As someone who grew up in the early 2000’s, I knew of Elvis in three distinct ways.
I knew that many of his songs had narrated a film, Lilo & Stitch, that was on constant replay in my house. On Full House, I knew that Graceland was the ideal location for Uncle Jesse’s dream wedding and that a convincing look-a-like had helped him learn the importance of family. An honorable mention is the memory of a nine-year-old me singing the lyrics “Elvis, Elvis let me be. Keep your pelvis far from me,” in my best Rizzo impression during recess. I knew of him in the ways that he influenced pop culture, but I never explored the oeuvre of Mr. Presley.
It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I, like many other Gen Zers, began to feel responsible for his death. Yes, there are at least a handful of twenty-somethings who feel responsible for the death of a man who died years before we took our first breaths. Or, at least that’s what Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks, led us to believe in Baz Luhrmann’s film, Elvis.
The feeling of being gaslit by the narrator is just one of many shared reactions to the film. During your nightly scroll on TikTok you’re bound to see videos set to Doja Cat’s “Vegas” sparking some type of conversation about the film or about Elvis himself. Clips of Austin Butler play simultaneously next to a video of Elvis, showing his arguably perfect impersonation. A few scrolls later, you’ll be led down a rabbit of Elvis’ entire filmography in three minutes or less.
“I think with the release of Elvis, we’ve definitely seen a resurgence in Elvis within pop culture recently, though his presence has been felt for much longer,” said Bobbi Miller, a pop culture expert and the host of “The Afternoon Special” on TikTok. There, she has a following of more than 366,700 as “your friend who knows just a little bit too much about pop culture.”
It’s important to note that there are devoted twenty-something Elvis fans whose entry to fandom happened prior to the film’s release.
“I was a fan before the movie and went into hiding upon its release,” Meghan Moody said while also explaining how her father was able to obtain a copy of Elvis’ high school graduation program for her.
While the film may serve as just another element in Elvis lore for longtime fans, it can be argued that the film has also opened the opportunity for a new generation to be exposed to the King of Rock, birthing a new era of Elvis fandom.
It can be hard to pinpoint exactly what “does it” for fans of the film. In a viral clip, Butler can be seen on stage teaching Jimmy Fallon how to “shake, rattle, and roll.” As he dances across the stage, you may wonder how big of a role that Butler’s performance plays into the like-ability of the icon.
“This is a tough one because Austin Butler’s performance really does question where Elvis stops and Austin Butler starts,” said Miller. “He really embodied the character. I do think it’s a mix of both, or more so, one dressed as the other … I think the voice he chose to use for Elvis and the general aura of the character is very alluring. This, coupled with the fact that the movie doesn’t go out of its way to show Butler as Elvis at his absolute lowest, or ugliest, might’ve aided in people falling for Butler as Elvis.”
Miller argues that the love for nostalgia can be a major contributor as well.
“It’s the nostalgia of it all,” she said. “I think before these biopics, Gen Z and Millennials are definitely aware of these stars, but biopics only heighten their awareness.
“More often than not, these biopics, similar to Elvis, don’t go out of their way to show these stars at their most awful. In fact, they often elicit sympathy in the audience. This isn’t always the case, but it definitely happens. However, I think it’s mostly nostalgia.”
Miller said Gen Zers and Millennials love to discover things from the past, and she believes that biopics are the perfect vehicle for this.
“Nostalgia will always be trendy,” Miller notes.
While Reddit threads are flooded with educational material for fans who came straight from the movie theater, and women promise to perfect their bouffant hairstyles for Halloween, it can definitely be argued that a new generation is discovering The King.
