A24 with Stage 6 Films

Promotional poster for “Priscilla”.

Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” was released on Nov. 3rd, a year and a half after the release of the hit biopic “Elvis.” While “Elvis” successfully highlighted the glamor of Elvis Presley’s career, “Priscilla” depicts the darkness behind the stage. 

Based on the memoir “Elvis and Me” written by Priscilla Presley, the movie takes viewers through the tumultuous relationship between Elvis and Priscilla. 

The opening scene introduces the main character  Priscilla Beaulieu, played by Cailee Spaeny, at 14 years old in 1959 in West Germany. Spaeny’s perfect portrayal of Priscilla’s character successfully captures the naivety of young Priscilla. 

The nature of Priscilla and Elvis’ relationship, beginning when she was 14 and he was 24, was toxic and manipulative. Elvis Presley, played by Jacob Elordi, is showcased to be a toxic character, and through the movie, it is apparent he holds all the power in the relationship. 

Elordi portrays Elvis with complexity. Instead of just acting as a villain or an egotistical idol, he manages to still show humanity in Elvis despite his toxic flaws. Elvis is seen in certain scenes coming home to his wife like a normal 50’s husband, offering a refreshing and realistic view to their relationship. 

The on-screen chemistry between Spaeny and Elordi was incredible. Though the movie depicted the toxicity of the couple, it also effectively portrayed the romance of their relationship. The large height difference between Spaeny and Elordi acts as a visual representation of how each character is perceived, Elvis as this big star and Priscilla as a shadow of him.

Coppola  took the idyllic life of fame that Priscilla was offered and transformed it into a portrait of isolation. Lacking a lot of dialogue, the film allows the acting and visuals to do the work of depicting Priscilla’s utter loneliness. 

The many montages in the movie give the audience glimpses of Priscilla’s life. The dream-like, pastel colored glimpses showed the romanticized ideas of love young Priscilla had as an effect from being groomed. 

Half-way through the movie, Priscilla graduates from high school. The scene of Priscilla’s graduation highlighted the tragic fact that Priscilla was a victim, having her youth stolen from her. As she enters adulthood, viewers start to understand that Priscilla will never be able to become her own person as long as she’s with Elvis.

Many heartbreaking fight scenes between Elvis and Priscilla depicted the complexities of Priscilla’s own misconstrued feelings of love, as she had convinced herself she could not live without Elvis and therefore maintained herself in an ongoing cycle of suffering. The audience watches Priscilla become more and more willing to fit into the role that Elvis forced onto her. 

Coppala originally planned on featuring Elvis’s music in the soundtrack of the movie, but his estate did not give her rights. The film, however, was elevated with the exclusion of Elvis’ music, allowing further focus on Priscilla herself. And the adapted soundtrack was still as memorable as it could be. 

“Priscilla” succeeded in telling a story disconnected from the fame of Elvis. After living in his shadow her whole life, Priscilla takes back the control she never got in her adolescence, setting an example for women all over the world that no amount of money, fame or glamor can appease the painful experience of girlhood. And womanhood allows for the revival of one’s own power over her life.