I WONDER HOW MUCH WAS FILMED...?

[Scott]

We don't know how much of the show was shot though. Could be all of it -- could be very little.

And it could be one of those one-camera deals, like Buffalo.

[omnipresence]

I dont believe that is relevent. It was still filmed. Besides Darryl has just given you evidence that Buffallo was more than one angle.

[Scott]

I know some people say that the tripod cameras were for security, but for me it is beyond coinsidence that we have such a cluster of them in this short period of time and then have none that I have seen photographic evidence for ever since. N I think it is most likely these were not for security purposes.

Then for what other purpose could they have been? Could that type of camera capture big-screen quality shots?

[omnipresence]

I'm not an expert on cameras but I think they would be. EOT was made on 16mm so I think if that camera is using the same grade film it would be fine for an additional angle.

[Scott]

Thanks Rob. In no particluar order, here are some more nuggets. Heres a clip seen in EOT - but it's from Buffallo - notice the belt and mic. Proves Buffallo was shot from more than one angle...

Besides Darryl has just given you evidence that Buffallo was more than one angle.

At the risk of pissing people off even more, how does this prove Buffalo was taken from more than one angle? Darryl posted a picture (a screengrab - unless my PC is playing up; he said it was a clip?) Surely it's possible that the single cameraman (ie Robert Abel) moved a lot around the building in Buffalo as he was shooting?

Does anyone have footage from Buffalo where the different angles are shown in sequence, without any pauses or breaks?

[omnipresence]

I dont think you can suggest with certainty he would've moved behind the stage from where he was at. Why would he, the view was perfect at the front. Also, I think it would be obvious in the 8mm film we have if he moved round a lot. But its always possible. Even if it was only one angle I dont think we should get to attached to that because it was still filmed. I dont think there's anything wrong with exploring the possibility of more than one angle.

[Rob]

And it could be one of those one-camera deals, like Buffalo.

Could be, but doubtful. From the things I've read, the only time one camera was used was in Buffalo just to get the feel of filming Elvis in action. However, this one camera seems to have filmed from several areas during the show. Once the "official" filming actually started, it seems as if it was done at several different shows from the tour from April 9th to the 18th. Again, entire shows may have been filmed, or just certain parts of shows.

I'm betting that there are several complete shows sitting around in a can somewhere.

[Scott]

I dont think you can suggest he would've moved behind the stage from where he was at. Why would he, the view was perfect at the front. Also, I think it would be obvious in the 8mm film we have if he moved round a lot.

Dude, Abel was filming Buffalo in preparation for the shows he was about to shoot with the full MGM cameras. Surely, you don't think he would've just stayed in one place, filming from just one angle? Wouldn't it be more logical to assume he roamed around the arena - checking angles, Elvis' movements, the band etc - to get a general feel for how the show was to pan out? And how much of the 8mm film from Buffalo do we have anyway?

[Scott]

Scott, by all means be pessimistic, but please at least be prepared to accept it when someone points out concrete evidence of new footage to you.

Well, it's been ages since I watched EOT; I will attempt to check it out again this weekend. I'll take your word about the lights, entrance etc

[Scott]

the only time one camera was used was in Buffalo just to get the feel of filming Elvis in action. However, this one camera seems to have filmed from several areas during the show.

Exactly. See my previous post. It's only logical to assume that.

I have a lot of the EOT outtakes, but not all I think.

So, does anybody have any Buffalo (or Indy? ) footage filmed from two or angles where the angles are consecutive, ie no continuity break in the footage?

[omnipresence]

I'm suggesting that there could have been more than one angle. This is because from my 8mm film I cannot see him moving around. You may be entirely correct in your assumption that he moved around. On this I think we mey have to pause for thought untill more evidence is available to us. For now I dont think it really matters if there was one angle or not in terms of which shows were filmed. Its always an interesting topic to get into though and I'm happy we're doing it as long as we dont loose sight of descovering which shows were filmed.

[Rob]

I have a lot of the EOT outtakes, but not all I think.

I'm pretty sure none of us have them all.

