by Heath Lynch, Contributing Writer
Last year, we got the film Elvis from acclaimed director Baz Luhrmann. It went on to dazzle audiences with Luhrmann’s eccentric stylings and kinetic energy to give fans of The King the biopic they always wanted. It went on to garner numerous accolades, including eight Academy Awards nominations, one of which was for Best Picture. Now, just over a year later, we have Priscilla from acclaimed director Sofia Coppola. We’ll have to wait and see if it eventually stacks up against Elvis in terms of its accolades, but we can definitely say that it lures audiences in with Coppola’s feminist empowerment and quiet character exploration to give fans of ‘Cilla the brutal transparency they always deserved.
While Elvis focused on The King of Rock and Roll’s career, music, and movies, it neglected to touch on his personal life beyond his quarrel with his manager, the Colonel. It virtually skipped over Elvis and Priscilla’s marriage other than noting in the background that he was married, had a kid, and got divorced. But Priscilla is wholly dedicated to Elvis’s personal life, throwing his career, music, and movies to the side — and all through the eyes of Priscilla Ann Presley (née Beaulieu, and played by Cailee Spaeny). This shift in perspective unironically makes Priscilla a great companion piece with Elvis. Quite the double feature. And I would even go so far as to say that, despite Elvis being nominated for Best Picture, this should be the anchor of that double feature, as it’s the better film.
Relationships are difficult and challenging no matter what. Even the best ones take work. But they get infinitely harder when they’re attached to a celebrity lifestyle where the media likes to pick apart your every move. Harder still when you add in emotional abuse and neglect. This is a subject that most films like to stay away from because they dare not ruffle the feathers of an iconic or famous figure. But Coppola very boldly and deliberately states, that’s the point. We will not bury our head in the sand, we will not shy away from the darkness, and we will make sure that Priscilla tells the story as it was meant to be told. With honesty, Coppola takes a sledgehammer to the iconography of Elvis and Priscilla Presley being America’s iconic media couple.
By examining this public relationship so personally, this film makes for a thought-provoking exercise. It’s a slow burn that plays heavily in subtlety and nuance to exponentially build tension and drama to a powerful crescendo. Sure, we see the glamorous life, but we see so much more of the devastating and depressing life that was locked away in the prison that is Graceland. We see how emotional manipulation is used as a weapon by Elvis to control Priscilla. The film deconstructs how Priscilla’s individuality was stripped from her until she could grow to redefine herself, and eventually leave Elvis. It’s the patience Coppola displays to linger on a shot, frame an emotion, and let the audience live in a moment that makes this such a profound and moving experience. The minutia and intricate detail that goes into showing Elvis’s command over Priscilla, down to the color of her hair and what color clothes she can wear, in conjunction with seeing Elvis having affairs while neglecting the emotions of Priscilla, is painful. But it’s so powerful when it comes full circle. When we see Priscilla not chase after Elvis anymore when he wants her back and she continues down a hallway. Or when she goes back to her natural brown hair and wears brown and gold clothing that he hates. The journey was rough, but it made the whole experience fulfilling.
Our two central performances are also worth talking about. Jacob Elordi feels like the physical embodiment of an abuser with how damn tall he is. As Elvis, he towers over Priscilla to make him appear like a daunting and monstrous figure. His anger snaps off at the crack of a whip when he doesn’t get his way. I couldn’t buy him as Elvis the stage presence, but he was menacing as Elvis the Graceland manipulator. Spaeny, meanwhile, is triumphant as Priscilla. Her quiet and somber demeanor is tragically sad. Though she often wears an expressionless face out of fear of Elvis losing his temper, when you look into her eyes, read her body language, or see her pine for any kind of warm human connection, your heart goes out to her. She breeds empathy, and elevates this movie with her presence.
What’s really impressive is how well Coppola, with the weight of this subject, was able to churn out such a succinct script. Priscilla doesn’t shy away from the fact Priscilla was 14 years old when Elvis started dating her. How gross and uncomfortable this story is right from its origin. This transparency brings a sincerity to everything. It puts Elvis’s manipulation into sharp perspective, and it shows how strong Priscilla was to stand up for her own life. It’s that voice, that stance, that empowerment that makes this film so important. It’s a message that needs to get out there. It’s character growth representation that needs to be seen by many.
There are even several technical components of this movie that I really enjoy. The costumes are exquisite, and work well for the time period. The art direction is great. The recreation of Graceland is stunning and haunting due to how empty its halls are. Even the editing is terrific, playing into Coppola’s hand to grab the most rich emotion possible from each and every scene. There’s so much to appreciate about this film. However, I struggled with the cinematography. I’d like to think I was maybe in a bum theater auditorium that had a dull bulb on the projector, but I fear that’s not the case. Because there were a few scenes that were properly lit, that looked great, but most of this movie does not look great. It’s way too dark with little to no lighting in the foreground. Everyone, and everything, feels backlit, putting harsh shadows on people’s faces and often making it difficult to read people’s emotions and facial expressions. It is incredibly distracting, and hindering to a great experience.
Frustrations aside, Priscilla is a fantastic picture. It lingers with you long after the credits roll, and I can feel my appreciation and admiration for it grow the more I think about and dissect everything that it has to offer.
Rating: High Side of Liked It
Priscilla is currently playing in theaters
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