Elvis in Concert (1977)

Yes, I know that these were not his farewell performances, as his last performance would be over a month later in Indianapolis. However, it was the last officially filmed concert footage, and I feel that it is both moving and magnificent. I remember as a kid watching it back in 1977 and thinking how sad it was to see him like that, and that he looked bad. However, with the passage of many years, I can now watch it and really see just how great of an entertainer and human being Elvis was. He really shows himself as how he really was on stage. He is not arrogant, he is funny, he is modest and pokes fun at himself, and above all else, he is happy. Oh, and I forgot to mention his voice, which , as Joe Esposito said, never failed him. There are some great performances in this special, regardless of how Elvis looks, and the fans in the audience love it. If EPE could do a multi-DVD set that includes both concerts without fan interview interruptions, and maybe a separate DVD with behind the scenes and fan material, and maybe even material not included in the original special, it would be awesome. Even better would be a release in blu-ray format. Come on already, EPE!

CBS filmed two shows (19th and 21st June). The first was not very good, caused by drugs and stage fright. On the second night, Elvis pulled himself together and delivered a great show, or as great as he could in 1977. The final TV Special was only 50 minutes long, contained a lot of fan footage and Vernon Presley talking about Elvis both before and after his death. Only few songs are actually shown and it becomes clear, that the producers tried to avoid showing too many close-up shots of Elvis's face, which was bloated, tired and sweating. My thoughts are: - it is sad to see Elvis so close to death, and he really looked a dying man - he can't walk very well, so he just stands there, all of the 1969 energy gone - yet he puts so much into his singing, just check out "Tryin to get to you" - Let's hope for an official release of all the material shot (a box set similar to the other TV shows) - there are bootleg editions of Elvis in Concert which are edited together from all material available - the original TV special is definitely too short, it will leave you craving for more.Conclusion: everybody should be able to see it. Depending on the mood you're in, you will either start crying over seeing a dying man or you will marvel at Elvis's voice, still that strong and his sense of humor which keep the audience and the band members so fascinated.

The CBS Special stands as a piece of history which I think has not received the care and respect it deserves from EPE. The badly-edited footage (you have to see the unedited footage to really appreciate Elvis' work) has been relegated to the Graceland attic and that's a shame.The emotional punch this production packs should be enough to warrant an official DVD release. I think that to any Elvis fan, Elvis remained Elvis. EPE seems to think that it's OK to write off the last three years of his life, which to me are as important as any other.The Elvis that appears in the CBS Special, is, and this has been said ad nauseam, in bad shape physically, sometimes slightly incoherent but he is possibly the most "human" Elvis ever caught on film. He is flawed, he is shy, he is hokey at times (in the way that a teenager would find his/her dad hokey) but he is humble, and remarkably likable.Being an E fan, I enjoy watching his concert documentaries and I must say that I much prefer 1977 Elvis to his previous incarnations. Of course, as a showman, he was truly dynamic and possibly at his best in the 68 Special and "That's the way it is", but in 1977, he had lost this arrogance that characterized his late 60s/early 70s persona and was obviously comfortable sharing himself, as he was, with his audience.His voice is as powerful as ever (perhaps more), he enjoys his audience. You can plainly see and hear that he is bored with some of his older songs (I can't blame him - how many years can you sing Hound Dog at every single concert without getting absolutely sick of it), but watch how his face lights up when he sings "Hurt". Through the first two lines of the song, he's looking back at the band and grinning with joy. Same thing for the extremely moving "Unchained Melody" (which was inexplicably NOT included in the final CBS footage but is available in the unedited concert footage). He ends the song with a final flourish and you can just see how pleased he is, grinning, loving what he is doing.EPE is doing the world of Elvis fans a great disservice by refusing to re-release this amazing production. It has much more "meat" to it than the blah Aloha Special where Elvis, while looking superbly iconic and in fine voice, is wooden and emotionally removed from the whole thing.One final word: if you watch the CBS Special, you will notice that the use of the word "fat" is unwarranted and incorrect. Elvis was certainly bigger by then, and he has the typical middle-aged sedentary guy "spare tire", but he is otherwise not particularly big. His face is not as much fat as it is bloated. But if you watch the Unchained Melody footage, make sure to catch that brief moment, about halfway through the song, where he pauses for a second, turns to the audience and smiles. In that one instant, you can plainly see Elvis from 10 years before, and, in this context, it'll both break your heart - knowing that he has such little time left - and make you love him.What a great guy. I still miss him.

This is a brilliant concert video! It is not widely available but can be found through internet searches. While Elvis is not in his physical prime it clearly demonstrates his position as King. Even in his 1977 condition he controls and dictates the audience like a master. His vocal dynamics are beyond reproach, spanning nearly four octaves! The band and orchestra, what can you say....unreal at its finest. If you check the filmography credits you will notice that all of the members of the Elvis Presley show band (TCB Band) have all gone on to incredible careers in the industry. If you are looking for fundamental musical brilliance, Elvis In Concert is the ticket. Keep in mind this was filmed in 1977, nearly 30 years ago and it still holds its weight to contemporary music concert videos. No special effects, digital enhancements, or computerized programming, just raw music! Elvis was and is the King and this film is a true testament to his legacy.