Elvis: Colonel Tom Parker’s Biographer Has Perfect Description for Biopic

Biographer Alanna Nash provides an interesting description of the new Elvis biopic from director Baz Luhrmann and starring Austin Butler. Nash wrote the biography of the singer's longtime manager Colonel Tom Parker, played in the movie by Tom Hanks. The film was released on June 24 and received positive reviews from critics, with Butler's performance receiving particular acclaim. The film marks Luhrmann's return to the big screen for the first time in almost a decade, with his last movie being The Great Gatsby in 2013.

Elvis follows the life and career of legendary performer Elvis Presley (Butler) as he navigates becoming the King of Rock and Roll, as well as his tumultuous relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). Nash published her biography of Parker, The Colonel, in 2003, the product of six years of exhaustive research into the elusive subject. Elvis has received praise from the family of the singer, saying it well captured the dynamic between Elvis and the Colonel, but Nash has some issues with the story.

In an interview with Variety, Nash lays out her problems with the film, saying it relies too much on style and a slippery timeline. She says the timeline of the film is nonexistent, presenting facts in a compressed and loose way, comparing it to a "fever dream." She particularly criticizes the film's use of the Colonel as an antagonist, saying it didn't capture his many accomplishments while managing Elvis. Read her quote below:

"The timeline… well, what timeline? It’s all a Baz Luhrmann fever dream. The past, present and future are all shook up like a ‘50s milkshake and served with a thousand straws! Other than the tremendous pains Baz has taken to make this story seem “woke,” the liberties are essentially fair — except to Parker. In making him such an antagonist, they have robbed him of his many accomplishments with his client."

The problem facing most biopics is the difficulty to capture the full essence of an individual in one movie, especially when they're not the main character. Many of a person's nuances, therefore, can be lost when adapted for the big screen and have to be compressed or altered. With Luhrmann directing Elvis, there was bound to be an emphasis on style over substance, which a number of critics and Elvis fans are claiming. Nash has other criticisms for the film, but also concedes that some of the artistic liberties Lurhmann takes are justifiable.

Even granting the use of artistic license, it's still worth talking about what the film does and doesn't get right. It's not Hollywood's job to educate, only entertain, and since Elvis isn't a documentary, it's up to the audience to do their own research into the turbulent life of the beloved icon and come to their own conclusions. While Nash's criticisms are perfectly valid, Elvis is a movie that sets out to entertain its audience with its visual splendor first and foremost, something it succeeds in doing in a way only Luhrmann could pull off.

What Happened to Brandi Glanville’s Face?

Season 2 of ‘The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip’ is around the corner and premiered on June 23, creating a lot of gossip and discussion. A lot is happening, and a lot of discussions are going on around the cast. But Brandi Glanville is the one who has been talked about a lot recently, and today, we will tell you what exactly has happened to her. So keep on reading to learn about her.

What Really Happened to Brandi Glanville’s Face?

The former star of Real House of Beverly Hills, as we all know, suffered a burn accident last year, about which she opened up and shared photos. She suffered a second-degree burn all over her face from an accident with a psoriasis light, as revealed to her.

It happened because of a misunderstanding where she thought the doctor asked to keep the light for 17.3, which she misunderstood as minutes, but the doctor actually meant seconds. But as of now, she is doing fine and is ready to appear on the second season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.

On the red carpet of the show, a sneak peek was given at the drama that is going to place in the show, which definitely has induced excitement among all. She was bumped by Taylor, and then Brandi fake pushed Taylor. But this drama is something that gives an idea of what one can expect from the show, especially when we are going to see the ex-members on the show.

Who Is Brandi Glanville?

Brandi Glanville is a TV personality, author, fashion designer, and former model who is best known for appearing on the reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and season two of the Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. She was born in Salinas, California, and was raised in Sacramento.

Scott Derrickson's The Black Phone Is His Only Film He's Not Sick Of Yet

The Black Phone is the only one of Scott Derrickson’s films that he is not tired of watching yet. Derrickson’s new horror is set in 1978 and stars Ethan Hawke as a child serial killer called “The Grabber.” When one of the Grabber's young captives, Finney, starts receiving phone calls from the ghosts of the killer's past victims, The Grabber competes with Finney in a battle of wits as the youngster fights to outsmart him and save his own life, while The Grabber continues his nefarious torture. The Black Phone is based on the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill. 

This latest horror feature from Blumhouse is far from Derrickson’s first venture into the horror genre. The director’s first feature film was The Exorcism of Emily Rose back in 2005. He also produced and directed Sinister in 2012 (which also stars Hawke), as well as Deliver Us From Evil in 2014. In 2016, Derrickson gained even more recognition when he directed the MCU solo film Doctor Strange, and later served as a producer on more major projects such as its sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the acclaimed Snowpiercer TV series adaptation. Now, however, Derrickson returns to horror with The Black Phone. 

Unlike his past work, Derrickson says The Black Phone is the one film that he is not sick of re-watching. In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, he cited The Black Phone as his “favorite of the films” that he has made. See the director's comments below:

Exclusive: "It's my favorite of the films I've made, I think. It's certainly the only film I've ever made that I haven't gotten sick of watching at this point.” 

Given Derrickson’s high-caliber film credits, self-citing The Black Phone as his best and "favorite" is saying a lot. With beloved horror films like Sinister, an MCU blockbuster like Doctor Strange, and a sci-fi classic like The Day the Earth Stood Still in his filmography, Derrickson has a solid library of work to choose from when citing his best films. What's more, Derrickson's confidence in The Black Phone certainly means a lot coming from a director and producer who is well-versed in the horror genre.

