Priscilla

[SeanC]

A year after Baz Luhrmann supplied his hyper-kinetic take on the King, stylistic polar opposite Sofia Coppola brings us a different take on the problematic relationship of Priscilla and Elvis from the former's perspective.

[Spartan Girl]

Hope it’s better than the TV movie.

[methodwriter85]

I really hope they work in "Personal Jesus." Supposedly it was actually written about Priscilla and Elvis.

[ShadowHunter]

Good teaser they definitely captured many of the stuff she talked about in her book like Elvis taking tons of pictures of her. I would like to hear how Jacob sounds but don't keep doing the voice lol.  In the wedding dress the actress had a good resemblance to Priscilla. Casting wise it looks like they have done a good job. I know this is going to be compared to the Elvis movie but this really is a different story in many ways. The Elvis movie was a wiki page on Priscilla and her relationship with him. 

[BetterButter]

Priscilla Presley Entrusts Sofia Coppola to Tell Her Story: “I Felt She Could Get Me”

[ShadowHunter]

The reviews so far from the Venice premiere have mostly been good. A couple of bad and mixed ones but still good all things considered. Course some die hard Elvis stans are saying things like this movie is just out to hurt him lol. Yes, Elvis being 24 while she was 14 is all fiction. Sure. I saw a few odd takes from Austin Butler stans as well. As far as the music goes I am fine with them not having any of his music but it is weird. Elvis and Me has his music in it. Oh right Elvis is on this resurgence right now thanks to the movie and we didn't have twitter in the 80s when the miniseries aired to call him out on. 

[SeanC]

On 9/5/2023 at 3:13 PM, ShadowHunter said:

As far as the music goes I am fine with them not having any of his music but it is weird. Elvis and Me has his music in it. Oh right Elvis is on this resurgence right now thanks to the movie and we didn't have twitter in the 80s when the miniseries aired to call him out on. 

No, the difference is that in the 1980s the Presley family (i.e., Priscilla) still controlled Elvis Presley Enterprises, whereas now they have only a small minority stake, so this is a bunch of businessmen with no personal connection to Elvis issuing these statements.

[greekmom]

On 9/5/2023 at 2:13 PM, ShadowHunter said:

 Yes, Elvis being 24 while she was 14 is all fiction. 

That was fact.

I always wondered why Elvis didn't get flack for Priscilla while Jerry Lee Lewis got flack for Myra.

Regardless I might check it out if it's for free somewhere.

[Sarah 103]

11 minutes ago, greekmom said:

That was fact.

I always wondered why Elvis didn't get flack for Priscilla while Jerry Lee Lewis got flack for Myra.

My guess is that part of it has to do with when the marriage took place in terms of the ages of those involved (not necessarily the age difference). Jerry Lee Lewis was in his twenties and Myra was in her early teens when they were married. At the time, this was seen as shocking, horrible, outrageous, and a bunch of other negative things.

Elvis waited until Priscilla was 21 before they were married. In that era, waiting and the age of the couple when they actually married made a huge difference. By the time they married, both were legal consenting adults. To the general public at that time, it was seen as perfectly normal for two adults to get married. There was nothing shocking or scandalous about it to people in the 1960s. 

[methodwriter85]

On 9/12/2023 at 8:23 PM, Sarah 103 said:

Elvis waited until Priscilla was 21 before they were married. In that era, waiting and the age of the couple when they actually married made a huge difference. By the time they married, both were legal consenting adults. To the general public at that time, it was seen as perfectly normal for two adults to get married. There was nothing shocking or scandalous about it to people in the 1960s. 

I think Priscilla herself has said that nothing sexual beyond kissing happened between them until she was 17-18 years old, which also helps. I'm not saying it's right, but Elvis did wait until she was of legal age to consent to sex. Whereas Jerry Lee Lewis married Myra at 13 and got Myra pregnant at 14 so there really wasn't any kind of plausible deniability. 

[BetterButter]

 

[methodwriter85]

The photographing scene was probably the most effecting to me. So bizarre, weird, yet tenderly sweet. 

[kiddo82]

I think what hit me the hardest was how much of a baby playing dress up she was almost right up until the end.  And how much of a prison Graceland was for her.

Watching this not long after watching the Baz Luhrmann movie is such a fun experiment.  It was like watching an episode of The Affair.

[SeanC]

Elvis' life has been the subject of many, many tellings at this point, and to varying degrees they have developed an aesthetic derived from his own music, so Coppola's signature dreamlike stillness (and mix of anachronistic soundtrack choices and select hits from other singers of the period; due to a disagreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises, the King's own music isn't available, but honestly I don't know that it would fit anyway) stands out as much as the shift in focus to Priscilla.

It is interesting to see what aspects of Priscilla's life most interested Coppola. The exact nature of Priscilla and Elvis' relationship has obviously been subject to much speculation (both prurient and otherwise) -- indeed, that's obviously what the film is about -- but after a lot of emphasis on the main character's sexual frustrations early on, both the eventual consummation of their marriage and the decision to conduct her own extramarital affairs (after many such transgressions by Elvis himself) are largely skipped over; the latter, especially, would probably have been considered a pivotal story beat by most filmmakers. 

