Elvis Presley - '68 Comeback Special (Special Edition)

Customer Reviews:

Regal.......2007-09-20

Elvis Presley's terrific singing and his genius as a visual entertainer are conspicuous here in all their glory. In the late `80s a VHS version of this 1968 NBC TV special augmented the original broadcast with unreleased out-takes. This DVD shares a similar brief and there are pros and cons between the two. The opener `Trouble/Guitar Man' is shorn of the scratchy guitar coda, but the Gospel- and Road Medleys are included in their entirety. The blistering unplugged rendition of `Baby, What You Want Me To Do', one of Elvis's most urgent and rhythmic performances ever, has been inexcusably dropped though a rousing full band 'standing up' version is included. The compilers have also retained the short take Elvis aborts prematurely to joke about his little finger - not hilarious in 1968, it could have been left out now. Bizarrely, the visceral unplugged version of `Lawdy Miss Clawdy' has been substituted for a patchy alternative take in which Elvis is clearly distracted by in-jokes. Only the latter part of the familiar version of `One Night' is included. This works okay, and the storming versions of `That's All Right', `Tiger Man' and `Trying To Get To You' are kept from the VHS version. `Blue Christmas' was omitted from the late `80s cut and is again absent here. A cute version of `When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again' is a welcome addition. From the 'standing-up' sessions, the version of 'Don't Be Cruel' survives from the VHS version and is supplemented not only with the incendiary 'Baby, What You Want Me To Do' referred to earlier but also with a different version of 'Blue Suede Shoes' than the one used in 'This Is Elvis'. I was disappointed that the producers chose not to use the stunning visual presentation of `If I Can Dream' included as a bonus in the three DVD version. However, it's great to see Elvis in the studio singing his heart out to a handful of off-camera technicians who must have been blown away by the power of his performance. I was also sorry to see the twangy guitar instrumental version of `Let Yourself Go' being dropped in favour of `A Little Less Conversation' as background for the end credits. I assume they needed a lengthier incidental piece to acknowledge all those who have now contributed to this marvellous piece of rock'n'roll history. The bonus compilation of light-hearted moments from the filming of the special is harmless enough but hardly essential. Subjectively, I would have made some different decisions to those made by the production team. But the sound and pictures are superb, the editing smooth and Elvis is simply terrific.

Magnificent.......2006-12-15

After years and years of making movies and largely neglecting his musical career, Elvis did this TV comeback special in 1968. The success of this show rejuvinated Elvis, and within a year he had recorded "The Memphis Album" (also recommended) which included "In The Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds".

The TV special reunited him with his original 50's band for the intimate small stage set. He is seated and singing some of those classic Sun records "Thats Alright Mama" being perhaps the best known. Then, dressed in black leather he is backed (out of sight) by a bigger band and here Elvis is in rocking form, tearing up the stage with fabulous performances of Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel and many others. During the remainder of the show a full band and Orchestra back him, together with additional dancers and large sets. The show ends with a breathtaking version of "If I Can Dream", which remains my favourite Elvis performance of all time.

This 'special edition' has a few humourous outtakes and some stills, but really its the main film your buying it for. If you want a proper special edition buy the 3 disc edition. If you've never really understood what made Elvis so great, buy this DVD and you will.

The '68 Comeback's Comeback!.......2006-11-23

Yes, it is 'The King' in all his black leather-suited glory ushering in his return to the stage, and television for that matter. If you are a new fan and buying this edition of this landmark TV Special for the first time you will be a bigger fan after viewing this!

Now, no doubt, the avid fans amongst us will already be the owners of the Deluxe 3-disc DVD set from 2004, which features over 7 hours of mostly unreleased material from the taping of the show. So, why do we now have a Single Disc Special Edition? Apparently, the powers that be had left out a number of takes of a particular sequence on the Deluxe set and so they have decided to market this package around that, hence this re-vamped DVD edition.

But how many more DVD 'definitely the ultimate edition' sets we are supposed to buy, we'll never know...

In the end, I suppose it's our decision - to buy or not to buy!

Awesome!.......2006-10-01

This was Elvis's first live concert for 8 years, played before a small audience of fans and friends. It is a live impromptu gig which shows beyond doubt that Elvis was the greatest raw natural music talent of them all.

From the amazing Lawdy miss Clawdy - to the ripping One Night With You and
great Ballads he holds the audience spellbound. The band are all in their with him demonstrating their huge individual talent and havin a great time with the Boss. Magic!