As The Black Phone reviews and reactions roll in, Hawke's performance as its terrifying villain is at the center of most of its praise. Now that the horror flick is out in theaters, however, it will be interesting to see whether Derrickson’s own love of his latest project aligns with the views of wider audiences. With such a complex and abhorrent figure at its center, only time will tell whether the public finds The Black Phone quite as re-watchable as Derrickson does.

Ezra Miller Reportedly No Longer Part of DCEU Plan After The Flash

Warner Bros. plans for the DCEU moving forward reportedly do not involve The Flash star Ezra Miller. After multiple delays and creative shakeups, The Flash is finally set to arrive in theaters on June 23, 2023. The film sees Ezra Miller reprising the role of Barry Allen from Justice League and will be joined by Sasha Callie as Supergirl and Michael Keaton making his grand return as Batman 31 years after his last appearance in Batman Returns.

However, Miller has been at the center of a number of troubling headlines in the past few weeks. Miller was arrested in Hawaii twice in 2022 with charges of second-degree assault. More headlines have surfaced since then, first when the parents of an 18-year-old filed paperwork asking a judge to issue an order of protection against the actor on behalf of their child. News then broke that a Massacuttes family was granted a temporary restraining order against Miller for menacing the family and acting inappropriately toward the nonbinary child. Originally mocking authorities about their whereabouts, Miller has since deleted their Instagram account.

While Warner Bros. still has over a year until the release of The Flash, they reportedly already have begun discussing the future of the franchise, and it is not looking good for Miller. In a recent report by Deadline, insiders say that the studio has tried getting help for Miller, but as the headlines continue to pile up, it appears that Miller does not fit in with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav's plans for the DCEU. Regardless of how the current situation with Miller turns out, it appears that they have no future in the DCEU.

Warner Bros. Discovery has been making big changes behind the scenes, with special emphasis being placed on revitalizing the DC brand in hopes of competing with Marvel Studios. This meant canceling projects like the HBO Max film Wonder Twins while also greenlighting Joker 2, which will reportedly be a musical starring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. These headlines surrounding Miller are certainly not what Warner Bros. wants audiences talking about when it comes to their big-budget summer tentpole film, and some tough choices regarding the film will need to be made soon.

Warner Bros. originally had no plans to recast Miller in The Flash, yet as more headlines buildup, the future of the entire franchise might be at stake. What Warner Bros. will do with The Flash remains to be seen, but if the studio does recast the role of Barry Allen, they could reshoot the movie's ending and use the film's multiverse plot to explain the change in performer. The studio could also always opt for a different Flash other than Barry Allen, like bringing in Wally West or Bart Allen into the DCEU and letting The Flash serve as the closing chapter for Miller's incarnation of the scarlet speedster while looking forward to a new, hopefully, less controversial future.

Ethan Hawke Explains How The Black Phone Is Better Than Sinister

Ethan Hawke is feeling pretty confident that The Black Phone is better than Sinister and is sharing his thoughts on why. Hawke starred in the 2012 horror film as true-crime novelist Ellison Oswalt as he and his family move into a house with a collection of home videos depicting grisly murders that awakens a terrifying spirit. Sinister scored mixed-to-positive reviews from critics and largely positive reviews from audiences, becoming a major box office hit with over $87 million grossed against its $3 million budget.

Hawke and co-writer/director Scott Derrickson are reuniting for The Black Phone, an adaptation of Joe Hill's short story of the same name centered on a young boy kidnapped by a serial killer who begins communicating with his past victims in the hopes of escaping. Derrickson co-wrote the adaptation with his creative partner C. Robert Cargill, with the two putting their focus on the film after departing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness over creative differences with the studio. Following its acclaimed Fantastic Fest debut, The Black Phone is set to hit theaters this month.

Ahead of the film's release, Ethan Hawke caught up with SlashFilm to discuss The Black Phone. In looking at his prior collaboration with Scott Derrickson, Hawke felt that The Black Phone is better than Sinister thanks to Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill's script and more "mature filmmaking." See what Hawke explained below:

"Making a good horror film is a lot like solving a geometry problem. There's a math to a building. It has to be simple enough, complicated enough. People write books about Hitchcock and the timing and the way the cuts work. There's just a math to it. Scott's a very elegant filmmaker. I feel like this script was even better than Sinister, and it's more mature filmmaking. He makes good movies. If you love acting, you want to be with serious filmmakers because it gives you a shot."

Anticipation has been high for The Black Phone since it was first announced that Hawke and Derrickson would be reuniting for the film after the success of Sinister. Despite its initial mixed reception, the film has enjoyed a major cult following in the decade since it hit theaters, holding the ranking of the scariest movie ever in a study. Sinister would ultimately find itself dethroned in the study by Shudder's 2020 screenlife horror pic Host, which holds a rare 100 percent approval rating from critics on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes.

As Hawke references in his explanation, The Black Phone appears to have a number of elements in its favor when pitted against Sinister. Following its debut at Fantastic Fest, critics were much more favorable in early Black Phone reviews when compared to the 2012 horror film, praising the faithfulness to Hill's source novel, Derrickson's more matured direction and Hawke's menacing performance as The Grabber, leaving many hopeful that Hawke and Derrickson's reunion has made for a more terrifying outing. Only time will tell where audiences sit on comparing the two films when The Black Phone hits theaters on June 24.