A mix of newsreel footage, home movies, television and film clips, dramatic re-creations, and voice-over narration chronicles the life of Elvis Presley. On 16 Aug 1977, as Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and his entourage, known as “The Memphis Mafia,” prepare for a concert in Portland, Maine, Elvis dies at “Graceland,” his Memphis, Tennessee, home, at age forty-two. The film flashes back to Elvis’ childhood in Tupelo, Mississippi, where his parents lived next door to his grandmother and struggled to find work. Elvis had a twin brother who died at birth, so he was an only child and was very close to his mother, Gladys. Gospel songs from his church background were always a strong influence on Elvis, and an African-American friend introduced him to blues music, which was played in the “black” section of town. Unable to find work, Elvis’ father, Vernon, moved the family to Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis was shy and did not easily fit in with the other teens, who had crewcuts while Elvis wore longer hair and sideburns. He worked part-time to afford rhythm and blues records and “sharp” clothes. At Humes High School, Elvis was an average student, but received a failing grade in music. However, his Music Club performance changed everything, and Elvis realized he could count on music to help make friends, especially with girls. Elvis went to Sun Recording Studio, ostensibly to make a record for his mother’s birthday, but also to attract the attention of owner Sam Phillips. Sam recorded a lot of African-American artists at the time, and reportedly was searching for a “white singer with a black sound.” Sam asked Elvis to work with experienced musicians Scotty Moore and Bill Black, and it took six months to find the right song to release. “That’s All Right, Mama” received radio air play and Elvis played engagements across the South. On the road, Elvis met Colonel Tom Parker, already a well-known manager, who wanted to represent the singer. In 1956, Elvis appeared on television for the first time, performing “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” and his career took off. Elvis’ signature performing style included a lot of hip movement, which simultaneously created fans and caused furor. Some critics were shocked by his performance, claiming it was obscene. In July 1956, police filmed one of Elvis’ shows, looking for lewd conduct. In interviews, Elvis defended rock and roll music, and insisted he was not doing anything wrong. All of the attention on Elvis attracted the interest of motion picture studios and Elvis was signed to star in his first film. Originally titled Reno Brothers, the film was renamed Love Me Tender to coincide with Elvis’ hit song. In 1957, Elvis bought Graceland for his family, and lived there with his mother, father and grandmother. He also indulged his passion for Cadillac cars. In feature films, Elvis was often cast as a rock and roll rebel, who got into fights. In real life, when a man at a gas station tried to hit him, Elvis fought back, and subsequently had to go to court. The judge sided with Elvis and threw the case out. Critics worried about Elvis’ influence on young people, and the next time he appeared on television, he was only seen from the waist up. At the end of the show, host Ed Sullivan called Elvis back on stage and proclaimed he was a “decent, fine boy,” which helped end the criticism. Elvis continued making films, noting that his favorite production number was “Jailhouse Rock,” in the film of the same name. Elvis’ entertainment career was interrupted by induction into the United States Army. He moved his parents to a home near Fort Hood, Texas, where he took his basic training, but his mother’s health suddenly declined and she returned to Memphis. Elvis took emergency leave, arriving the night before his mother died on 14 Aug 1958, at age forty-six. A month later, Elvis was stationed in Germany. He refused the pressure to perform at army bases, insisting he was a regular soldier. While serving in Germany, he was exposed to “Bennies,” the slang name for the amphetamine Benzedrine, and took them to stay awake while on watch. He rented a nearby house for his father and grandmother, and during his stay, Elvis became interested in Priscilla Beaulieu, the fourteen-year-old daughter of an Air Force colonel. After two years of service, Elvis returned to Memphis and started to rebuild his career, beginning with an appearance on Frank Sinatra’s television show. When Priscilla was sixteen, Elvis persuaded her parents to allow her to live at Graceland, under the guardianship of Vernon Presley and his new wife. However, Elvis spent most of his time making movies and Priscilla was lonely. For the next few years, he filmed approximately three pictures per year, making more than thirty films by the end of the 1960s. On 1 May 1967, Elvis married Priscilla, and nine months later, she gave birth to their daughter Lisa Marie. Meanwhile, the Beatles were conquering the music scene in America, and some wondered if Elvis was a relic of the 1950s. Tired of making “silly” movies, Elvis wanted to return to performing after an absence of almost ten years, and decided to do a television special. The National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC) Elvis Presley special was the most watched television program of 1968. Next, Elvis returned to the stage in Las Vegas, Nevada, and successfully started touring. Elvis was most excited about his 1973 concert in Hawaii, which was the first worldwide satellite telecast for an entertainer, and was a great success. However, the pressures of life on the road began to affect him. He rarely saw Priscilla, and she asked for a divorce. After their breakup, he dated Linda Thompson for four and a half years, but she felt Elvis was slowly losing his passion for life. One of the few things Elvis enjoyed was practicing karate with his bodyguards, and he incorporated karate movements into his stage performances. Elvis checked into a hospital in Memphis for treatment of exhaustion, although a reporter claimed he might have a prescription drug dependency. In 1977, three of Elvis’ former bodyguards wrote a book about his life, citing Elvis’ drug problems and insisting they were trying to help him. Elvis was forty-two, overweight, and in bad health, but he continued to perform. At a concert filmed six weeks before his death, Elvis forgot some of the lyrics, but his voice was strong and the fans adored him.