The name Elvis is never uttered in this fact-based tale of Presley relative and bodyguard David Stanley, who wrote and co-directed. Instead, probably due to legal issues, the manic, drug-taking, gun-toting rocker (Peter Dobson) is referred to as “The King” throughout. The film charts how Stanley (Matt Barr)—whose mother married Elvis’ father, Vernon—was admitted into the inner circle during Presley’s tours. The only name in the cast is Tom Sizemore (playing a mostly stewed member of the Memphis Mafia), but the chief appeal here is watching reenactments of the King at his most off-kilter: getting vitamin shots, wielding a rifle in a hotel elevator and quickly turning on his best friends.

Shelf Talk: Elvis remains a key entertainment brand, with many media outlets honoring the recent 30th anniversary of his death with lurid “Elvis: What Happened?” exposé articles and news segments. Despite this movie’s rampant melodrama, Protecting the King offers enough behind-the-scenes information (avoiding only the King’s sexual exploits) to tap into the public’s interest.