Elvis: Baz Lurhmann movie gets 12-minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival

Critics are hailing the film on social media after its screening at the French film festival

Austin Butler’s film Elvis received a 12-minute long standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival this week.

The film, which is directed by Baz Luhrmann, is a musical based on the life of Elvis Presley and his rise to fame in the Fifties, during which time he maintained a complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).

The film also stars Olivia DeJonge, and Dacre Montgomery.

According to Variety, the film received a 12-minute long-standing ovation as the crowd went wild over Butler’s performance as Presley. The 30-year-old actor’s casting had previously been the subject of scepticism.

As the applause went on, an emotional Butler was spotted hugging Priscilla Presley, who flew to Cannes for the premiere of the movie about her late husband.

In the film, Butler performs Presley’s greatest hits including “Jailhouse Rock,” “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Suspicious Minds”.

Elvis received the longest standing ovation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, followed by Woody Harrelson’s film Triangle of Sadness, which received an eight-minute standing ovation last weekend.

Many attendees and critics from the Elvis screening have also said positive things about the film on social media.

The Telegraph’s critic Robbie Collin wrote: “Elvis Presley grooving down 1950s Beale Street to the sound of Doja Cat and singing Viva Las Vegas in the style of Britney Spears? Man, it’s good to have Baz Luhrmann back.”

Kyle Buchanan of the New York Times added: “Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis is… *exactly* what you expect Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis to be. Overcranked, glittery, silly, fun, ridiculous… sometimes all of those within the same five seconds!

“The only variables are lead actor Austin Butler (better than expected) and Tom Hanks (much worse!)”

Writer Rafael Motamayor wrote: “Elvis absolutely rules! A movie all about excess, from its runtime, to its costuming and production design, to the song numbers, to Baz Luhrmann pulling an Ang Lee’s Hulk and using comicbook panels throughout the film for great effect. Austin Butler is incredible.”

The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey has also given Elvis a four out of five stars review.

She wrote: “Butler has the looks, the voice, the stance, and the wiggle nailed down, but what’s truly impressive is that indescribable, undistillable essence of Elvis-ness – magnetic and gentle and fierce, all at the same time.”

Elvis is released in cinemas on 24 June.