The Tom Hanks Elvis performance is one of the more criticized aspects of the acclaimed movie, but his weird turn as Colonel Tom Parker is actually perfect for what Elvis is doing. In Baz Luhrmann’s latest musical extravaganza, the life of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler)is explored through the perspective of his long-time manager Colonel Tom Parker, played by Hanks. The pair’s tempestuous and warped relationship is explored thoroughly throughout the film, highlighting how Parker tricks and uses his so-called "boy" to feed his own gambling addiction and ensure he can stay in the country.
Even the Colonel’s real-life biographer has said how inaccurate Hanks' Colonel Parker accent is in Elvis. The character of Colonel Parker is certainly a strange one, and not much is known about the man’s past, other than his work in the circus. Much has been made of the accent that Tom Hanks uses in Elvis, too. The combination of the unusual voice and the heavy prosthetics has resulted in a rare Hanks performance that is being called "bad" by some critics. Although Hanks’ performance is weird, there’s no doubt that it’s perfect for the character and for Luhrmann's take on Elvis. Tom Hanks' subversion of one of music's most famous but enigmatic characters into something comically unrecognizable perfectly fits the total unknowability of the Colonel himself, making for the ideal villain for Elvis.
Why Tom Hanks' Version Of Colonel Parker Makes Sense
There have been many questions raised in regard to how accurate Elvis is, and what the movie changes to suit Baz Luhrmann's stylistically indulgent take on the legendary singer. Tom Hanks' version of Colonel Parker is a character that is similarly adjusted to both underline and confuse the events of the movie. Because audiences are watching the movie through his perspective, his narration permeates even the most emotional moments with a certain untrustworthiness, and his accent only strengthens the idea that viewers are being manipulated. This is the Colonel’s show, and the exuberance with which he describes the rise and fall of "his boy” perfectly matches the maximalist aesthetic that Luhrmann uses for the movie, watching Elvis come alive in comic books and strange vignettes of his time in the Army.
At some point, however, the artificiality of it all begins to take over. The scenes of the Colonel rolling dice in a computer-generated dream casino start to look like the hallucinations of the flailing singer. It’s here that Elvis avoids a hated music biopic mistake: by linking the natural untrustworthiness and showmanship of the Colonel with the style of the movie, audiences can recognize that what they are seeing on-screen is more than likely to be fast and loose with the truth. For this reason, when the Vegas years commence, the audience can ignore the Colonel’s narration and side naturally with Elvis – who, at this point, sees the Colonel for the treacherous, darkly comic figure that he is.
With the weird prosthetics and the off-kilter accent, Tom Hanks successfully depicts the Colonel as a nationless circus creature in Elvis. To laugh at his performance is to recognize it as ridiculous, while also giving room to easily underestimate how vicious he can be underneath it. Against Austin Butler’s exceptionally accurate portrayal of Elvis Presley, Tom Hanks' buffoonish Colonel Parker can be discovered — and thus remembered — through the movie as a joke, a character who unsuccessfully measured his own legacy alongside the boy that he mistakenly believed was his.
Elvis Was Nominated For 8 Oscars – But Tom Hanks Was Overlooked
Despite the Tom Hanks Elvis performance not being for everyone, the movie itself has received wide acclaim and has been a strong presence during award season. This has all led up to the movie earning 8 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. However, while Austin Butler received a well-deserved nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Elvis. The Golden Globes already brought both Elvis and Austin Butler success too — on the other hand, Tom Hanks was nominated for a Razzie. With two Oscar wins to his name along with another 4 nominations, it is unlikely Hanks is feeling too bad about being overlooked. However, it is a shame that such a fun performance from the actor has been so dismissed.
It is rare to see an actor as beloved as Hanks receive so much criticism for one of his performances, but it is a testament to his work as a professional that he was willing to give such a risky performance in such a big movie. From Forrest Gump to Saving Private Ryan to Cast Away, there is not a shortage of good Tom Hanks movies that show off his incredible talents as an actor. However, as he can seem so effortlessly likable onscreen, seeing him chew the scenery in a bizarre role at this point in his career is hugely entertaining. Though he doesn't join his Elvis team in their nominations, perhaps time will all people to discover how great Hanks really is in that movie.