Recommendations of the Editorial team
When Elvis Presley stepped onto the stage in black leather gear on December 3rd, 1968, he had had moderately successful Hollywood films and a noticeable career. The “King of Rock ‘N’ Roll” had no longer performed live for seven years. So now the big comeback special at NBC – and Presley showed that he still had the power to electrify the masses.
In this show, which was recorded for television – an early forerunner of “MTV Unplugged” – the musician sings his most famous hits, including “That’s all right”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “One Night”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” And “Love Me Tender”. He also interprets Jimmy Reed’s song “Baby What You Want Me To Do”.
However, the real surprise of the evening came with “If I Can Dream”. Dressed in white and standing in front of a huge red “Elvis” illuminated sign, Presley sang the anthem with such a fervor that many spectators crawled the goose bumps up. The song, full of hope and longing, reflected the longing for a better America-a message that hit the heart of the turbulent 1960s.
Elvis Presley showed it all of his critics
In general, his gaze was concentrated, the sweat shone on his forehead. And yet his typically mischievous smile always flashed. Presley did not look like an aging icon, but like a man who recaptured his throne – with pure willpower and irrepressible energy. In between, the singer kept telling anecdotes.
Arte shows “Elvis: ’68 Comback” on March 14th (Friday) after a documentary about the life of Elvis and Prioscilla Presley in a special edition at 10:35 p.m. Until May 30th, the film is also in the Media library to find.