PRISCILLA Movie Review | Sofia Coppola | Elvis | A24

Sofia Coppola's "Priscilla" inspires very different reviews from Christy and Alonso. But both loved the luscious, mid-century costumes and production design, as well as the tremendous performances from Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Presley and Jacob Elordi as Elvis. The film is very much in the same vein as the writer-director's other dreamlike tales of trapped women, including "The Virgin Suicides," "Somewhere" and "Lost in Translation." Do you plan on seeing "Priscilla"? Let us know in the comments! In theaters Oct. 27.
#priscilla #elvispresley #sofiacoppola

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[jamesvejvoda]

I think the shot of Elvis onstage was one of those "we'll need this for the trailer" choices. You need a shot of Elvis doing Elvis stuff just to sell it.

[jayeginn]

Beaulieu knew what she was getting into when she first met Elvis at age 14. After all, Elvis had a longtime girlfriend back home in the US, Anita Wood (1957-1962), yet spent time with several German frauleins in spite of that. Little "innocent" Beaulieu did not mind being another girl he cheated on his girlfriend with.
Elvis returned to the US on March 1, 1960, while Beaulieu and her family remained in Germany. There she terrorized her mother and stepfather because she had only recently found out he was not her biological father. She went on a hunger strike, skipped school, and pretty much played Elvis and Mr. and Mrs. Beaulieu against each other. She told untruths about her home situation begging Elvis to save her by letting her come over and she made family life in Germany for her parents and half-siblings hell.
It was little “innocent” Beaulieu who pursued Elvis, sending him risqué photos of herself (condoned/facilitated by her parents!). In a 1973 interview with Ladies Home Journal, Beaulieu is quoted saying that her mother, Ann Iversen, said that knowing Elvis was “an opportunity of a lifetime”. Her mother and stepfather played a questionable role in the development of Beaulieu's long-distance "affair" with Elvis that reeks of ulterior motives. If they'd really been worried or incensed and believed that all the initiative came from Presley, they could have stopped it right then and there. Yet, they didn't; they played along. They first allowed her to visit Elvis in the US when she was 16. More than a year passed until her next visit at 17.
Beaulieu did not move to Memphis until she was close to 18 when she moved in with Elvis' father Vernon and stepmother Dee. It is total nonsense that many claim that she "lived with Elvis since she was 14".
BEAULIEU AND ELVIS WEREN'T EVEN ON THE SAME CONTINENT FOR THE BETTER PART OF 3 YEARS.
During the years before their marriage, Elvis was away from Memphis a lot, making 3 movies a year in Hollywood or locations such as Hawaii. And during all these years he was also having multiple affairs with co-stars. Beaulieu knew this and could have left then, since they were not married yet, but of course, she stayed because the goal was to become Mrs. Presley.
According to Beaulieu, Elvis had promised to marry her when she was 21. But as her birthday had come and gone and her 22nd birthday was approaching and Elvis still had not kept his word, Beaulieu, her parents, and the colonel (Tom Parker) visited Elvis on a movie set. The most logical thing that happened is that a threat was made that they would go public about Elvis "dating" a minor while in his twenties if he would not keep his promise to marry her. After all: Jerry Lee Lewis had gone through a scandal that people might be reminded of if the Beaulieus had gone public: Jerry Lee Lewis had married his 13-year-old cousin!
After the visit of the Beaulieus and Parker to the movie set, everything escalated and a quick wedding ceremony was arranged on May 1, 1967 (23 days before Beaulieu's 22nd birthday) in Las Vegas.
Beaulieu soon became pregnant, but soon Elvis already wanted to divorce her. 9 months after the wedding, daughter Lisa Marie was born. Beaulieu and Elvis effectively lived their lives apart as early as 6 weeks after Lisa was born when Beaulieu began an affair with her dance instructor.
During the taping of the 1968 Singer Special (later redubbed the 1968 Comeback Special) Elvis had an affair with Susan Henning, while Beaulieu attended some of the tapings with her lover (the dance instructor).
By 1969, after Elvis had finished his movie contracts and had begun not only his residency at The International Hotel in Las Vegas, but also his touring around the USA, he was away from Memphis an average of 150 - 200 days a year.
Elvis bought a new mansion for his family, at 144 Monovale Drive in Holmby Hills/California which became Beaulieu's residence while Elvis - in between tours - preferred to stay at his Hillcrest Rd, Beverly Hills house.
Effectively their marriage was over in 1969 and they increasingly lived separate lives. They did try to get back closer together in 1970, for the sake of Lisa Marie, but that failed. Christmas 1970 was all but peaceful and festive and ended with Elvis angrily leaving Graceland for several days. By then, Beaulieu had already started taking karate lessons at Ed Parker's karate studio and subsequently met Mike Stone (the man in the photo), whom she'd first seen during a karate tournament in 1968, and soon began an affair with him.
By late 1971, Beaulieu and Stone (who had left his wife, pregnant with their second child) shared an apartment together in Belmont Shore and gossip rags were beginning to pick up on the break-up between Beaulieu and Elvis.
The separation really was effective as of shortly before Elvis' 37th birthday, January 8, 1972. Elvis was livid and he moved on: started dating Linda Thompson in the summer of 1972.
In August of 1972 a property settlement agreement was filed and he filed for divorce ON HIS 38TH BIRTHDAY, Jan. 8, 1973. The divorce was finalized on Oct. 9, 1973, FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS YEAR. Elvis had his attorneys add a special clause to their divorce decree stating she was not to use the name Presley for a career.
In interviews between the divorce and Elvis' death, Beaulieu described him pretty much as a has-been loser, absent/bad father and husband and adamantly stated she wanted to be known as Priscilla Beaulieu, to be her own person and that she was not Elvis Presley's property. In a 1973 interview with Ladies Home Journal she literally stated that there was "no possibility of a reconciliation with Elvis".
After his death she claimed that they had agreed to get back together when he was 50 and she was 40 and that he was the love of her life. She also started claiming that she and Elvis remained friends until his death. That was another lie; just listen to what his cousin Billy Smith tells about that, or what his dad, Vernon, wrote about that in a letter that has been made public.
Elvis did not mention this opportunist in his will AT ALL. Not as his ex-spouse, not as the mother/guardian of his only child Lisa Marie and certainly not by name.
After the divorce, and after Mike Stone, Beaulieu had (live-in) relationships with Mike Edwards, Robert Kardashian, Terry O'Neill, Elie Ezerzer and Kirk Kerkorian. In 1984 she met Marco Garibaldi with whom she had a relationship for 21 years. They separated in 2006. Together they had a son, Navarone, in 1987. She never married Garibaldi, although she had a much longer relationship with him than she'd had with Elvis.
It is extremely unfortunate that people believe all the fantasy tales Beaulieu tells. They gloss over the tons of inconsistencies that have arisen as time moved on and Beaulieu started changing her narrative, often contradicting supposed facts she told earlier. She's as glib as a used car salesperson because she can spin yarns like nobody, making those gullible people even believe her excuses for those contradictions.
If you really believe Beaulieu and her family would have acted the same way and would have been equally tolerant of his behavior (extramarital affairs etc) if Elvis had remained a truck driver learning to be an electrician, you are beyond naive. The Beaulieus had dollar signs in their eyes when they pimped out their rebellious (step)daughter.

