Got a burning love for Elvis? Special documentary hitting select theaters, one in Augusta

More than 40 years after his death, Elvis Presley continues to be one of the most famous and loved musicians to ever take the mic. While his story is full of highs and lows, one of the most pivotal moments of his life and career was his television special in December 1968. The incredible backstory is told in a new documentary "Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback” which is being screened in Augusta on Sunday before it premiers on Paramount+.

The Augusta Chronicle interviewed the director responsible for the classic special and the documentarian behind this new feature film.

What was Elvis' 1968 special?

Presley was like a shooting star when he made his debut in the 1950s. But by the 1960s, it would be generous to say things had became less glamorous. When Presley sought out Steve Binder to direct his 1968 special, Binder was much less generous.

"The first question out of Elvis' mouth is, 'Steve, what do you think of my career?' I said, 'Truthfully, I think it's in the toilet,'" he recalled. "Then Elvis burst out laughing and he said, 'Finally! Somebody's talking truth to me!'"

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Binder has had a very successful career in directing and producing for a variety of projects, especially in music. In 1964, he brought together some of the biggest recording names from James Brown to The Rolling Stones for a major televised concert with the "T.A.M.I. Show."

Under his direction, Presley's special was an eclectic spectacle featuring everything from a sensuous display with "Let Yourself Go" to the debut of a new song: "If I Can Dream." It received rave reviews after airing.

So what is "Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback" about?

Binder wrote a book last year, "Elvis '68 Comeback: The Story Behind the Special," which was picked up by John Scheinfeld, who has created documentaries on renowned artists like John Lennon and Bing Crosby.

"I think what was so irresistible about this story is that here you have this kind of superstar who, by the late sixties, had become irrelevant. People were not buying his records, they were not seeing his movies, no movie studio wanted to make another Elvis film, and what is he going to do?" Scheinfeld said. "Then on one side, you've got the Colonel, who wants him to do something terribly middle-of-the-road and kind of boring and then you've got this rebellious, very talented director/producer Steve Binder who wants to say, 'No, we need you to go back to doing what made you Elvis.' I thought this set up a great, dramatic triangle."

Col. Tom Parker was Presley's infamous manager. The documentary illustrates Parker's abusive and generally bizarre behavior, with Binder recalling plenty of interesting stories like the time he had two William Morris agents dressed up as English soldiers providing security.

"The Colonel was a showman," Binder said. "... He told me when I first met him, 'When I was involved in the Louisiana Hayride booking talent ... Elvis made an appearance there. I just looked at the audience. I didn't even look at who was performing. I just saw the screaming girls with their big, blonde, bouffant hairdos, and the big blue eyes and they were just going crazy.'"

Binder was one of several voices in this documentary. The feature-length film includes a variety of participants sharing their thoughts and stories from others involved in the special to writers and musicians influenced by Presley like country star Darius Rucker. But while it's a diverse group, it was also carefully selected. Scheinfeld explained that, rather than get a bunch of people together to describe how much Presley means to them, he wanted those that could speak to this specific, crucial moment and how it would impact this icon's life and legacy.

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Where will "Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback" be available to watch?

The documentary will be available to watch on Paramount+ on Aug. 15. It will be screened at select theaters for one day only. One of those theaters is the Regal Augusta Exchange at 2 p.m. Sunday.

"We will sit in a small, dark editing room with no windows for months on end putting a film together, and you think you're doing good work, but you never really know until it gets unleashed on the world," Scheinfeld said. "But we're real proud of this film. I think people are gonna learn a lot, experience a lot, and of course there's going to be a lot of performances."

Binder said he was happy to be a part of a documentary that focused on the behind-the-camera perspective and looks forward to sharing the experience with his family.

"I'm really excited, not necessarily for myself, but definitely for my kids and my grandkids," he said. "What a thrill to be alive at the age of 90 and to be able to hear their reactions and to see their reactions."

For more information, go to reinventingelvis.com.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Elvis Presley documentary on 1968 comeback special at Augusta theater