In November 2018 Sony and AGB EPE teamed up for the release of a boxed set named "68 Comeback Special - 50th Anniversary Edition". Of course the show wasn't called "Comeback Special" back then, but several video releases were named that way and so it finally became known under that name. The package includes a book and seven data carriers, namely five compact discs and two blu ray discs. Today the audio material is available on the various streaming platforms. On Spotify it has accumulated approximately 215 million streams.

The Book

The softcover book of 80 pages describes the idea behind the special and the production itself. This isn't done with a narrative text, but in form of quotes from Steve Binder, Billy Goldenberg, Priscilla Presley, etc. Their statements are compiled in chapters like "Opening Sequence" or "Sit-Down Shows".

A major part of the book are large-sized photos. Besides pictures snapped during the actual live performances and production numbers, we also get to see several behind-the-scenes photos as well as pictures of Elvis posing with various crew members. Regarding the quotes one has to consider, that they were made half a century after the actual production. So they are not just shaded by emotions, but also not necessarily accurate. But they certainly give an overview of the project.

Audio

The compact discs feature the original soundtrack album, bonus songs, the complete live performances as well as rehearsals and studio outtakes. Unfortunately the live sequences and the rehearsals were taped in Mono, so the mix could not be altered. However, the studio recordings were made with multitrack equipment and therefore appear in remixed form. All of the recordings were remastered and cleaned up by Vic Anesini, during the remix process of the Stereo material he was assisted by Sebastian Jeansson. The audio material was produced by Ernst M. Jorgensen, Rob Santos and John Jackson joined him on behalf of Legacy Records. 

CD 1

Original Album: Trouble - Guitar Man / Lawdy Miss Clawdy / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / Dialogue / Heartbreak Hotel - Hound Dog - All Shook Up / Can't Help Falling In Love / Jailhouse Rock / Dialogue / Love Me Tender / Dialogue / Where Could I got But To The Lord - Up Above My Head - Saved / Dialogue / Blue Christmas / Dialogue / One Night / Memories / Nothingville - Big Boss Man - Guitar Man - Little Egypt - Trouble - Guitar Man / If I Can Dream Bonus Cuts: It Hurts Me (Splice of Part 1, Take 7 & Part 2, Take 7 & Part 1, Take 6) / Let Yourself Go (Splice Of Part 1, Take 1 & Part 2, Take 2) / If I Can Dream (2016 Stereo Master)

CD 2

First Sit-Down Show: That's All Right / Heartbreak Hotel / Love Me / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / Blue Suede Shoes / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / Lawdy Miss Clawdy / Are You Lonesome Tonight / When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again / Blue Christmas / Trying To Get To You / One Night / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / One Night / Memories First Stand-Up Show: Heartbreak Hotel - Hound Dog - All Shook Up / Can't Help Falling In Love / Jailhouse Rock / Don't Be Cruel / Blue Suede Shoes / Love Me Tender / Trouble / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / If I Can Dream

CD 3

Second Sit-Down Show: Heartbreak Hotel / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / Introductions / That's All Right / Are You Lonesome Tonight / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / Blue Suede Shoes / One Night / Love Me / Trying To Get To You / Lawdy Miss Clawdy / Santa Claus Is Back In Town / Blue Christmas / Tiger Man / When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again / Memories Second Stand-Up Show: Heartbreak Hotel - Hound Dog - All Shook Up / Can't Help Falling In Love / Jailhouse Rock / Don't Be Cruel / Blue Suede Shoes / Love Me Tender / Trouble - Guitar Man / Trouble - Guitar Man / If I Can Dream

CD 4

First Rehearsal: I Got A Woman / Blue Moon - Young Love - Oh Happy Day / When It Rains It Really Pours / Blue Christmas / Are You Lonesome Tonight / That's My Desire / That's When Your Heartaches Begin / Peter Gunn Theme / Love Me / When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again / Blue Christmas / Santa Claus Is Back In Town  Second Rehearsal: Danny Boy / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / Love Me / Tiger Man / Santa Claus Is Back In Town / Lawdy Miss Clawdy / One Night / Blue Chrsitams / Baby, What You Want Me To Do / When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again / Blue Moon Of Kentucky