And Coppola purposely chose a girl the size of a pre-schooler to play Beaulieu and a 7 ft giant to play Elvis to accentuate the age difference in a visual way, too. The huge height difference subliminally makes people think "what is that adult doing with that child?" In real life, Elvis was 5'11" in bare feet and Beaulieu 5'2". Very cheap and disgusting methods, but fitting for the equally disgusting subject of this "movie".

[tlo]

I don’t plan to see the movie as I read her book, saw the mini- series in the 80s, and have seen so many interviews with Priscilla on this subject. I feel it would be repetitive for me. I fear that younger audiences are not going to under stand the subservient role that was placed on women in the 60s and 70s. When the mini-series came out in the 80s it was not very far removed from the time period. We had seen our mothers live a life that my 40 year old daughters just can’t fathom. Most people’s reaction to the mini-series made in the 80s was “ well, that was interesting.” Then never thought about it again. Seen through the 2023 lens, the narrative will be different. To put it in perspective, in 1960 girls in some states in the south and mid west were allowed to get married at 13 with parental permission. That’s a horrifying thought today. Thank God things have changed.

[wishananda]

She paints a fairytale and deflates the joy experience of the ELVIS film. She studied at a finishing school and chose to put on all that eyeliner, false eyelashes, and teased up black hair. He didn’t control her to do it. You can learn more about her on UTUBE than watching Priscilla. She left Elvis for Mike Stone, her Karate instructor. He was a married man, so she busted up his marriage. I’d say she’s the controlling one. She’s playing a victim.

[graceland]

I wont be going to see this movie .. cause it's dosent make sense..

[allelvis]

Why cant that woman move on always got to be in the limelight did you know Lisa Marie was strongly against this movie and could not understand why her mother was portraying her father in this way.
Shes a narcissist and needs to get a life of her own away from Elvis ( if she can) then she manipulates her grandaughter to be allowed to be buried near Elvis.
Of course shes going to allow that let us fans enjoy his legacy and music and stop using him as a means of fortune.
I detest that woman 😡😡😡😡

[Rainbow-sbeo]

Respectfully disagree.

Priscilla loved the attention and the camera. Also this is HER version (her book) on events. Elvis can’t give his version or defend herself. If you read Child Bride you will learn Curry Grant’s testimony on the events. She asked him to meet Elvis. She told him “ I understand you know Elvis.” Her life in Germany dating before and after dating Elvis in Germany.

