Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback

Prior to the '68 Special, Elvis' career was in decline due to his uninspired selection of projects; he was becoming a sell-out. And even though Elvis knew this deep down, no one would admit it to his face out of fear of retaliation from his all-controlling, manipulative manager, Colonel Tom Parker. But that all changed when a young and bold television-music director named Steve Binder convinced Elvis that he needed to do a special that reverted back to the original style that made him famous. Intrigued by Binder's boldness and also in agreement with him, Elvis took his career back into his own hands to make the special, which became a smashing hit. Indeed, it put Elvis back in the center of the public's adoration and is so iconic and celebrated by major talent and the public today.