For those of us who have covered the Elvis Presley phenomenon over the years, it’s always a challenge to find something fresh. His life and contributions have been documented to a fare-thee-well, and yet we sometimes encounter an angle that allows us to see him in a new light.
So it is with the work of filmmaker Annie Berman, whose remarkable documentary The Faithful: The King, The Pope, The Princess is a fascinating examination of three cultural icons and how they are remembered.
The film, more than 20 years in the making, evolved as Berman got interested in how and why Elvis, Pope John Paul II, and Princess Diana became objects of obsession and who are still revered by the true believers.
Her journey began in 1999 when she visited a friend in Rome. She was studying photography and pondering the reproduction of imagery when she took in the souvenirs relating to the pope. “When I went to the Vatican and saw what was for sale with Pope John Paul II’s image on it, it kind of blew me away. There were certain things I’d expect, like rosary beads and prayer cards, but to see ashtrays and snow globes and lollipops — that was a whole other level.”
Berman’s curiosity was piqued about the image of the pope’s face that was included in the wrapping of the lollipops — “it was reproduced many times and blown up. It wasn’t the original photograph, but it didn’t seem to register at all for somebody who loved the pope, you know, it was his face. They weren’t looking for this pristine image.”
The adoration of the fans of John Paul II reminded her of what she’d seen with Elvis devotees, so she booked a trip to Elvis Week years ago. “When we arrived, there was just so much more than I even imagined. It really solidified that there was a film, although I wasn’t entirely sure what it was, and maybe it took me 20 years to figure that out.”
But Berman kept up with it, taking still photos and using various video cameras to capture the events and the faithful who regularly showed up.
Later on, she realized that Princess Diana was another iconic presence who drew legions of fans even years after her death. “It seemed logical now that we had three different countries and three different realms of being: religion, monarchy and music.”
Crucial to the documentary are the interviews with those faithful. There was a man at the Diana memorial sites who would take the flowers that people left and tie them to the nearby fence, giving the place a more reverent feel. For Berman, the involvement of the fans changed her assumptions.
“I was really so grateful for the openness and generosity of fans. When I started out as a 21-year-old, I was much more cynical and didn’t really understand, but they invited me in so easily really, and quickly, that the cynicism disappeared pretty fast.”
Outside of Graceland, Berman met two women, Jerry and Annie, who embodied that. “I feel like that was one of those moments where they just got so emotional, but in a sincere way, and really direct, and really helped me understand how much this meant to them and affected them.”
As Berman’s quest went further, she realized how deeply the loss of these pop culture icons was felt by fans. “I was saying to a friend the other day that the words we express for grief, or the messages you see written on the wall of Graceland or in messages to Diana, can sound very cliché. Like ‘We’ll never stop loving you,’ ‘We’ll never forget you,’ ‘You’re always in our heart.’ But in that moment when it’s happening to you, it’s not cliché at all. It just feels so true, and it means so much more.”
But more than interviews with the faithful, Berman’s documentary delves into the quality of perceptions of fame. There are insights into how these global figures appeared to the public, the things they said, the expressions on their faces in unguarded moments. You may believe you know who they were, but it takes an artist like Berman to show you something you hadn’t imagined.
The Faithful: The King, The Pope, The Princess will screen in-person at Crosstown Arts in partnership with IndieMemphis. Showtime is 7 p.m. August 14th at Crosstown Concourse. Info and tickets here.