With a new Elvis Presley film releasing just last year, it is about time a different side of the story is shared, this one being Priscilla Presley, Elvis’s first and only wife. Elvis is a household name often referred to as the King of Rock, while Priscilla is less discussed. This new film is based on Priscilla’s 1985 biography book, “Elvis and Me.” The book had its first adaptation in 1988 starring Susan Walters as Priscilla and Dale Midkiff as Elvis. However this readaptation, stars Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Jacob Elordi as Elvis. The A24 movie is a drama and romance rated R that is 1 hour and 50 minutes long.
The movie starts in Germany with young Priscilla being invited to an Elvis party by one of his friends, since she is also from the States. At the party, 14-year-old Priscilla and 24-year-old Superstar Elvis Presley meet for the first time, and he is instantly attracted to her, leading to Elvis inviting her over for more parties. Eventually, the two begin casually dating; they go to the movies and hang out in his room, despite her parents’ concerns. But soon he returns to the United States, he leaves Priscilla behind and their communication breaks. Years later, Elvis reconnects with her and she flys out to him in Memphis, Tennessee, to visit. Once she returns to Germany, she is in a daze and eventually gets her parents permission to move into his Graceland Mansion at 17 to finish high school. Their relationship gets closer and eventually when Priscilla turns 21, the two get married. Their marriage consists of ups and downs. Elvis begins to control her, such as how she dresses and acts. Throughout the movie, we see loneliness with Priscilla as she is often left alone in the mansion due to Elvis’s tours and movies. As Elvis’s temper grows and his affairs are brought to light, Priscilla asks for a divorce and the movie ends with her saying goodbye and driving away from Graceland. SHS sophomore, Kaley Stokes, shares her opinion about Priscilla: “I decided to watch Priscilla because I used to listen to Elvis music a lot with my grandparents and wanted to learn more about Priscilla’s life with Elvis. The movie was amazing. It helped Priscilla share her experience dating Elvis and what her life was like. The scenes of Priscilla in school helped emphasize how her life felt redundant when Elvis wasn’t around, and how her life seemed to only revolve around him at the time. The movie had a pretty aesthetic appeal and was entertaining, I wish it was longer.”
The director, Sofia Coppola, is known for her films about girlhood and loneliness which is also present in her most recent one, Priscilla. Some other popular movies directed by her include Marie Antoinette, The Virgin Suicides, and Lost in Translation. SHS sophomore, Lydia Khun talks about how she views Coppola’s films: “I love the aesthetics of Sofia’s movies, I think they’re all very pretty and visually pleasing. My favorite movie of hers is Marie Antoinette. I love the costumes and set of the movie they’re very cool and detailed. I want to see Priscilla, because I think seeing her story from her perspective will be interesting and also seeing how it will portray Elvis. I also like the director Greta Gerwig. My favorite movie of hers is Lady Bird.” All her films teach a lesson in perspective, showing the different sides of some real and fake protagonists.
So if you are interested in knowing more about what happened behind the scenes in the life of Priscilla and Elvis Presley, then support the movie and see it in theaters near you!