Cailee Spaeny is really terrific here, playing from ages 14 to 27 convincingly.

[StatisticalOutlier]

Variety got its hands on some emails that Lisa Marie sent to Sofia Coppola a few weeks before production started.  Lisa Marie read an early version of the script and was not pleased. 

Quote

“I will be forced to be in a position where I will have to openly say how I feel about the film and go against you, my mother and this film publicly,” Presley wrote. 

Pretty juicy article, and I'm assuming accurate, since Coppola was asked for comment and her representative quoted from Coppola's reply to the emails.

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/lisa-marie-presley-slammed-sofia-coppola-priscilla-script-1235777982/

[SeanC]

15 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Variety got its hands on some emails that Lisa Marie sent to Sofia Coppola a few weeks before production started.  Lisa Marie read an early version of the script and was not pleased. 

Pretty juicy article, and I'm assuming accurate, since Coppola was asked for comment and her representative quoted from Coppola's reply to the emails.

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/lisa-marie-presley-slammed-sofia-coppola-priscilla-script-1235777982/

All due respect to the deceased, but she either was not alive or was a toddler during the events depicted.

[Laurie4H]

This wasn’t very good in my opinion.  People I spoke to in the theatre had the same opinion.  It didn’t delve into much.  There is a tv movie from 1988 that was much better.  

[kiddo82]

4 hours ago, SeanC said:

It is interesting to see what aspects of Priscilla's life most interested Coppola. The exact nature of Priscilla and Elvis' relationship has obviously been subject to much speculation (both prurient and otherwise) -- indeed, that's obviously what the film is about -- but after a lot of emphasis on the main character's sexual frustrations early on, both the eventual consummation of their marriage and the decision to conduct her own extramarital affairs (after many such transgressions by Elvis himself) are largely skipped over; the latter, especially, would probably have been considered a pivotal story beat by most filmmakers. 

Knowing that this is by Sophia Coppola I can see tentacles of Lost in Translation here.  Particularly Priscilla's general ennui and eventual disillusionment.  I don't know that that's necessarily intentional but they say write what you know.

[methodwriter85]

10 hours ago, kiddo82 said:

I think what hit me the hardest was how much of a baby playing dress up she was almost right up until the end.  And how much of a prison Graceland was for her.

I kind of love that scene at the end where she looks at herself in the mirror- no makeup and a simple shoulder length hairstyle, and it's like she finally became who she wanted to be.

[Sheenieb]

20 hours ago, Laurie4H said:

This wasn’t very good in my opinion.  People I spoke to in the theatre had the same opinion.

I agree. The acting was fine, but it didn't seem like a movie. It was more of a series of vignettes with plot points that went nowhere, and just when things started to get interesting, it ended. Maybe the movie should've been about her life after Elvis. 

I do think Cailee Spaeny was good casting. Standing next to Jacob Elordi highlighted how much of a literal child she was when she met Elvis. 

[Laurie4H]

This is the movie Elvis and Me from the 80’s.  This was a 2 part movie so more time to tell the story but I feel this one had way more emotion.  When he leaves to go back to America Priscilla is completely hard broken.  It’s an emotional scene which I don’t think really happened like that according to pics from then but it works in this movie.  Also it shows more of how the parents felt.  
 

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by Laurie4H

[JAYJAY1979]

I could have seen the first portion of the movie summarizing the marriage between Elivis/Priscilla.. but life after Elvis would have been interesting to have explored.  She helped spearhead Graceland, kept his estate going, and made his estate worth a lot of money for Lisa Marie and her grandchildren.  I'd rather see a movie focusing on her post Elvis life (she's Jenna Wade from Dallas and also known for the Naked Gun movies.. she more then has made a name for herself).

I also think maybe Coppola wanted to not present anything that would make Priscilla less angelic (i.e. extramarital affairs, etc).  Coppola seems to be almost a one trick pony with filming almost the exact same type of movie and style.. unlike her father.. who did movies ranging from The Godfather to Peggy Sue Got married.

Edited November 7, 2023 by JAYJAY1979

[Linderhill]

I enjoyed it well enough when I saw it yesterday.  I'd read the book years ago so it was interesting noticing what wasn't shown from that.  I also got very frustrated with the fact that almost every scene the actors were speaking in that soft way that directors seem to think conveys DRAMA! when all it does is make it difficult to understand what they are saying.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 11/5/2023 at 11:43 PM, JAYJAY1979 said:

I also think maybe Coppola wanted to not present anything that would make Priscilla less angelic (i.e. extramarital affairs, etc).

I didn't read the book, so I'm not sure what the facts are.  But it seemed to me that the audience was being allowed to infer that Priscilla had something going on with the karate teacher, from the way she interacted with him in the scene with him and some of her friends.

