Release Date: 8/7/07

The Show

Somewhere between young, skinny Elvis and old, fat Elvis was a smooth, mature Elvis that was at the top of his game even if his record sales were slowing down. Originally released in 1970, Elvis: That’s the Way It Is was a feature film that documented his return to live performances at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, after a stint of Hollywood acting. However, what we get simply isn’t a live performance, but also, the rehearsal and backstage banter that puts on display the charisma and magnetic charm of Elvis. Now, released in a Two-Disc Special Edition, we get the original 1970 theatrical release of the feature as well as a cleaned up version of the film which includes more of a focus on the man himself. The original release for some reason included much more footage of the audience rather than the man himself.

The film itself is a great look Elvis and his presence, whether it be on stage or backstage rehearsing. The rehearsal footage is great for die-hard fans while the performance is probably one of the performer’s more memorable performances. Also, aside from the music, we get to see the humorous and story-telling side of the man between takes and songs. For those who have memories of The King or those who were born too late for this one man phenomena, this DVD wonderfully captures a bit of that magic.

The DVD

The main menu is pretty standard with static backgrounds and music. Submenus come with static backgrounds and silence. For the subject content, I was hoping for a much flashier and more music.

The video transfer is offered in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen Format. For older footage and a live show recording, the picture looks pretty decent. For the most part, the colors are a bit washed out which is to be expected, but look very good. The lights and the different hues look great. Also to boot is that the picture has been cleaned up with little to no artifacts or dirt to be found.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital 5.1 and English Dolby Digital Mono. This is what really matters and fortunately, it sounds great. The songs and vocals come through strong and sound clean and crisp with no distortion. Subtitles are available in English and French.

The Extras

The 2-disc set comes in single standard Amaray case with an extra flap on the inside for the second disc. It’s all encased within a nice looking reflective cardboard slipcase. Also included inside is a nice photo booklet.

Patch it Up: The Reconstruction of Elvis: That’s the Way It Is is main bonus option on the first disc running about 9-minutes and offers interviews with the producer of the new cut of the film. Also included are some of the band mates from the movie.

The bonus options on the first disc round out with static text pages focusing on the Cast & Crew, Elvis and his Films, and Behind the Scenes. The Trailer is also included on the disc.

The sole bonus option found on the second disc is a collection of 5 Outtakes running over 40-minute with a Play All option.

Final Thoughts

Elvis: That’s the Way It Is – Two-Disc Special Edition is a great addition to any fan’s collection. The collection of bonus options (namely the Outtakes), both versions of the film, and cleaned up feature make this a must have.

- Morris Tang