The Elvis Files

Any movie that asks the question, ”Has Elvis left the building forever?” can’t be all bad. In fact, had you just zoomed in from Jupiter, you might glance at this 55-minute investigative video and conclude that the King, in fact, is alive and well and living (heavily bearded) in Kalamazoo, Mich. (near where his pal Muhammad Ali has a place).

The evidence presented in Laurette Healey’s documentary, The Elvis Files, is elaborate and superficially impressive: huge insurance policies cashed in and checking accounts emptied shortly before his ”death.” Elvis’ own handwriting on the death certificate. A personal jet missing from the estate inventory. Sightings in the Midwest. Tape-recorded messages from Germany. And best of all, documentation of Elvis’ involvement with the DEA that could have landed him in the Federal Witness Protection Program.

Wow. Moreover, the experts interviewed include guys from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s and Police Departments, handwriting and voice analysis experts, the president of Elvis’ Fan Club, and the woman who wrote Is Elvis Alive? Seemingly sane, well-spoken people. Hmmm.

But if you haven’t been on Jupiter, you know that Elvis died in August 1977, and that’s that. Megastars don’t just disappear from public view, for whatever reason, and hang out with world-famous ex-boxing champs in small Michigan cities. Doesn’t happen. No way. Never….Reality aside, this is a great intro to the best new conspiracy theory of the past few years. B