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Elvis Presley - '68 Comeback Special [Deluxe Edition] [1968]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Elvis: '68 Comeback Special shows how, isolated from his original audience after a long sojourn on Hollywood soundstages, and threatened by the vibrancy and social gravity of rock, the King sought to reclaim his throne. This was filmed five years before he achieved broadcast history with his legendary 1973 global satellite telecast, Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, but more than three decades later, it's Comeback Special that looms as the Memphis icon's most substantial achievement as a stage performer. If the candy-coloured sets and hyperactive choreography of its larger production numbers smack of its network packagers' desperation to be hip, Elvis himself rises to a riveting, assured performance at the peak of his powers.

Looking fit and relaxed, and sheathed in black leather, Elvis covers a shrewd song list encompassing early rockabilly hits, gospel (rendered unintentionally hilarious by its florid dance routines) and comparatively restrained ballads. Standout performances include two intimate stage sets that put him literally within his fans' reach, most strikingly in a brief reunion with four of his earliest bandmates (including guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer DJ Fontana). The latter segment is only a brief sample of a session posthumously released on video as One Night with You, which is, if anything, even better than this terrific portrait of a towering American artist. --Sam Sutherland


Fabulous!
Review date: 2008-10-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

I grew up in the era of arena rock--if you can pack in ten thousand fans, why not 20, or even 30 thousand? I could never understand why, by the early 80s, so many bands were 'going back to their roots' and playing in small clubs. Well, I had seen the Comeback Special years ago and never appreciated it. Finally, I figured it out: in the big arena, half the time you need binoculars even to see the band and you are just rockin' out with some guy next to you. The band is irrelevant. Well, with the Comeback Special, Elvis nails it--he's the center of attention, and, good grief, he has real charisma that a small audience can *feel*! That's what rock n roll is all about!

More or less, there are three main parts to this show. The first I'll consider is the production numbers. Well, these are all forgettable and really unnecessary. I guess the 'Big Boss Man' number might actually be the prototype for the MTV videos. So, they might be interesting from that perspective.

Let's turn our attention to the 'sit-down' sessions. This is where Elvis really shines. He's sitting with his buddies in a very loose atmosphere. The producer wanted to create on stage what the boys did at their jam sessions--sit around, talk, joke, sing--and it works. It's not the greatest music ever recorded, but it works perfectly for its purpose. It's rough, it's raw, but it's from the heart, and it's cool. Elvis puts on some great performances. NO ONE could sing rockabilly or rhythm and blues like Elvis does in the sit-down sessions. Here, he looks good, he sounds good, and he's at the top of his game. ('Tryin' to Get to You' is an RnB masterpiece!)

Next, there are the 'stand up' sessions. Here, Elvis is alone on stage--to sink or swim on his own. The band is no where to be seen. Elvis paces the stage (a boxing ring without the ropes) like a caged animal. He exudes energy. He's dressed in black, he looks good and he's hungry. HUNGRY. ("It's been a long time, baby"). He cuts into some of his old hits and it's great.

The only problem with his performance, especially in the 'stand-up' segments, is that we already see some of the elements that would become part of the 'cheesy' Elvis of the 70s--a bit of self parody and the huge retinue of band members and back-up singers that took the focus off him. This DVD, ironically, shows the two paths that Elvis could have taken--the 'sit-down' with Elvis as the focal point with a small band and the 'stand-up' with Elvis as an ornament with an army of back up people. Well, he unfortunately chose the latter.

Since this CD set has nearly every scrap of filming for the Special, including mutiple takes, it's really only for the serious Elvis fan. If you just want the final product, get the non-deluxe version.

For a few days in 1968, Elvis was king again. But had this been the '1963 Comeback Special' and had he been able to keep up this level of energy, maybe we would not have needed a British Invasion to reintroduce us to rock n roll.

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Reviews


What happened, Elvis?
Review date: 2008-06-14 Rating: 2 out of 10

If, like me, you're a fan of the rightfully legendary and influential 1955 - 1957 Elvis records, then it's conceivable that, like me, you'll find this equally legendary document an absolute disappointment!

First, the good news. Elvis looks great, a god-like male with more charisma than any human should ever have. But the music, beginning with the 'live' session...it's karaoke, cabaret, throwaway! You've gathered by now that I loathe it.

Lastly 'If I Can Dream' is dreadful. Yes, the sentiment of the song is very worthy but I'm talking about the performance. His voice is a very pale shadow of the one which transformed the international music scene in the 1950s. Play 'Good Rockin' Tonight' or 'Mystery Train' then 'If I Can Dream'. It just isn't the same man!

It's alleged that Elvis had deep misgivings about performing the 'Comeback Special' - I'm not surprised! What happened, Elvis? You had it all.

"It Hurts Me"
Review date: 2008-05-04 Rating: 2 out of 10

(In the European issue of this set "It Hurts Me" has been left out on the Original Broadcast Version of the Comeback Special.)

If I known that "It Hurts Me" had been left out I would not have bought it. The European version should of stated that "It Hurts Me" had been cut from the DVD. You are better of buying the American version if that has it on.

Deluxe Delight!
Review date: 2007-04-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

This has got to be one of the greatest DVD releases ever - all that unseen footage and all those out-takes that combine to present the development of an historical musical production.

When "Elvis" was first screened in December, 1968 the original broadcast (included on this set) had a total running time of approximately 50 minutes. However, with everything available here on this 3-Disk set it makes you realise that 50-minutes was never going to be enough for this landmark TV Special.

So, whether 'The King' is sitting down, standing up, playing his guitar or not all these performances will fill you with sheer delight - deluxe delight!

Simply electrifying!
Review date: 2007-02-08 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is a truly remarkable DVD and essential viewing for all Elvis fans and anyone else for that matter, particularly those who have never considered themselves fans. Here the `King' shows why he was and continues to be a global phenomenon: the so-called `sit down' sequences are almost literally electrifying with Elvis reprising some of his early hits dressed in tight black leather and looking the very image of youthful health and vitality and made all the more poignant in the light of what happened less than ten years later. Although the energy of this performance manifests itself only a miniscule notch below the raw power of the earlier years he is here, arguably, at his best in terms of the quality of his singing and the sheer magnetism of his presence. His rendition of the last song, If Can Dream, is truly moving and demonstrates what an actor he could have been if he'd managed to escape from the Colonel's fetters: he makes you truly believe in what he's singing. The bonus is that you can watch each of a succession of takes that director, Steve Binder, obviously - but mysteriously - felt were necessary.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Elvis Presley

Creators:
Elvis Presley (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Sony Bmg
Manufacturer: Sony Bmg
EAN: 0828766130690
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 3
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2004-07-05
Universal product code (UPC): 828766130690
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Exempt
Running time: 440 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1968
Language: English (Original Language)

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