Elvis Presley, The Searcher review
By Grant Butler
HBO has just recently aired a new Elvis documentary called Elvis Presley, The Searcher.
The HBO documentary comes in two parts. Which is fitting because it explores how there really is a part one and part two of the life of Elvis Presley.
The critical event is Elvis’ military service and the effect that had on his subsequent life. While I have always been a fan of his, I had never really understood how big his army years were in terms of impacting what was to come
More from Show Snob
- The Santa Clauses season 2, episode 6 recap “Wanga Banga Langa!”
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves season 1, episode 7 preview: Non-spoiler thoughts for Part VII
- Goosebumps season 1, episode 6 recap: “Night of the Living Dummy”
- Beacon 23 season 1, episode 3 recap: “Why Can’t We Go on as Three?”
- Upload season 3, episode 2 recap: “Strawberry”
It was in the army where he met his future wife Priscilla, it was in the army he first encountered the pills that would set him on the road to addiction, and it was while being drafted that his mother died.
Elvis was famously devoted to his mother and his being drafted had a bad effect on her. It is even more widely known that he had prescription drug issues. The army was where he first stumbled upon them.
Also featured in the documentary is a commentary by artists like Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen regarding Elvis as an artist and thoughts by Priscilla Presley on Elvis as a person.
If there was one other thing that is intriguing in the documentary is that Elvis was only 42 when he died. Consider he had only been performing for about 20 years or so. Which means in the scope of about 20 years, he became one of the biggest icons of all time.
When reflecting, one can’t help but marvel at this. Someone in the documentary also comments that two hours still isn’t enough to do the scope of his accomplishments justice.
Elvis never stopped searching for who he was as an artist. Over 40 years after his death, the world has never stopped searching for who he was either.
Next: 6 Amazon original series you need to binge right now
The famous saying is “Elvis has left the building.” Actually, Elvis has not left the building. Not once since he first stepped foot onto a stage has he ever left. He may have died, but he never left. Even if you have never once heard his music, you know Elvis.