Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley recently debuted on Netflix, giving viewers the story behind Elvis Presley‘s comeback special of 1968 and how pivotal it was to his career. The 90-minute documentary by Jason Hehir featured behind-the-scenes footage from the NBC show and insider interviews.
The film goes beyond the surface thanks to obtained personal files of Elvis and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and an extensive chat with the legend’s ex-wife, Priscilla Presley. Priscilla revealed that Elvis’ comeback show was her first time seeing him perform live.
New Elvis Presley documentary covers his huge comeback
The show dubbed “Singer Elvis Presents” was filmed at NBC Studios in Burbank, California, and that was Elvis’ first time performing after seven years away. He had spent most of the ’60s making movies like Paradise, Hawaiian Style, and Girl Happy while the Beatles and Rolling Stones took over the music space.
The special was a big deal to Elvis; it determined the stability of his career when it came to younger audiences. He lost weight and rehearsed way ahead of the show with guitarist Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana. Priscilla recalled how nervous he was at the thought of ruining his legacy should the show flop.
Elvis Presley’s comeback was a success
Elvis’ risk paid off with the ’68 special as it revitalized his fading career. The show aired months after filming in December 1968, and by January, Elvis was back in the studio churning out new music. He toured the US again in 1970, selling out every show across nine cities.
More than five decades later, the NBC special is still a hot topic in music history. Return of the King features interviews with superfans Conan O’Brien, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Corgan, Robbie Robertson, and Baz Luhrmann, who created the Elvis biopic of 2022.