Elvis Presley praised for his 'goofy side'

Elvis Presley reportedly had a goofy side, which added to his charm.

In a new chat with PEOPLE Magazine, Baz Luhrmann gushed over the musical legend and expressed that he had plenty to learn about the King of Rock and Roll.

Upon diving into his new project, Luhrmann reportedly learnt a great deal about the rockstar.

“Documentaries about Elvis tend to be people talking about him: ‘Well, Elvis is this,’” the Australian filmmaker began.

For those unversed, Presley died in 1977 at age 42.

Ever since that time, his life has been the subject of countless biopics and documentaries.

A recent one included EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert which premiered on 6th September at the Toronto International Film Festival. It consists of archival footage shot during Presley's 1969 epochal residency at Las Vegas' International Hotel.

In the words of TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey the biopic focuses “on Presley’s musicianship and his interactions with band members and singers. What’s revealed is his deep knowledge of gospel, blues, and country traditions, and his instinctive feel for finding the best arrangements and pace for his songs.”

Meanwhile, Luhrmann recalled, “As we go through the material, we recognize we have him in his prime,” adding “singing like never before seen… We found 40 minutes of [footage] of him actually talking about his life, himself.”

“People don't like Elvis,” he remarked while adding, “I was a bit surprised by the level of [audience members] relating to the screen like it's alive.”

The director’s younger collaborators previously thought of Presley as more of “a Halloween costume,” he continued. 

However, while watching the new footage, “they couldn't get over [how] goofy he is and how funny he is. And you get the sense of his vulnerability, that he's particularly empathetic,” he concluded.