Lisa Marie was against the movie. She said it. Riley didn’t attend premiere. Navarone did and was very affected by it. She said it. Elvis Presley Enterprises which holds 85% released a statement against it. So disgusted are they with it, that they did not allow Coppola to use Elvis’ songs neither sung by him or any of his music.

Priscilla seems scorned knowing he was in love with Ann-Margret. Also knowing even from Elvis’ father after his death tgat Elvis didn’t want to get married or stay married to her.

Sadly if it is ncr true, it still will create aa negative narrative and false characterization of Elvis. That alone is enough for her not to be buried at Graceland!

[ツングース]

humanity　life.
this　cheap　movie　is　foolish.

[crakatoot]

So we don't get to see the making of Naked Gun.

To me that really is the most important part of Priscilla’s story

[jamesh]

Hold on. This book came out over 35 years ago. Made for TV hot and fresh in 1988. I mean who says Hollywood is out of ideas.

[maggielucas]

Priscilla, such a victim. That's why you keep his name, live off Elvis almost your whole life and now fake cry about your hard life. I bet the film doesn't tell you about Priscilla being an army brat with boyfriends before Elvis, and her own affairs in their marriage. Love abd miss you Elvis.

[hosemanuel]

Its funny how all these stories came out after Elvis died and wasnt there to tell his side of the story. Pricilla has also admitted that some thing in her book are not true.

[margareta]

This movie is so wrong. Priscilla asked Curry Grant to take hef to meet Elvis. Also, lisa jarie went against this movie and her mother. She was sent the script 4 months before she died. She said it wasnt showing her father the way he truely was. She was angry at her mom and the directer of this movie. Her first movie Elvis and Me is far better than this movie. First of all she wasnt trapped. She had affairs from the day ahe married Elvis. Shes very tricky.

[DebraSuttondls]

I read her book Elvis and me years ago. I saw the 1980’s made for TV movie. I won’t pay to see this movie. I may watch it once it is steaming. I have a pretty good grasp on the real Priscilla. And I don’t believe what she says. She has rewritten history. And is not known for the truth.

[kimberlystewart]

I'm not seeing the movie. No more $$$ for Prissy.

[jaimes]

The aesthetics of this movie are amazing

[Della]

The way they portrayed Elvis Presley in the Elvis movie, screaming and shouting, angry and at odds with Parker, I honestly believe that it was a DELIBERATE precursor to the Priscilla Movie so that when they show Elvis angry, abusive and violent all the time it would be far more believable to an UNINFORMED audience (and that's who Priscilla is ALWAYS aiming for) because their reference would be how Elvis Presley was portrayed in the Elvis Movie. Neither movie has shown Elvis Presley in a positive light, so I have no idea why so many are gushing over the Elvis Movie; but that's just how Priscilla likes it because how can she appear to be a victim if they show Elvis as he truly was, a human being with human flaws who had an incredible talent.

Not one of the girlfriends be them long term or flights in the night one night stands have had truly despicable things to say about Elvis Presley. Priscilla Presley is the ONLY one to have such truly destructive, despicable, nasty, vindictive and reputational harming things to say about Elvis Presley; things that are polar opposite to what every other girlfriend has had to say; especially the ones Elvis was dating while Priscilla was around. Why is that? How can that be? Surely you would find something of the same from them that Priscilla is saying, right? Are we to believe everyone is lying except Priscilla?

Let me put it this way, Linda Thompson spent far more time in Elvis Presley's company than Priscilla ever did. How do I know? Well because Elvis did not have a career to build in the 1970's. He did not have to go to Hollywood and make THREE FILMS a year and produce THREE Albums the same year to promote those films, or do talk shows, radio shows and make TV appearances. He appeared in Vegas twice a year and toured the US of which Linda was there most of the time - not all of the time obviously, he still had one night stands even then.

One thing I know beyond a shadow of doubt is that you won't find the truth at Priscilla's door. What you will find is a manipulative, conniving, sociopath so bound and determined to be a victim that she is willing to destroy the reputation of not only a man who cannot defend himself, but also the man she purports to have loved more than anyone else in her life. Evidence shows me the absolute opposite is true. There is no love in this movie and there is no love in her book and that's the only truthful transference from the book to the screen that has occurred...

[mariabarber]

Which part of the movie is truth and which is lies priscillia is. not known for telling the truth

[AntsMovies]

This movie didn’t work for me unfortunately. I felt there was no drama and no conflict. The costumes and sets were awesome but the rest of the movie was just boring to me :(

[jessflint]

What's the word for an ex wife relying on her ex husband's name to make money until her last breath (and even after) and in the same time throwing him under the bus each time she has the opportunity to do it ?