Elvis Presley - '68 Comeback Special [Deluxe Edition] [1968]

Average customer rating:

Deluxe Delight!
Simply electrifying!
This is something special
It Hurts Me
The Comeback King!

Elvis Presley - '68 Comeback Special [Deluxe Edition] [1968]
Starring: Elvis Presley
Manufacturer: Sony Bmg
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Classic American Rock | Classic Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000266XCG
Release Date: 2004-07-05

Amazon.co.uk Review

Elvis: '68 Comeback Special shows how, isolated from his original audience after a long sojourn on Hollywood soundstages, and threatened by the vibrancy and social gravity of rock, the King sought to reclaim his throne. This was filmed five years before he achieved broadcast history with his legendary 1973 global satellite telecast, Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, but more than three decades later, it's Comeback Special that looms as the Memphis icon's most substantial achievement as a stage performer. If the candy-coloured sets and hyperactive choreography of its larger production numbers smack of its network packagers' desperation to be hip, Elvis himself rises to a riveting, assured performance at the peak of his powers.

Looking fit and relaxed, and sheathed in black leather, Elvis covers a shrewd song list encompassing early rockabilly hits, gospel (rendered unintentionally hilarious by its florid dance routines) and comparatively restrained ballads. Standout performances include two intimate stage sets that put him literally within his fans' reach, most strikingly in a brief reunion with four of his earliest bandmates (including guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer DJ Fontana). The latter segment is only a brief sample of a session posthumously released on video as One Night with You, which is, if anything, even better than this terrific portrait of a towering American artist. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Deluxe Delight!.......2007-04-12

This has got to be one of the greatest DVD releases ever - all that unseen footage and all those out-takes that combine to present the development of an historical musical production.

When "Elvis" was first screened in December, 1968 the original broadcast (included on this set) had a total running time of approximately 50 minutes. However, with everything available here on this 3-Disk set it makes you realise that 50-minutes was never going to be enough for this landmark TV Special.

So, whether 'The King' is sitting down, standing up, playing his guitar or not all these performances will fill you with sheer delight - deluxe delight!

Simply electrifying!.......2007-02-08

This is a truly remarkable DVD and essential viewing for all Elvis fans and anyone else for that matter, particularly those who have never considered themselves fans. Here the `King' shows why he was and continues to be a global phenomenon: the so-called `sit down' sequences are almost literally electrifying with Elvis reprising some of his early hits dressed in tight black leather and looking the very image of youthful health and vitality and made all the more poignant in the light of what happened less than ten years later. Although the energy of this performance manifests itself only a miniscule notch below the raw power of the earlier years he is here, arguably, at his best in terms of the quality of his singing and the sheer magnetism of his presence. His rendition of the last song, If Can Dream, is truly moving and demonstrates what an actor he could have been if he'd managed to escape from the Colonel's fetters: he makes you truly believe in what he's singing. The bonus is that you can watch each of a succession of takes that director, Steve Binder, obviously - but mysteriously - felt were necessary.

This is something special.......2006-08-10

This brings back memories. I was a little kid, maybe nine or ten when I saw this on tv (in the mid 80's a re-run)and I remember seeing it again maybe few years later (this comes out every few years in tv). I remember some of these performances quite clearly. And seeing this again after many years I have to say, that I'm impressed. Elvis is absolutely amazing. The sitdown shows are some of the greatest music ever. You can see how much Elvis is enjoying himself. He had the skill but he also had the heart. The heart that could transform music into something even more special - love of life.

This is quite expensive package so maybe only fans are willing to buy it, but this is the ultimate moment in the television history (maybe after the first steps in the moon) so maybe you should consider. And yes, entertainment can really be this good. And Elvis was really that good. Better that anyone - ever. That's why he was and still Is the King.

It Hurts Me.......2005-05-30

The only thing that keeps this DVD from being 10 out of 10 is the fact that the song It Hurts Me is missing from the original NBC Broadcast on disc 1 ... apart from that the DVD rocks.

The Comeback King!.......2005-05-05

I love this DVD. They give us the whole show, both recordings of the famous sit-down shows, outtakes of Elvis in the singing his hits and alot of funny out-takes too. This is how Elvis should be rememebered. I love him all wrapped up in black leather, sweating and knocking his beloved fans off thier feet. This DVD is worth the money for true Elvis fans and it's also worth being in any DVD collection!

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