Title: Return To Splendour (released in 2004)

Label: Elvis Unlimited

Duration: 50 min

Region: worldwide (0)

TV format: 4:3

Sound quality: * * * * * + / * * * * * +

Content rating: * * * * * + / * * * * * +

Chapters: 1. Elvis performing live at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. August, 1969/ Elvis performing live in Kansas City, MO. November 15, 1971 / Elvis performing live in Detroit, MI. September 11, 1970

2. Elvis performing live in Wichita, KN. June 19, 1972

3. Elvis performing live wearing a two piece suits in Las Vegas, NV. August, 1972

4. Elvis performing live during the matinee show in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 18, 1972

5. Elvis performing live during the afternoon show in Seattle, WS. April 29, 1973

6. Elvis performing live during the evening show in Seattle, WS. April 29, 1973

7. Elvis performing live in Columbus, OH. June 25, 1974

8. Elvis performing live wearing the Aloha Eagle suit during the summer of 1973

9. Elvis performing live at the Houston Astrodome, Houston, TX. March 3, 1974 / Elvis leaving his hotel in Houston, March 1970

10. Elvis performing live during the March 1974 tour. Date unknown.

11. Elvis performing live during the evening show in Charlotte, NC. March 9, 1974

12. Elvis performing live wearing a two piece suit during the May 1975 tour

13. Cars driving around Elvis' home in Bel-Air, CA. / Elvis leaving and coming back to his hotel in Charleston, WV. Before and after the afternoon show, July 12, 1975 / Elvis leaving the same date for the evening show / Elvis boarding the airplane, April, 1972 / Elvis boarding the Lisa Marie airplane in Kansas City, MO. April 22, 1976/ Elvis leaving the Lisa Marie airplane in San Diego, CA. April 24, 1976 / Elvis boarding the Lisa Marie airplane in Tulsa, OK. July 5, 1976 / Elvis boarding a propeller plane in Syracuse, NY. July 26, 1976 / Elvis boarding the Lisa Marie plane in Kansas City, MO. June 19, 1977

14. Elvis performing live at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. June, 1972

Review: This classic movie with Elvis concerts and candid 8 mm footage without sound was available on video release. This time we have all the contents in the best possible picture quality. Unfortunately the producers have not added any bonus material, but this is still a must have for every Elvis 70-s fan.

This fascinating video release is a truly essential document. Elvis gave many stunning performances after his 1969 comeback, but officially filmed were only very little of them. MGM captured Elvis' live act in Las Vegas in August 1970 for the That's The Way It Is movie and a few shows in April 1972 for ON TOUR movie, films are mainly incomplete and sometimes only silent. Apart these two movies, great 1970/1972 footage was used for the The Lost Performances video. Two shows in Hawaii were filmed in 1973. And finally, two almost complete concerts from his last tour exist on film reels, from Omaha 19th June & Rapid City 21st June 1977, but only parts were used for the CBS TV Special. And as far I know, also few minutes of professional film from Las Vegas August 1972 engagement exist, and also few minutes from his Honolulu 18.11.1972 Evening show was captured by Japanese for use in the Aloha commercial. And that is very likely all.

Naturally, many hours of AMATEUR concert footages exist, but the picture and sound quality is mostly very poor, only very little of it is of good quality. In some cases, the primarily quality was good, but these films lost it because of frequent copying or rough transference from original 8 or 16 mm cine films to videotapes.

But this is not the case of this GREAT video release, because all the films used for this project are of excellent quality, carefully converted from origins and compiled with excellent editing job, with still pictures into the distance between each two films.

It is fair to say, that it does not include the live concert sound, because only very little of footage between 1969 and 1975 was filmed with sound, only 1975 and especially 1976-1977 footage often comes with original sound, as the cameras were getting more modern. In this video they added only light applause and some special sounds, like sound of jet airplane, and very interesting narrated informative comments over every single piece of film. It was written by Anne E. Nixon from Official Elvis Presley Fan Club Of Great Britain and narrated by comfortable womans voice of Julie Tansley. I think that it is far better way, when you compare it with poorly edited and overdubbed live sound (from different shows than is the footage date and place) on many bootleg videos. They also mentioned that Elvis costume embroidery was from semi precious stones and bijouterie from Italy, Austria and Czechoslovakia my own country !

And now the picture - when I saw it for the first time, I was excited and stunned how good it is, these films are almost comparable with MGM ON TOUR movie footage, only sometimes shaky (but not much, remember, it was filmed by hand held camera) and out of focus in places, but overall excellent.

Some footage is very, very rare, some not so much but never seen before in this quality, all are in (almost) chronological order. Opening sequence is from 1969 comeback and it is fantastic, it is great shame that it was not filmed officially. Next film is from Kansas City, 1971 and picture is great, with dynamic Karate demo by Elvis. Detroit 1970 part is a little worse, but Wichita 1972 is again brilliant. The very best parts are: Honolulu 1972 with ultra rare Way Down suit, Seattle 1973 Elvis looks fantastic in blue suit standing in the red spotlight, and longer Columbus 1974 footage with Elvis in colour American Eagle jumpsuit, he also falls on his back at one moment.

The real surprise is one of Elvis greatest shows, for about 44.000 people on Houston Astrodome rodeo, he and the band played on special revolving stage, this time without Joe Guercio orchestra. In one moment Colonel Parker arrived to the stage on little donkey (!!!) with Vernon Presley by his side, it is very funny moment.

Another gem is short, but very clear film from Jacksonville 1975 (same show as released by Vicky label on GOOD FINE SHOW CD). Rest of the video features rare films of Elvis outside the auditoriums and boarding his Lisa Marie plane, as well as few shots in cars, it is really Fly On The Wall stuff, I love it ! Last featured film is from MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, with many flashbulbs, it looks great !

My conclusion is: this video, however only approx 54 minutes long, is FAR SUPERIOR than ALL usual 3 hour long bootleg compilations mostly in poor picture and terrible editing. This is Elvis in all his glory, I must see it again and again, it is really SPLENDOUR, be sure !!!

Reviewed by Oto Meszaros, Czech Republic

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