Elvis was terrified. Honestly, if you look at the rehearsal footage from the summer of 1970, you can see it in the way he fidgets with the microphone stand. He hadn't toured properly in years. The '68 Comeback Special had saved his career, sure, but standing in a sterile TV studio is a world away from the International Hotel in Las Vegas. He had to prove he wasn't a relic. He had to show the world that That’s the Way It Is Elvis was the definitive version of the man—a powerhouse of soul, rock, and contemporary showmanship that could blow the doors off the desert.
It worked.
The documentary and the accompanying album didn't just capture a concert; they captured a transformation. We see a man shed the skin of a Hollywood contract actor and reclaim his throne as the greatest live performer on the planet.
The Rehearsals: Where the Magic Actually Happened
Most people focus on the jumpsuits. They focus on the capes and the glitz of the Vegas strip. But the real meat of the film—and the reason it still resonates—is the rehearsal footage at MGM Studios in Culver City.
It’s messy. It’s loud.
Elvis is wearing these ridiculous, wonderful 70s outfits—polka dots, high collars, and enough denim to carpet a house. He’s joking with the TCB Band. James Burton is there, peeling off guitar riffs that sound like they're coming from another dimension. You see the sweat. You see the frustration when a transition doesn't land.
That’s the Way It Is gave us a look at the "work" of being Elvis Presley. He wasn't just a voice; he was a bandleader. He was directing the Sweet Inspirations and the Imperials with nothing but a flick of his wrist or a grunt. He knew exactly how he wanted "Bridge Over Troubled Water" to swell. He knew when the drums needed to crack like thunder on "Polk Salad Annie." This wasn't some packaged corporate product; it was a man obsessed with the sound.
The TCB Band: The Secret Weapon
You can't talk about this era without talking about the TCB Band (Taking Care of Business).
- James Burton: The master of the Telecaster. His "chicken pickin'" style gave Elvis a sharp, modern edge.
- Ronnie Tutt: Possibly the most underrated drummer in rock history. He didn't just keep time; he punctuated Elvis’s physical movements.
- Jerry Scheff: His bass lines on "Suspicious Minds" are iconic. They provide the heartbeat that allowed Elvis to move the way he did.
- Glen D. Hardin: The man on the keys who helped bridge the gap between gospel, country, and rock.
These guys weren't just backing musicians. They were an extension of Elvis’s nervous system. When Elvis moved, Ronnie Tutt hit the snare. When Elvis crouched, the bass dropped. It was a symbiotic relationship that hasn't really been matched since.
The Vegas Transition: From King to Icon
Vegas in 1970 was different. It wasn't the sad, caricature-heavy Vegas of the mid-70s that people often mock. This was prime-time. The International Hotel was the biggest stage in town, and Elvis was the biggest draw.
✨ Don't miss: The Lil Wayne Tracklist for Tha Carter 3: What Most People Get Wrong
The film captures the "Opening Night" jitters.
Celebrities were packed into the booths. Cary Grant was there. Sammy Davis Jr. was watching from the wings. The pressure was suffocating. If he failed here, he was a nostalgia act. If he won, he was the King.
The performance of "I've Lost You" or "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" shows a vocal maturity that his 50s recordings didn't have. His voice had deepened. It had more "bark" to it, but also a staggering amount of control. He could go from a whisper to a roar in half a second.
Why the 2001 Special Edition Matters
If you’ve only seen the original 1970 theatrical cut, you’re missing half the story. The original version was cluttered with interviews from fans. It was fine for the time, but honestly, nobody wants to hear a fan from 1970 talk about how much they love Elvis for five minutes.
We want the music.
The 2001 "Special Edition" re-edit removed most of those distractions. It focused on the performances and the rehearsals. It restored the color and the sound to a level that makes it feel like it was filmed yesterday. Seeing Elvis in high-definition, 24-bit sound, tearing through "Mystery Train/Tiger Man" is a religious experience for any music fan.
