Why Elvis Channeled Marlon Brando in His Iconic Leather Look and Reclaimed His Crown
Elvis Presley’s life still seems incomplete, full of hidden tales and untapped possibilities, over fifty years after his death.
Return of the King: The Fall & Rise of Elvis Presley, a recent Netflix documentary, sheds light on the 1968 Comeback Special, one of the most significant events in his career.
Elvis was really unhappy at the time because he was stuck in a cycle of formulaic Hollywood musicals, which made him feel degraded and stifled in his creativity. Fear and annoyance ruled his world behind the scenes.
He hadn’t given a public performance in seven years, and Hollywood’s perception of him felt like a prison from which he was unable to break free. However, Elvis started planning his comeback—not just to the stage, but to himself—exactly at this low point.
Elvis was genuinely afraid before he retreated in front of a live audience, as the documentary makes clear. The director Jason Hehir talks about a man who almost didn’t leave his dressing room that night due to stage fear.
Elvis subsequently said that, acutely aware of his diminished artistic integrity, he felt compelled to take on parts and work in which he had little faith.
Priscilla Presley describes it as “a crime” after seeing video of him being made to perform kid-friendly songs in late-career movies, stating that Elvis was aware that he had become a laughing stock.
Inspired by stars like James Dean and Marlon Brando, Elvis had once hoped to be recognized as a serious actor, but by the late 1960s, that hope had been dashed.
But Marlon Brando was the one who unintentionally assisted Elvis in regaining his advantage. A picture of Elvis seated on a motorcycle wearing a leather suit evocative of Brando from The Wild One caught the attention of producer Steve Binder. The now-famous black leather look was inspired by the picture.
It was transformed into something entirely Elvis by costume designer Bill Belew, who made it flamboyant, assertive, and strong. Elvis was portrayed as a dangerous, captivating performer rather than a faded movie star because to the high-collared leather jacket, soft silk, and scarf.
Although the garment was physically unpleasant, it was ideal symbolically under the intense studio lights. It declared that Elvis was writing his own role and no longer performing one that Hollywood had written for him.
The change was evident when Elvis took the stage for the first time. The performance in leather wasn’t merely a fashion statement; it was an assertion of who they were. The raw, sensitive, and thrilling Elvis was shown to the audience.
His career was revitalized by the huge success of the special, which resulted in a comeback to live performances that would characterize his last years.
His comeback helped him rediscover what really mattered—music, performance, and connection—even though Hollywood had irreparably harmed his confidence as an actor.
Channeling Brando was about revolt, sincerity, and regaining dignity rather than imitation. Elvis didn’t merely return in that leather suit. He reminded everyone of the true identity of the King.
