Elvis & Nixon Released on Home Video

Elvis & Nixon On DVD/Blu-ray & Reflections

by Don Wilson

With the new "Elvis & Nixon" DVD and  Blu-ray releases on July 19th, I wanted to write a bit about the project. It's a good film, arguably it could have been better, but, it still will find a place in my video library. I viewed the film while I was in Las Vegas, which seemed oddly appropriate, just down the street was the Westgate Hotel - which had been The Las Vegas Hilton, where Elvis spent so much time and did so many shows. 

The film has a good cast, fine actors and actresses. Actor Kevin Spacey is terrific as President Nixon, Alex Pettyfer was believable as Jerry Schilling and Johnny Knoxville did a amiable job as Sonny West, Presley's friends. As far as the casting of actor Michael Shannon in the role of Elvis, I would not have cast him in this role. Elvis Presley, the man and the icon has some tough shoes to fill and it is nearly impossible to pull it off. This is not only my opinion, but the opinion of other friends of Elvis and a casting director who is a friend.

There were a couple of moments when Shannon gave the illusion of Elvis, he gave it a good varsity try. I noticed that he worked on Elvis's mannerisms and his walk and there was some fun in his portrayal, but it is tough. I have seen Shannon in other films and to his credit, he does good work to be sure and he gave this role all that he had. He's a fine actor, this is no bad reflection on him. Any actor who portrays Elvis falls under a heavy scrutiny, this is because Elvis was truly unique and unlike anyone else. I still would have rather Shannon or another actor portray Elvis, rather than an Elvis impersonator with no acting experience. Colin Hanks does a great job portraying Egil 'Bud" Krough.

The only actor to do a remarkable job portraying Elvis in my eyes was Kurt Russell. Russell portrayed Presley in Dick Clark's production, "Elvis" in 1979, which also featured Elvis's actual friends, Larry Geller and Charlie Hodge portraying themselves.

Two fine actors Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey as "Elvis & Nixon".

What does work about "Elvis & Nixon" is the writing by  Joey Sagal, Hanala Sagal and Carey Elwes. Screenwriter Hanala Sagal has sharp writing and it definitely moves the film along, even with it's shortcomings. Sagal recalls: " I read books before structuring the screenplay, Jerry Schilling inspired me to write the script from his point of view. I needed a happy ending which Jerry provided." Sagal has a small role in the film as 'Judy', Dwight Chapin's secretary.

I asked Ms. Sagal more about her research for the "Elvis & Nixon" project" and she related:
"When writing the script, the archive footage ( The National Archives' We Were There When Elvis Met Nixon) was only available on DVD thru Netflix. I watched them all talk about the meeting over and over. Great ideas came from this footage and Jerry Schilling's book, Priscilla Presley's too. Her book made me think about how Elvis was feeling. It gave me a clear perspective." Director Liza Johnson did a good job bringing this somewhat fictionalized story of a real event at The White House in December 1970.

If you are looking for some fun and escapism, without nitpicking on whether it's 100% accurate or not, this is for you. It's a comedy and knowing Elvis's off the wall sense of humor, he may have gotten a kick out of it. To illustrate Elvis's sense of humor, he loved the NBC-TV series "Laugh-In" and he wanted to appear as a walk on and a "ride on" in this case... Elvis wanted to ride a tricycle across the screen, just once, on the show. Of course, it never happened.
 

Hanala Sagal and Jerry Schilling at the premiere of "Elvis & Nixon".

I am reminded of a couple of days that I spent with Egil "Bud" Krogh in 1994. Bud was on a book tour and he was in Memphis, he appeared on my radio show and we both appeared on WMC-TV 5 the next morning. I love his book The Day Elvis Met Nixon. Krough's book was also used by Hanala Sagal during her writing of the "Elvis & Nixon" screenplay.

Alex Pettyfer, Kevin Spacey,Michael Shannon and Colin Hanks at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival After Party For Elvis & Nixon in New York City.

  Photo:Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images 

Jerry Schilling and Don Wilson in Memphis in 2001.

I interviewed Elvis's friends Jerry Schilling and Sonny West about Elvis meeting President Nixon at The White House, and those interviews appear on the DVD Box Set "The Definitive Elvis" a 16 episode set that was released in August 2002 on the 25th anniversary of Elvis's untimely passing.

Here are some souvenirs from the time when I met and interviewed Egil "Bud Krough". A photo of President Nixon admiring Elvis's cufflinks as Bud Krough looks on in the Oval Office, that Bud graciously signed for me. A shot of  Bud and me after my radio interview with him in 1994, a colorized photo of Richard Nixon and Elvis. Finally, a Richard Nixon letter to Elvis's fans - and a inscription to me from Bud at the bottom.

I also interviewed Elvis's friends Jerry Schilling and Sonny West about this event and those interviews appear on the DVD Box Set "The Definitive Elvis" (2002)

Egil "Bud" Krough and Don Wilson in Memphis after an interview in 1994.

A letter Richard Nixon wrote to Elvis's fans, included as an extra in Krough's book, The Day Elvis Met Nixon. 
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