filmed Elvis passed away in Graceland" as though it was alright to have filmed the CBS Special because Elvis died soon afterwards vindicating the health issues and Elvis' appearance at that time, when in reality Elvis' health hadn't been good for several years. EPE have tried their hardest to eliminate the years 1975-1977 from the history books and promote the corprate Image of the 50's and 60's Elvis. Surely those around Elvis at the time were fully aware of Elvis' condition and could have advised accordingly?

Possibly the reasoning was to motivate/stimulate Elvis, to give him a challenge and reignite a passion which had in recent times turned to auto pilot. Given a challenge Elvis usually came up with the goods and EIC was no exception.

Would like to know other peoples thoughts on the above.

Matt

[Captain Elwood David]

The roots of EP's depression stem from the same problems that caused his addiction - it was a way of coping with life's stressors. We all have to, to varying degrees, but .............. suffice to say, .......... none of us do or are likely to ever have to on the same level that EP did.

With that in mind, ............ one should cut the man some slack & not be so judgemental of him & even some of those that were there.

-----------------

Regarding Dr. Nick treating EP's depression, ................ well, Nick didn't always treat in a good faith effort to cure (EP's addiction). That said, ........ he was up against a Herculean task.

-----------------

I believe EP's acquiescence to film EIC was a reflection of the terminal apathy that lead to his demise a mere 6 weeks later.


- Capt. "EL."

[chad]

Ive just brought an original factory pressed 2 dvd set and the picture is excellent and the rapid city concert as not got the clock going thru the bottom of the screen .

Chad

[Captain Elwood David]

Ive just brought an original factory pressed 2 dvd set and the picture is excellent and the rapid city concert as not got the clock going thru the bottom of the screen .

Chad

Congratulations, ............. and most of all - ENJOY!!


- Capt. "EL."

[chad]

Thanks

Danny

[elvisdownunder]

this is the lineup that the CBS special should've got in '77

fans comments (with editing)
also sprach zarathrusta
see see rider
i got a woman/amen (some editing)
thats allright mama
are you lonesome tonight
love me
fairytale
you gave me a mountain
jailhouse rock
o sole mio/now or never
trying to get to you
little sister
and i love you so
teddy bear/don't be cruel
how great thou art
fan comments
band intros
johnny b.goode
drum solo
i really don't want to know
hurt
houndog
unchained melody
my way
can't help falling in love

IMO