Film shines light on Priscilla Presley

Soledad Lee
Social Media/Graphics Editor

“Priscilla,” directed by Sofia Coppola (“Lost In Translation,” “The Virgin Suicides,” “Marie Antionette,”) came out to theaters on Oct. 27. The film, based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir, “Elvis and Me,” filled its audience with mixed emotions.

Elvis Presley was one of the known icons in music from the 50s through the 70s. The world saw and continues to see him as the “King of Rock and Roll.” His popularity as a young person with teenage girls, helped to define the first look at a fangirl.

The film wasn’t all about Elvis though. Instead as viewers can imagine from the title, it gave a moment for Priscilla. “Priscilla,” not only goes into her and Elvis’s relationship, but viewers are immersed into her perspective of her life as a woman who was in love with a man obsessed with his career.

The audience is first introduced to 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, played by Cailee Spaeny (“Pacific Rim: Uprising”), sipping Coca Cola at a diner in Germany, where Air Force Officer Terry West, played by Luke Humphrey (“I Was Lorena Bobbit”), invites her to one of Elvis’s, played by Jacob Elordi (“Euphoria”), parties at his home.

Prisicilla begs her mom, played by Dagmara Dominczyk (“Succession”), and stepfather, played by Ari Cohen (“My Babysitter’s a Vampire”), to let her accompany West and his wife and daughter to Elvis’s home, which they eventually agree to.

Watching Elvis and Priscilla meet, viewers will realize what Elvis’s intentions were all along; as he had his friends purposely scout out younger girls for Elvis to meet.

In the film, he immediately charms Priscilla which naturally is easy for him to do since he already was known and loved by a large population of young girls. If the audience knows of the age gap (10 years) between Priscilla and Elvis, they may feel weirded out for most of the film.

Viewers are unable to unravel the story of Priscilla in real time so it does feel rushed, but viewers are able to follow along with her journey because of how the film is precise with the different phases in her life. Another thing that really helped this film make sense was the changing of places that Priscilla goes through when first adapting her relationship with Elvis.

The setting in which Priscilla is throughout the film indicates to the audience what is going on with her and Elvis at that moment. In Germany, the audience knows she is in that phase of talking to Elvis and waiting for Elvis to come back from America. The era of Priscilla living in Elvis’s Graceland home with him is considered the time of her being with him before their marriage and during it.

The audience will see Priscilla fall in love, but that love becomes increasingly toxic and eventually abusive. Viewers will almost be so immersed into how Priscilla feels, they’ll be shocked by some of the scenes where Elvis is treating her horribly openly, but she and others are not particularly phased by it until later.

The majority of the film she is treated like his doll that he can make up anyway he wants to; Priscilla dyes her hair dark and wears more eye makeup after Elvis tells her to.

It is relieving to see Priscilla start to take back her life as her own at the end of film. Her hair goes back to its natural color, and even though she is still disconnected from her and Elvis’s daughter, Lisa, she still is able to regain her sense of self overtime.

The story was told the only way it could be told, since it is based on a book and so future viewers shouldn’t expect anything wildly surprising, especially if they’ve read the memoir.

“Priscilla,” is out now in theaters and is rated R for drug use, sexual themes, domestic abuse and some language. The film has a running time of one-hour and-53 minutes.