Kurt Russell was hip down cold. Val Kilmer nailed the sincere, soulful voice. And Michael Shannon…well, the credits identified him as Elvis Presley, so that was the character he must have played in “Elvis & Nixon”, right?
Since the King’s death in 1977, at age 42, more than a dozen actors — and one alien — have portrayed his gait, talk and famous charm in dozens of movies and TV shows. Now another one has joined – Austin Butler, whose on-point hip movements are at the heart of Baz Luhrmann’s new “Elvis.”
So how does Butler’s sultry, baby-faced King compare to Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ Golden Globe-winning crooner or Harvey Keitel’s over-the-hill rocker? We offer our rankings.
1979
Kurt Russell, “Elvis”
The perfectly coiffed ottoman, the raucous emotional voice, the insane hip thrusts, the shiny, figure-hugging jumpsuit with rhinestones… blink, and you’d easily believe, thanks to this nearly flawless portrayal in a 1979 TV movie, that Kurt Russell is elvis. Of course Russell doesn’t really sing – that was country artist Ronnie McDowell – but that speaking voice is perfect.
Buy it on Amazon.
Covering Presley’s rise from high school in Mississippi to international superstardom, the two-part show showcases Rhys Meyers’ pulse-pounding leg pumps (featuring Randy Quaid’s memorable supporting turns as Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s manager, and Rose McGowan as actress Ann-Margret, with whom Presley was rumored to be having an affair). Like Russell, Rhys Meyers doesn’t sing his own vocals, but he flawlessly lip-syncs to an even better option: the real thing. (This was the first biopic to allow the Presley estate to use the master footage.)
Rent it at DVD.com.
2005
Tyler Hilton, ‘Walk the Line’
Hilton appears in four scenes of this Johnny Cash biopic as a young Elvis, opposite a young Joaquin Phoenix as Cash. It was one of Hilton’s first forays into acting — he considered himself more of a musician at the time — but he nails Presley’s obscure vocal style and the deep-seated conviction of his singing.
Stream it on Tubi; rent or buy it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
Written by Quentin Tarantino, this romantic crime drama revolves around an Elvis fanatic (Christian Slater) and his new wife on the run from gangsters. But Kilmer’s appearance of Elvis, complete with gold lamé suit, is perhaps the most memorable part. (That’s saying something in a movie that also featured Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, and a young Brad Pitt.) Kilmer’s appearance peaks at about two minutes, and he’s only credited as “Mentor.” . But the soft voice that whispers murderous thoughts in Slater’s ear is undeniably meant to belong to the king, and Kilmer loves it.
Rent or buy it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
1998
Harvey Keitel, ‘Finding Graceland’
Okay, strictly speaking, Harvey Keitel isn’t Elvis but “Elvis,” a fictional older – and very much alive – version of Presley who faked his death in 1977 after being overwhelmed by the pressures of fame. Keitel nails the melted chocolate quality of the rocker’s voice, delivering a full-throated portrait of an over-the-hill King, complete with hip thrusts and shoulder swings. (The movie was produced by Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley, and the scenes were actually filmed at the Graceland mansion in Memphis.)
Buy it on Amazon.
2003
Bruce Campbell, ‘Bubba Ho-Tep’
In this R-rated comedy-horror film, Bruce Campbell is an elderly Elvis impersonator in a nursing home, Ossie Davis is an inmate claiming to be President John F. Kennedy. They’re fighting an Egyptian mummy who is killing the souls of residents, and believe us, it works. Campbell brings an endearingly crunchy charisma to the role, and his hospital bedside self-mockery monologues about getting old are surprisingly moving.
Stream it on Tubi or Amazon Prime; rent or buy it on Apple TV or Vudu.
1988
David Keith, ‘Heartbreak Hotel’
“Heartbreak Hotel” sounds like an Elvis-adjacent chick flick from the title, but it’s actually a comedy written and directed by Chris Columbus about a teenager who kidnaps Elvis as a present for his mother when she’s recovering from a car accident. . (Elvis happens to be his mother’s favorite singer.) Critics — and the audience — gave Keith’s portrayal a rather lukewarm reception, with The Washington Post’s Rita Kempley concluding in her scalpel-like pan that “Playing Elvis is like playing a Kennedy, almost impossible. At least someone liked it: Paternal, pure, and drug-free, Keith’s King got the blessing of the Presley estate and Elvis’s national fan club.
Buy it on Amazon.
1981
Don Johnson, ‘Elvis and the Beauty Queen’
This made-for-TV movie focused on the end of Elvis’s life and his relationship with beauty pageant contestant Linda Thompson, with whom he had a romantic relationship after the end of his six-year marriage to Priscilla Presley. Judging by YouTube clips, Johnson rocked a jumpsuit like a sank-out Elvis, yes, but his high-pitched speaking voice was better suited to a “Saturday Night Live” sketch than a seduction scene, and his bushy black wig was downright hokey — and that was before the heavy eyeliner and mascara.
2016
Michael Shannon, ‘Elvis & Nixon’
If you haven’t heard a guard say, “It’s Elvis Presley!” you wouldn’t know that Michael Shannon’s caring, gruff Elvis would be the king. His jagged face is at odds with the king’s smooth features, and paired with a voluminous black wig, his Elvis smacks of Michael Crawford in ‘Dance of the Vampires’. The film, a historical comedy, centered on a 1970 meeting between Presley and President Richard Nixon (played by Kevin Spacey, who also doesn’t resemble his real-life counterpart). Shannon is a great actor, but he can’t get over this mind-bogglingly bad casting, despite the shiny gold belt buckle, tinted glasses, high collar shirt and flashing rings.
Stream it on Amazon Prime; rent it on DVD.com.
2002
Bonus: Stitch in ‘Lilo & Stitch’
He is nothing but an alien hunting dog. In this animated comedy, Experiment 626 – aka Stitch – uses a black wig, white jumpsuit, and ukulele to spoil Lilo as she tries to teach him to be a model citizen. And honestly, based on how many beachgoers swooned when they got one of his flirty winks, we should be crowning him the hip-swing champion.
Stream it on Disney+; rent or buy it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