It’s raw. It’s visceral. It’s real.
The Setlist: A Masterclass in Dynamics
The setlist for the That’s the Way It Is era was a brilliant mix of the old and the new. He didn't just lean on "Hound Dog." In fact, he often rushed through the 50s hits almost as a joke, giving the crowd just enough to satisfy them before diving into the stuff he actually cared about.
He was covering The Beatles ("Yesterday/Hey Jude"), Simon & Garfunkel, and B.J. Thomas.
🔗 Read more: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
He was hungry for contemporary sounds.
"Just Pretend" and "The Next Step Is Love" showed he could handle a power ballad better than anyone in the business. But "Polk Salad Annie" was the centerpiece. It was a sprawling, funky, swamp-rock epic that allowed him to use his martial arts training on stage. He would lung, kick, and sweat through his jumpsuit, turning a simple song into a theatrical event.
The Impact on Modern Concert Documentaries
Without That’s the Way It Is Elvis, we don't get the modern concert film.
Think about it.
The multi-camera setups, the "behind the scenes" look at rehearsals, the focus on the grueling schedule—this was the blueprint. Before this, music films were either static concert captures or scripted "A Hard Day's Night" style adventures. This was fly-on-the-wall. It showed the King of Rock and Roll drinking Gatorade and forgetting lyrics. It humanized him while simultaneously elevating him to a god-like status.
Directors like Martin Scorsese, who worked on Woodstock, were part of a generation that understood how to film music, but That’s the Way It Is (directed by Denis Sanders) focused on the individual as an athlete.
Elvis was an athlete in 1970.
He was lean. He was fast. He was dangerous.
Misconceptions About the "Vegas Elvis" Label
Too many people associate "Vegas Elvis" with the bloated, tragic figure of 1977.
💡 You might also like: Questions From Black Card Revoked: The Culture Test That Might Just Get You Roasted
That’s a mistake.
The Elvis we see in 1970 is at his absolute peak. He was 35 years old. He was healthy. He was engaged. He was finally free of the terrible movie scripts that had stifled his creativity for a decade. When people say "Vegas Elvis" as a pejorative, they aren't looking at That’s the Way It Is. They’re looking at the parody.
This film is the antidote to the parody.
It shows a man who was deeply in love with rhythm and blues. It shows a man who would rehearse a single line of a song fifty times until it felt "right" in his gut. It shows the camaraderie he had with Charlie Hodge and the rest of his inner circle.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Fan
If you want to truly appreciate this era, don't just stream the album on Spotify. You have to see it. The visual component is 50% of the art.
- Watch the 2001 Special Edition first. It’s the superior cut for music lovers.
- Listen to the "Opening Night" soundboard recordings. These are available through various legacy releases and give a raw, unedited look at how the band sounded without the film's post-production.
- Pay attention to the backing vocals. The Sweet Inspirations brought a soul/gospel element that transformed Elvis’s sound from "rockabilly" to "soul-rock."
- Compare "Suspicious Minds" in 1969 to 1970. You can hear how the arrangement evolved to become more bombastic and stadium-ready.
The legacy of this documentary isn't just about nostalgia. It's about a moment in time when the most famous person on earth decided he wasn't done yet. He decided to put in the work. He decided to show up and remind everyone why he was called the King in the first place.
That’s the Way It Is remains the most honest look we have at Elvis Presley the musician. Not the icon, not the movie star, not the myth—but the guy who just wanted the band to stay in the pocket so he could sing his heart out.
To fully grasp the magnitude of this era, your next step should be seeking out the That’s the Way It Is Deluxe Edition box set. It includes the original album, various "stage rehearsals," and multiple full concert recordings from that August 1970 stand. Listen to the "Rehearsal at MGM" discs specifically. Hearing the raw, unfinished versions of songs like "Cattle Call" or "Baby Let's Play House" provides a level of intimacy that no documentary can fully capture. It is the closest you will ever get to sitting in a room with Elvis Presley while he simply exists as a singer.