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List Price: $24.98 | | Label: Lightyear Video
Salesrank: 87847
Released: August 1, 2000 |
| Our Price: $63.93 |
| Used Price: $6.95 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Five years before he achieved broadcast history with his legendary 1973 global satellite telecast, Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, Elvis Presley brought a less grandiose but far more urgent mission to this Christmas season network special: 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 nothing less than to reclaim his throne.
More than three decades later, what has since become known as Elvis: '68 Comeback Special looms as the Memphis icon's most substantial achievement as a stage performer. If the candy-colored 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, he covers a shrewd song list encompassing early rockabilly hits, gospel (albeit 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 D.J. 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
Elvis - '68 Comeback Special Reviews:
very good 
2009-09-30 - I liked because the product that I bought arrived on time and in good conditions.
Elvis Comeback '68 (8/16/09 DVD order) 
2009-09-16 - Finally received from "Overman" yesterday, 9/15/09. I will never do business with them again ... please find another vendor for this type of order. This is my only complaint while using your services. Thank you!
Great ELVIS dvd!
2009-09-04 - A must have for any ELVIS fan. Great live footage. Lots of behind the scene footage.
BUYER BEWARE!
2009-08-11 - Amazon has done something stupid. They have grouped all the reviews for four different versions together. Be extra vigilant to make sure you are ordering the correct product. My review is for the "Deluxe Edition."
Again this is the review for the Elvis - The '68 Comeback Special: Deluxe Edition (3DVD) and not the the '68 Comeback Special or Elvis - '68 Comeback Special.
Now on to the review------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taped in June 1968 and airing on December 3 of the same year, the comeback special stands as a pivotal moment in Presley's career. He'd been away from the stage for over seven years in favor of campy Hollywood musicals. This was the moment of truth for the King. Did he still have it? Was he still relevant? The answer is an emphatic yes!
This set contains so much more than the original broadcast. While you get the original broadcast you also get for the first time:
Both of the black leather sit down shows with original band members Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana
Both of the stand up shows of Elvis performing solo on stage
All the unused takes from the special in raw form
The special itself isn't all that great; I would guarantee this set is worth the extra money over a barebones version of the original broadcast because of the expanded footage from the sit down and stand up shows. The original special, with exception of the footage used from the afore mentioned shows, features pre-recorded audio tracks. Thus, Elvis lip-syncs his performances. However, the stand up shows feature Elvis live and backed up by an offstage orchestra and back up singers. Yet, the two sit down shows are the real draw of this set.
These sit down shows are great because they are stripped down raw performances. It's very similar in nature to an MTV unplugged or VH1 storytellers setting. There is a lone electric guitar, two acoustic guitars, a tamborine, and some empty guitar cases for drums. Plus, the sit down shows are unscripted. In short, we get to see Elvis being Elvis. His humor, his charisma, his passion, his energy all shine through. The performances are great, and he probably never had a cooler look than that slick black leather outfit for the show. They don't call him the King for nothing!
One final note: the sound quality is excellent. They did a fine job of remastering this thing for the best picture and audio possible. I can't say enough about this set; this is a collector's dream, and if you are an Elvis fan this edition is essential.
P.S. You also might want to check out Elvis - That's the Way It Is (Two-Disc Special Edition).
Needs editing 
2009-05-30 - I didn't realize this was an uncut version. What that means is that you just start to get "into" it and then they cut and start over on the same song. I should have just gotten the one dvd that I assume (hope) was edited.
If you're looking to really get a feel for how Elvis worked then you will like this but I was just looking for entertainment.