CD 5

The Wrecking Crew Sessions: Nothingville (Guitar Man's Evil 1, Takes 5 & 6) / Guitar Man (Guitar Man's Evil 1, Take 2) / Let Yourself Go (Guitar Man's Evil 2, Part 1, Takes 5 & 7) / Let Yourself Go (Guitar Man's Evil 3, Part 2, Take 7) / Guitar Man (Escape 1, fast, Takes 1, 2 & 5) / Big Boss Man (Escape 3, Take 2) / It Hurts Me (Escape 4, Part 1, Take 5) / It Hurts Me (After Karate 1, Take 3) / Guitar Man (After Karate 2, Take 1) / Little Egypt (After Karate 2, Take 6) / Trouble - Guitar Man (After Karate 3, Take 2) / Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child - Where Could I Got But To The Lord (Gospel 1, Rehearsal & Take 1) / Up Above My Head - Saved (Gospel 2, Takes 4 & 7) / Saved (Gospel 6, Takes 2 & 4) / Trouble - Guitar Man (Opening, Takes 6 & 7) / If I Can Dream (Take 1) / If I Can Dream (Takes 2-4) / Memories (Takes 3 & 4, Vocal Overdub 1) / Let Yourself Go (Closing Instrumental)

Video

The blu ray discs feature new hd captures of the original videotapes. The re-cuts aside we get the same material as on the dvd edition from 2004, but the picture is more detailed and the colors are more accurate. Of course the results of the restauration cannot be compared to to hd incarnations of old movies, because the material was not filmed on 16mm celluloid, but  on magnetic tape. It captured much less data since the recordings were supposed to be seen on small screens with low resolutions. But considering all this, the image looks stunning.

BluRay 1

Elvis: NBC TV-Special (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast) / Black Leather Sit-Down Show 1 (June 27, 1968) / Black Leather Sit-Down Show 2 (June 27, 1968) / Black Leather Stand-Up Show 1 (June 29, 1968) / Black Leather Stand-Up Show 2 (June 29, 1968)

BluRay 2

Trouble - Guitar Man (TV Show Opener, June 30 1968, All known Takes & Components) / If I Can Dream (TV Show Closer, June 30 1968, All known Takes & Components) / HuhHuhHuh-Promo (June 30 1968) / Elvis Closing Credits Without Credits Roll (June 30 1968) / If I Can Dream (Special Music Video 2004) / Gospel Production Number (June 28 1968, All  known Takes & Components) / Guitar Man Production Number (June 27-30 1968, All known Takes & Components) / BluRay Special Features ReCut (That's All Right, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Baby What You Want Me To Do)

Personal Impressions

One of the most interesting things here is the development of Elvis' performances. Don't get me wrong, he displays a professional coolness right from the start, but it takes him a while to relax for real. During the second show he is his old laid-back self right from the start, because he knew the audience still loved him and, I guess much more important, that he still could perform like in the good ole' days.  He changes the set list a bit and re-uses all the jokes and quips, that had worked well a few hours before. Without doubt Elvis is in his element and enjoys what he's doing.

Two days later the king taped the so called stand-up shows. Here he wasn't surrounded by his buddies, but had to be on stage all alone while the musicians were placed on a small second stage in the audience area. Meanwhile he knew that he still could pull off a show, but having no sidekick or someone to cue him let him act a bit restrained at first. But here he also quickly relaxes and was easy going right from the start during the second performance.

The studio outtakes reveal another side of Elvis. Once again he appears to be quite relaxed, but here he wasn't surrounded by an adoring audience but by professionals, who wanted to get done with the agenda as efficient as possible.

While the original television special was great, the unedited live footage and the studio outtakes really document the resurrection of Elvis Aron Presley. He was a stage hog and belonged in front of an audience.