The ‘Devil in Disguise’ in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Movie: Gospel Roots Explored

Gospel music looms large like a spirit over the music of Elvis Presley. It is the “devil in disguise” that defines early rock’n’roll, a period when cultural barriers were finally broken. White audiences embraced music traditionally performed by African-American artists, and a whole new rock and roll industry exploded, dominating the scene for decades. Baz Luhrmann’s new movie, Elvis, delves into this complex origin story, positioning the influence of Black music, particularly gospel, as central to understanding the King of Rock and Roll and directly addressing the concept highlighted by the Devil In Disguise Elvis Movie search intent.

In the film, Presley’s controversial manager, Colonel Tom Parker (portrayed by Tom Hanks, who also narrates), allows the audience to judge his role in making his protege, played by Austin Butler, the biggest star in the world. The narrative uses Presley’s first single, That’s All Right, to illustrate how gospel music profoundly inspired the singer during his formative years growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Tracing the Roots: Gospel and Black Music Influence

Exploring the origins of Elvis’s unique sound was a key focus for the filmmakers. “One of the things we wanted to explore is where his experiences of black music and black culture came from,” says Australian music producer Elliott Wheeler, who worked extensively on the film’s music.

The pianist and composer, known for his collaboration with Luhrmann since The Great Gatsby, produced the soundtrack album for Elvis and crafted the intricate musical layers within the film. Wheeler’s perspective on Elvis’s connection to Black music is rooted in the singer’s childhood.

“The view that I came to was that Elvis’ experience of black music came from a very, very young age,” Wheeler explains. “His family came across some quite tough times, and they were at times the only white family in a black neighbourhood in Tupelo.”

A young Elvis Presley heralded the explosion of rock and roll as the dominant form of popular music.

This environment meant Elvis was constantly surrounded by the sounds of the time. “That was just the music he was surrounded by,” Wheeler notes, “both the spiritual or Pentecostal side of things, but also the rhythm-and-blues music that was happening at the time.” The film, therefore, delves into this intersection. “We explore the nexus of where those two experiences came from, the sacred and the profane, and how that influenced the sound that became particularly the early Elvis,” a sound that would launch many of [elvis's biggest hits](https://shocknaue.com/elviss-biggest-hits/).

Presley himself often spoke of his enduring connection to his gospel roots. “There are many stories of him finishing a gig and going back to the hotel where they were staying and sitting with the Sweet Inspirations [his backing singers] and singing for hours, just singing spiritual and gospel songs,” Wheeler recounts.

The Film’s Musical Approach

With music recorded across London, Australia, and the US, the film vividly portrays gospel’s inspiration on a young Presley. In a key scene, he hears the strains of a Pentecostal church service on the wind and is drawn inside by the music, becoming swept up in the spirit of the service. In his mind, the sacred music of the church and the profane experience of a juke joint merge, depicted in the film by their sounds interlaying over each other. This fusion is central to the “devil in disguise” concept presented in the film.

The Landmark “That’s All Right”

In 1946, blues singer Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup wrote That’s All Right, considered by many to be the first rock and roll recording. Elvis’s faster, energized version, recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun Studio in Memphis in 1954, was a pivotal moment that changed the landscape of popular music.

Elliott Wheeler had access to Elvis’ original recordings, allowing him to refashion the songs and turn them into a soundtrack for a different century.

The powerful voice singing That’s All Right as Arthur Crudup in the film belongs to American guitarist Gary Clark Jr., who traveled to the Gold Coast during the COVID pandemic specifically to record his parts. Wheeler described the recording session as extraordinary: “We just sat down with Gary in the soundstage one day. It was just a couple of microphones, Gary and his guitar… And he pulled out one of the most extraordinary recording experiences. We got it virtually in the first take.”

Authentic Sound and Recording

To capture the authentic sound of the era, gospel music – some a cappella, some with sparse guitar or organ backing – was recorded in Nashville using original 1950s-era RCA equipment, meticulously organized by music enthusiast and sound engineer Dave Cobb.

Cobb found a tiny church outside Nashville and assembled a fantastic collection of singers. “He had all the original RCA ribbon microphones, all the original preamps,” Wheeler stated. To truly replicate the original recordings, Cobb even sourced the original tape machine Sam Phillips used in Sun Studio.

The original Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee where Elvis’ recording career began.

“So we were using the same delay that Elvis had been using on the first recordings,” Wheeler said. “Someone has painstakingly restored that machine to its original glory. It was incredible, just incredible.” This dedication to authenticity underscores the film’s commitment to portraying the true roots of Elvis’s sound, encompassing hits and [lesser known elvis songs](https://shocknaue.com/lesser-known-elvis-songs/) alike.

Wheeler noted Luhrmann’s collaborative view of integrating script and music, highlighting how modern variations in the soundtrack connect Elvis’s music to contemporary audiences. He pointed to a scene set in Vegas: “There is wonderful scene I think in Vegas where you really see the DNA of where the Vegas performance of That’s All Right has come from.” He added, “It is attempting to give the audience a very visceral understanding of where the bones of that music has come from,” showcasing the evolution of [elvis hits in order](https://shocknaue.com/elvis-hits-in-order/).

Access to the Vault: Using Original Recordings

This film took a different approach compared to the successful 2002 remix of A Little Less Conversation by Junkie XL. This time, Luhrmann’s production gained access to the original RCA recordings and Sony’s Legacy recordings. “It was the key to the vault, basically,” Wheeler revealed.

Director Baz Luhrman and Austin Butler on the set of Elvis, which was shot entirely in Queensland.

In the movie, Austin Butler sings all the Presley songs recorded before 1968. Any music from 1968 onwards utilizes the original RCA recordings, which Wheeler’s team often used as backing for parts of the soundtrack. This blend respects Elvis’s legacy while offering a fresh perspective on his vast discography, including genres ranging from rock and roll to a [bossa nova song elvis](https://shocknaue.com/bossa-nova-song-elvis/) might have explored.

Beyond the Music: Broader Themes in the Film

The film isn’t just a musical biography; it’s set against the backdrop of American history. In a softer orchestral piece, Presley is shown reflecting on the shooting of presidential aspirant Bobby Kennedy in June 1968, demonstrating how global and national events intersected with his life.

“It is a story about Elvis Presley, but it is also a story about America in the 1950s and ’60s and ’70s and what was happening in society,” Wheeler says. “You can’t look at that time in America without looking at what was happening in the civil rights movement.”

The film explores the civil rights movement of the US.

The movie positions Elvis’s story within this tumultuous period. “It is one man’s response,” Wheeler concludes, referring to Elvis’s reaction to the events of the era. “He may have been the most famous man on the planet at the time, but to see his response to the events that were happening at that time is riveting.” This broader historical context adds depth to the film’s exploration of Elvis’s life and career, encompassing not just his music but also the era in which he became a global icon with a [elvis presley songs list best songs](https://shocknaue.com/elvis-presley-songs-list-best-songs/) that defined a generation.

In conclusion, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie goes beyond the well-known hits to explore the fundamental influences that shaped Elvis Presley’s sound. By highlighting his early exposure to gospel and Black music in Tupelo – the very essence of the “devil in disguise” concept – and detailing the meticulous efforts to recreate that sound authentically, the film offers a compelling look at the complex origins of rock and roll and the man who became its King. It firmly positions these musical roots, along with the social context of the time, as critical to understanding Elvis’s monumental impact.