On 11/5/2023 at 11:27 AM, Sheenieb said:

It was more of a series of vignettes with plot points that went nowhere,

Good description.  A very stylish series of vignettes, though.

[SeanC]

On 11/6/2023 at 1:43 AM, JAYJAY1979 said:

I also think maybe Coppola wanted to not present anything that would make Priscilla less angelic (i.e. extramarital affairs, etc). 

2 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I didn't read the book, so I'm not sure what the facts are.  But it seemed to me that the audience was being allowed to infer that Priscilla had something going on with the karate teacher, from the way she interacted with him in the scene with him and some of her friends.

As you say, it's clearly inferred, just not something Coppola focuses on. I don't think it's out of a desire to avoid making Priscilla look bad -- at that point, Elvis has been cheating on her basically the whole time, her having affairs is firmly in "sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander" territory.

[LadyIrony]

At this point is there anyone who doesn't already know the story? Not to mention the last film about Elvis was terrible. 

[methodwriter85]

4 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Good description.  A very stylish series of vignettes, though.

I kind of saw it as a series of memories preserved in very stylish photographs.

[chediavolo]

A gift of self adoration to herself. My God the character is  in every scene and had a halo over her head.  Too bad the first half at least is so boring I keep falling asleep. Will have to watch during the day from the beginning. What did you think of ? 
Still can’t believe her parents turned their CHILD over to a grown man. 

[SeanC]

Already a thread:

https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/139899-priscilla-2023/#comment-8202028

[chediavolo]

On 11/7/2023 at 8:02 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

I didn't read the book, so I'm not sure what the facts are.  But it seemed to me that the audience was being allowed to infer that Priscilla had something going on with the karate teacher, from the way she interacted with him in the scene with him and some of her friends.

Good description.  A very stylish series of vignettes, though.

I remember when this happened. It’s true she had an affair with the karate teacher.

[chediavolo]

I can’t find anything on this damn forum. I put in Priscilla and nothing came up Movies, everything else, etc. everything seems to be so hidden and so hard to find. Even following it it doesn’t show up on my shows.. it’s quite annoying ..instead of policing everybody to death they should really be doing something to fix the layout of this page, and all the glitches that it has.

[EtheltoTillie]

Horrible movie!  Bailed after 10 minutes.  Made me queasy, and it was also boring!

I was familiar with the story.  In the mid 80s, when I worked at Ladies' Home Journal, we excerpted part of the book this is based on.  Even through the lens of forty years ago we knew that relationship was tainted.  What were those parents thinking?  It reminds me of the situation with the young boy whose mother let him stay with Michael Jackson.  They know something isn't right, but they want to be close to a star.  They say Lisa Marie was not happy with the script, which she saw just before she died.  But she married Michael Jackson.  What is wrong with these sad folks. 

Edited February 28 by EtheltoTillie

[Spartan Girl]

So I watched this on a HBO free weekend. It’s really hard to keep telling yourself “it was a different time” and watch the relationship progress without side-eyeing it.

On 9/14/2023 at 3:43 AM, methodwriter85 said:

I think Priscilla herself has said that nothing sexual beyond kissing happened between them until she was 17-18 years old, which also helps. I'm not saying it's right, but Elvis did wait until she was of legal age to consent to sex. Whereas Jerry Lee Lewis married Myra at 13 and got Myra pregnant at 14 so there really wasn't any kind of plausible deniability. 

It’s the picking out her clothes and changing her look and giving her drugs that made me cringe.

As a movie, it wasn’t Sofia’s best. Regarding accuracy, again I don’t know. Priscilla herself isn’t exactly a reliable source; it doesn’t help that the stuff she claimed wasn’t true in the book (yet had been supposedly pressured to add in to sell it) was still in this version. I actually just read Lisa Marie’s memoir, so I know that Priscilla wasn’t exactly mother of the year, to say the least. 

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

On 9/12/2023 at 7:07 PM, greekmom said:

That was fact.

I always wondered why Elvis didn't get flack for Priscilla while Jerry Lee Lewis got flack for Myra.

Regardless I might check it out if it's for free somewhere.

Or what about Angel being 241 and Buffy 16 ???

[Sarah 103]

On 2/27/2024 at 6:20 AM, chediavolo said:

Still can’t believe her parents turned their CHILD over to a grown man. 

This has always been one of my biggest questions. They were adults. They were her parents. Why would they say yes to the arrangement? 

2 hours ago, One4Sorrow2TooBad said:

Or what about Angel being 241 and Buffy 16 ???

Fictional characters vs. real life? 

[iarwain]

On 2/27/2024 at 6:20 AM, chediavolo said:

Still can’t believe her parents turned their CHILD over to a grown man. 

It is hard to believe, but you have to remember those were very different times.  Women were expected to marry at a young age (not saying 14), that's how they secured their future.  The parents had a chance to see their daughter with a committed man who was wealthy and successful, what more could they hope for?

I'm not saying every set of parents would have done the same.  But my niece got married when she was 15.  There were different attitudes and expectations.