From the bombastic biopic of Elvis to the modern pop culture-infused Romeo + Juliet, Baz Luhrmann’s unique style sets him apart from other filmmakers.
Elvis movie director Baz Luhrmann incorporated contemporary pop culture in his Oscar-nominated Elvis Presley biopic — proving that blending with historic with the modern is his best filmmaking trick. Luhrmann has received a lot of praise for his films, like the well-received Moulin Rouge!, but has also faced criticism for his anachronistic adaptation of The Great Gatsby for the same technique. However, Elvis proves that modern twists are ultimately Baz Luhrmann’s strongest filmmaking trademark leading to the movie’s Best Picture nomination.
Elvis follows the life and career of the titular rock star throughout his tumultuous life, from his birth in 1935 to his death in 1977. Though Elvis shares many elements with more typical musical biopics, such as Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. It also sets itself apart thanks to Luhrmann’s unmistakable style. Though Elvis is set in the past, it is imbued with modern pop culture flourishes. Although he’s certainly not the first to do so, nor is it the first time he’s done it in his own work, Baz Luhrmann infuses Elvis with modern music as well as the modern-day glitz and glamour of contemporary pop stars. It helps to create a timeless quality to Elvis’ story and gives the biopic a modern twist.
Baz Luhrmann’s Style Introduces New Generations To Classic Stories
Along with modern music, pop culture is also prevalent throughout Baz Luhrmann’s work and the Elvis movie director continues that trend here. Tom Hanks, in his weird Elvis performance, narrates the film as though he is speaking to a modern audience. Romeo + Juliet did similar, taking the original Shakespearean dialogue to a modern-day Venice Beach, California setting — with characters fitted out in Prada Hawaiian shirts and toting golden pistols.
In Baz Luhrmann’s take on the character, Gatsby in The Great Gatsby acts more like a modern Hollywood celebrity than his novelized counterpart. These modern twists are often what have brought classics to a new, younger audience. Romeo + Juliet, for example, began a wave of modern adaptations of Shakespearean plays marketed to a teenage audience, including 10 Things I Hate About You and O.
Similarly, Elvis has introduced a new generation to the life and works of the musician. Just as the film weaves Austin Butler’s voice with Elvis’ for the songs, by mixing old and new elements, Baz Luhrmann’s flashy style has updated the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll for a younger, more modern audience. Elvis has become the second highest-grossing musical biopic ever, further proof that Baz Luhrmann’s fascination with blending the modern with the classic is what sets him apart.
Luhrmann’s Style Has His Elvis Biopic Up For Best Picture
Though Baz Luhrmann was snubbed from the Best Director category, the Elvis movie director’s distinct style helped it earn 8 Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. Though the critical response to Elvis was more divided than some of the other Best Picture nominees, the vibrant and larger-than-life look at an iconic pop culture figure clearly struck a chord with a lot of people. It is the kind of epic biopic the Oscars love, but Luhrmann’s unique approach stops it from being just another movie in that genre.
While most of the attention is being paid to Austin Butler’s acclaimed performance, the Best Picture nomination confirms that Luhrmann’s modernization of these stories is not just a gimmick but an approach that adds a special quality to the story. Still, even if Luhrmann doesn’t manage to snag the coveted Academy Award for Best Picture with Elvis, the three Golden Globes it picked up (including Best Director of a Motion Picture) mean his achievement bringing the King to life in Elvis has gone far from unrecognized.