Elvis By the Presleys (2-disc) DVD

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The program grants access to his life like a glimpse into a family album, beginning with Elvis: Meets Priscilla a chance for Priscilla to recall her story of meeting Elvis in Germany. Beautifully restored audio of Elvis speaking is inter-cut with Priscilla as they chronicle their lives together for the first time.

Early care free days at Graceland and In Los Angeles are painted with fantastic home movies.

This revealing footage shows Elvis as a playful family man, building snow men, snowmobiling, riding horses, swimming, water skiing and hamming it up for the camera. These were perhaps the happiest times for all.

As the documentary turns a corner, Priscilla reveals the realities of a Hollywood relationship and her efforts to win over Elvis completely, sacrificing her own ambitions and desires for the security of their relationship. In rare interviews, Elvis talks candidly about women and dating and the pressure he felt to remain single for his public image. As we watch Lisa Marie grow, she shares more and more of her earliest memories of life at Graceland as a kid; the big southern dinners, the menagerie of pets, the wild games, the late nights at the movie theatre, and of course, what it was like having Elvis as a father.

Elvis: After Dark is a deeply moving segment featuring Lisa Marie and Priscilla speaking about Elvis' spiralling drug use and his ultimate death. The story of his demise has never been so poignant and heartbreaking as we heat it told by those who were affected the most.

The final segment Elvis: Forever documents Elvis' legacy as it continues to grow and in the wake of his passing other Presley's have stepped up to the plate, proudly carrying on his name and keeping his voice in the public ear. Elvis' daughter and grandchildren would have made him proud and the documentary ends on a high note as we see a great future for Elvis with no end to the success of the Presley's.

Alongside the deluxe DVD documentary are a number of special features, including a photo gallery and two exclusive bonus chapters entitled Elvis: Nixon and Elvis: Karate. (Footage with Elvis demonstrating and explaining Karate moves, released for the first time!)

The King of Rock and Roll would have turned 70 in 2005, the same year Elvis by the Presleys was released. An impressive number, but it's a pea in the ocean compared to the amount of posthumous products bearing his name; and the really amazing part is that some of them actually manage to shed new light on this much-studied icon. Assuming one has the time, stamina, and interest to wade through the enormous amount of material presented on Elvis by the Presleys, this ambitious, well-made documentary-reminiscence certainly falls into that category.

The presence and participation of Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla, and daughter Lisa Marie, as well as Priscilla's parents and sister, Elvis' first cousin, and "Memphis Mafia" member Jerry Schilling, lend an air of authenticity to the project. There isn't a lot here about Elvis' music, although the interpolation of many clips from his TV appearances, movies, concert performances, and recordings more than adequately convey the singer's ineffable (and apparently eternal) appeal. Elvis by the Presleys is more specifically designed to provide an inside look at the day-to-day life of Presley, his family, and those in his immediate orbit, and on that level it succeeds rather well.

There is a lot of talk here--nearly four and half hours' worth (including bonus material), spread out over two discs. Some of the territory covered is yawn-inducingly familiar: Elvis was well-mannered but moody, he was exceedingly generous, he loved Christmas, he appreciated his fans, and on and on. But there are more surprising (at least to the casual fan) revelations as well: Presley was an accomplished horseman; he was not only a good Christian but a voracious reader with an interest in spiritual as well as purely religious matters (he even joined the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles); and he suffered mightily from insomnia. Moreover, while this is a loving tribute, it's not hagiography. Priscilla makes it clear that she and everyone else around Elvis were expected to surrender their own lives to suit his needs and whims, a demand she eventually found unendurable. Nor do they gloss over Elvis' final years, when he was fat, drug-ridden, and disillusioned. Little matter that Elvis Presley is dead. Long live the King!