Viva, Las Vegas!

The King of Rock n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, shines in the recently restored concert film Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, which is getting the big screen treatment at the Rio Theatre on Thursday, August 11 at 7:00 pm. This 1970 concert documentary captures “The King” midway through a fateful transition, seeking to reclaim his musical primacy after a decade of self-imposed exile from concert stages. Sidelined by his big-screen career, eclipsed by rock’s mid-’60s transformations, Presley had begun his return two years earlier with the relatively lean attack of his fabled network television appearance, ’68 Comeback Special. Now the Memphis legend was poised to reposition his performing profile by pursuing the top rungs of headliner status in Las Vegas, a career choice that seems even more ephemeral in hindsight than it already did at the time. Elvis: That’s the Way It Is follows the show’s genesis from rehearsal to stage, with the performance footage that provides its inevitable climax shot over six nights. The rehearsal footage, expanded for this special edition, offers further proof that Presley’s band was simply superb. The film  a healthy mix of candid rehearsal and backstage footage and live performance that chronicles the legendary performer and includes staples like You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, How the Web was Woven, and Bridge Over Troubled Water.

ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS
Thursday, August 11
Doors 6:30 pm | Movie 7:00 pm
Tickets $10 advance HERE | $12 door

Why not make it a “Vegas, Baby!” double feature with SWINGERS at 9:00pm? (So money!)
See both films for $13 advance HERE | $15 door

*All ages OK to both films! Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
**Groupons and passes OK to any single film. Please redeem at the door.

ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS (Denis Sanders, 1970 / 97 mins) Recently restored concert film documentary chronicling Elvis Presley as he prepares for his opening night in Las Vegas in 1970. Featuring rehearsal, backstage, and live performance footage.