Priscilla

Published: 11/10/2023

In this beautiful retelling of Priscilla Presley’s life story, based off her memoir written with Sandra Harmon Elvis and Me, Cailee Spaeny gives a career making performance as Priscilla which pairing with the masterful talent of Sofia Coppola’s directing creating a tremendous and powerful feature.

With a runtime of just under two hours, this near perfectly paced film spans over a decade of Priscilla’s life. The decisions to make another Presley related film so close after the release of Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 film Elvis, was not an ill made one. Coppola and Priscilla herself gives us a new look into the glamourous, rich and famous life in Graceland that isn’t from the point of view of the media or Elvis but from her own. A bold, and some may say, risky film to make after the resurface of Elvis popularity from last year, the film truly exposes the reality of loving the king of rock away from the cameras and fans.

Spaeny and Jacob Elordi as Elvis was incredible casting, the way both performances bounce off one another elevates the scenes drastically, particularly impressive when in Priscilla’s moments of clarity to her situation during volatile arguments, Spaeny communicates through her eyes so powerfully that with one move from Elordi you can see her slip back into the state of false safety that Priscilla had with Elvis.

The film of course contains the signature aesthetic that Coppola is known to have in her films which compliments Priscilla’s character beautifully. It truly shows the essence of her girlhood throughout the film as a reminder that despite the adult and lavish life she lived, for most of it she was only a kid. The distinct lack of use of Elvis music through the film (even though it was due to legal reasons) it ensured that the main focus was always kept on Priscilla rather than straying away to Elvis. Having music that complimented her rather than relating to him was more effective for the immersion into the film and allowing us to connect to the title character.

Priscilla is a beautifully transcendent film that showcases the hidden strength and bravery of Priscilla Presley in her relationship to the late Elvis Prelsey. One of Sofia Coppola’s best films to date and a great addition to Mubi’s own releases is coming to US theatres November 3rd of this year and to later be released into UK theatres January 5th 2024.

Priscilla, dir. Sofia Coppola.

UK theatrical release: 5th January 2024.

Lara Edwards.