Like I said, several shows were filmed professionally from the 9th to the 18th. We just don't know how much. Certain shows may have been filmed that we are unaware of. We can only speak of what we know for sure, Indy being one of them.

We can only hope to see this material some fine day.

[Scott]

We can only speak of what we know for sure, Indy being one of them.

For future clarity on this debate, we'll have to divide the shows into two categories ...

1. Filmed with full MGM crews (multiple angles);
2. Filmed with one camera.

No evidence yet that Indy falls into category 1.

[Rob]

Could be, but my personal feeling is a little different. I think anything filmed after Buffalo was done using multiple cameras. It all started on the afternoon of April 9, 1972 and ended nine days later in San Antonio.

[CHRISTIAN M]

Buffalo camera front of stage is video camera
Buffalo reahersal ,backsage and some clips during the show from Elvis back are from 16mm mobile camera



Christian M

[omnipresence]

Thanks for clearing that up Christian.

[omnipresence]

Here's quite a nice shot from Richmond featuring the tripod camera again. Another reason why I think they are there for purposes other than security is that at each show the cameras look so similar which leads me to think they may have been put there by the same people rather than by the venues themselves.

[Hav-A-Tampa]

Returning briefly to the CBS tapes... thanks for posting that article, Christian, it was very interesting!

But, again - let me just say to those here who continue to claim that more shows than Omaha and Rapid City might have been filmed; there is absolutely no proof. Surely CBS staff could have been present at other shows without filming them, if they had filmed outside, fans, etc...

1. We have at least one member here (Ger) who was present at the last two shows; he says no cameras were there.
2. Don't forget the stage lighting; on the two nights that were filmed the stage was much more brightly lit than usual, and also the house lights were on. No evidence of this in photos of the other shows.
3. Elvis talks about the cameras in Omaha and RC, which he does not in any of the other shows (of those we have recordings of, that is). And why does he only wear make-up for the cameras in Omaha and RC?
4. Why did they use footage from Omaha, possibly the worst show of the whole tour, if they had filmed other, better shows?

[Robert]

4. Why did they use footage from Omaha, possibly the worst show of the whole tour, if they had filmed other, better shows?

A keen observation.
Don't count on any other concert footage than Omaha & Rapid City.

It's likely CBS wanted to shoot additional footage on the August tour,
as the June footage wasn't a smashing success.

[drjohncarpenter]

4. Why did they use footage from Omaha, possibly the worst show of the whole tour, if they had filmed other, better shows?

It might be possible that they had to go with the best final result, not the best performance, as perhaps not all the shows were documented in similar fashion. The house lights were only up on June 19 and 21.

[Steve_M]

Well they were intending to film at least three shows worth of footage - we have evidence of that.

They were refused permission to film at one venue, which has to be a bit of a blow to the filming schedule - so what did they intend making that up with ?

[Robert]

Well they were intending to film at least three shows worth of footage - we have evidence of that.
They were refused permission to film at one venue, which has to be a bit of a blow to the filming schedule - so what did they intend making that up with ?

The tour that never was.

[Scott]

Okay, I had a bit of a look this morning, admittedly through bleary up-all-night-at-work eyes.

2. Also note that when Elvis walks across the stage in Hampton Roads, there are no stage footlights. On the entrance shown before I Got A Woman, there are stage footlights lit, proving it's a different venue.

Can you post a screen grab of the exact moment you mean here? The only stage lights I saw were when he does the crouch thing. (Sorry, I can't post screengrabs from anything).


The entrance "before" I Got A Woman (do you mean the exact two-second scene that follows Lamar saying "Yeah, bring 'em down now"?) is not the Blue Nail Suit. It looks like the firework suit. It's definitely not blue anyhow.

[Scott]

Buffalo camera front of stage is video camera
Buffalo reahersal ,backsage and some clips during the show from Elvis back are from 16mm mobile camera

How can you tell?

[CHRISTIAN M]

Buffalo camera front of stage is video camera
Buffalo reahersal ,backsage and some clips during the show from Elvis back are from 16mm mobile camera

How can you tell?

Because i know and i have see !