A Review of Priscilla

I have found that movies can typically be divided into two categories: the loud and the quiet. Loud films are those which utilise action and bright, rich colours to draw their audiences in, while quiet movies are those slow burns which do not assault their viewers with life or death scenarios and obvious tension. Sofia Coppola’s new film Priscilla sits firmly in the category of quieter stories. Beginning with clips of Priscilla’s morning routine and ending with our protagonist leaving her married life behind, this was a film that gently guided us through the scenes of the titular character’s relationship with Elvis. It was the story of the woman who stands in the shadow of her husband, the reality of an existence that is governed by image and another’s guiding hand. This was a film I went to see not because I am an Elvis fan (I know next to nothing about him), but because I was intrigued by the level of cinematic beauty that would be on display. Was it a disappointment? Certainly not!

Coppola is not a director that I have a great amount of experience with, her name being know somewhere on the periphery of my consciousness probably more due to the fact that she is a female director than for anything specific she has done. Following the watching of this film, however, her name is definitely on my radar. From that opening scene to the Dolly Parton song that bled into the credits, this was a film of cinematic brilliance. The slow and quiet nature of the story, with very few scenes that shone will celebrity glitz and glamour, allowed the vision to be played out through carefully framed shots. Particular moments that stood out did include Priscilla’s first trip to Vegas, but also those that would have made perfect photographs if paused. I could rave about the beauty of this film, the framing of each scene with impossible perfection; the attention to detail made this film what it is and was definitely the core strength.

Of course, to say this is to discount the actors and the other amazing crew members beyond the camera department. With Jacob Elordi presenting us with another of his performances while Saltburn is still in cinemas highlights that he is absolutely a star on the rise. The actor did not disappoint, his Elvis being convincing in his quiet existence, his celebrity moments and those unexpected touches of abusive petulance. There was a softness to the character which was portrayed to perfection, being both victim and victimiser within the web of relationships. Equally, Cailee Speany tackled the titular character with confidence and power, being able to portray both the quiet and starstruck school girl and the woman confident enough to leave the man who had governed the majority of her life. The performance was compelling, drawing audiences to empathise with her situation and certainly question her situation and what they may have done in her shoes. While there were many other people around at all times, from family to school girls to friends, there is no doubt that this was a story about these two and the other characters were on the periphery of the story, being background details and perhaps even descending into constructs in the odd moment. This was a story about how lonely it was to be Priscilla Presley and the director perfectly depicted this.

Although I will not be rushing out to learn more about these prolific figures within the world’s recent history, I will certainly be catching up on some of the Coppola films that I have missed. This was a movie that was truly beautiful, its opening situating us through a use of credits that I associate with Bing Crosby movies and drawing us through the poetry of cinema. The vintage aesthetic overlaid every scene, the grainy shooting of some of the scenes as though through old hand held cameras being a touch of brilliance. It was the perfect reintroduction to cinema after some time out of the city and I highly recommend going to see it if you find yourself with a free morning. I for one would be more than happy to see it again immediately, which is more than I can say for most films I have seen recently. A perfect cinema kick off for 2024!