Cannes all shook up by Luhrmann's Elvis

Fans of Elvis, some of whom were angling for a ticket for the film, were delighted to see Prayer singing in the streets of Cannes, stopping him for selfies and kissing him on the cheek.

Prayer said he first listened to the Jailhouse Rock singer when he was in his teens and enjoys returning to his youth through the hitmaker.

"Thanks to Elvis and through him, I bring happiness to people. The image of Elvis withstands the test of time, it's impressive," he told Reuters as he ambled through the French Riviera town.

Luhrmann's film, a top festival draw, stars Austin Butler as the titular Elvis and Tom Hanks as Presley's enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

The Sydney-born director was nominated for a best picture Oscar for his 2002 movie Moulin Rouge!, and has picked up four Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts awards - two each for Strictly Ballroom (1992) and The Great Gatsby (2014).