‘Priscilla’: Presley and Coppola Blow the Pedo-Whistle
Warning: Elvis fans will not like this one. “Elvis the Creep” is pretty much what this biopic, based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir “Elvis and Me,” is about.
Warning: Elvis fans are not gonna like this one. “Elvis the Creep” is pretty much what this biopic from Sofia Coppola, based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir “Elvis and Me,” is about.
It’s a thing we like to ignore in America—the fact that when men accrue too much money, fame, and influence, they tend to get caught in an inescapably powerful undertow that drags them out to the Sea of Pedophilia. Seventies’ rocker Ted Nugent said it best: “I had a bad case of young-girl addiction.” So did Elvis.
Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) meets Elvis for the first time, in "Priscilla." A24
Story
The 25-year-old Elvis (Jacob Elordi) started grooming his bride-to-be when she was 14, beginning in 1959, in Germany. Elvis Presley had long been ridiculously famous before serving in the Army.
Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) as an Elvis fan, living on the same military base Elvis did, in Germany, in "Priscilla." A24
In “Priscilla,” Elvis becomes overwhelmingly infatuated with 14-year-old Austin, Texas-born Priscilla Beaulieu, (Cailee Spaeny, looking a little like a younger Shailene Woodley), at a party. He begins to pursue her.
Her parents don’t like it. Well, Air Force officer dad doesn’t like it. Interestingly, facts show that moms are often complicit and supportive when their too-young daughters catch the eye of a rock star; the phenomena of “The Groupie“ can often spread to the female parent.
Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) with Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny, far right) in the 1970's, in "Priscilla." A24
Anyway, young Priscilla convinces dad to allow her move to Graceland to be with Elvis when he returns to the States. Marriage is not mentioned, but Elvis is heard pleading on the phone with her father, promising that his intentions are honorable, and that he will continue to put Priscilla through Catholic school.
However, when finally there, what initially felt like a fairy tale quickly loses it magic. That’ll happen when your astoundingly famous boyfriend is the most desired man in the United States of America.
Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) with Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) in the 1970s, in "Priscilla." A24
High School
Priscilla finishes high school while living at the famed compound, but homework can’t compete with the ultimate celebrity catch of all time, as well as the salacious dating rumors leaking from Elvis’s movie sets. When he is home, Elvis drags his pubescent, live-in girlfriend into the fast-lane life of his boy’s club, and the prescription drug addiction he dealt with until the day he died.
Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) with Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) in the 1970's, in "Priscilla." A24
A pretty bird in a gilded cage, Priscilla must submit to being paraded around; Elvis takes her (and his merry band of yes-men) shopping, like the scene in “Pretty Woman,” but with an audience. He makes her dye her hair black to “bring out her eyes.” Priscilla’s was a classic, archetypal Pygmalion existence.
Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) primping for Elvis in "Priscilla." A24
Elvis sleeps with the groupies and the golddiggers while insisting Priscilla be the Madonna; keeping her pure and chaste—then marrying, impregnating, and immediately cancelling all that sweet-talk of honeymoons and travel. She’s to keep his home-fire burning, and raise his progeny, and she’ll do it with gratitude and not question his dalliance-disingenuousness, thank ya verrreh muccchhh.
Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) marries Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi), in "Priscilla." A24
Elvis’s short but apparently sincere period of spiritual seeking is revealed; books on yoga and meditation and gurus and such. But Colonel Parker, Elvis’s behind-the-scenes puppet master, would appear to have made short work of that. A spiritually enlightened Presley would’ve punted Parker out of show business, pronto.
The fighting escalates, naturally, and, eventually, accompanied by Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” (Dolly wrote that song, Whitney Houston covered it more lucratively), the 28-year-old Priscilla Presley, after 14 years with The King—leaves Graceland.
Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) has left the building, in "Priscilla." A24
The Real Priscilla Presley Executive-Produced
It’s hard not to compare and contrast Ms. Coppola’s Presley story with Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 version. “Elvis” received eight Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) but won nothing, and while “Elvis” focused on Elvis the the rock star—“Priscilla” gives us Elvis the drug-addled, insecure, megalomaniacal control freak.
Ms. Presley herself served as a co-writer and executive producer of “Priscilla,” as well as having been involved in much of the movie’s press run—thus safeguarding the authenticity of her life’s story.
Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) killing time while Elvis is off shooting a movie, in "Priscilla." A24
Ultimately, Ms. Coppola plies her stock-in-trade—capturing how it feels to be a woman unrealistically idolized by a romantic partner, instead of simply respected.
Is it interesting? This is pretty much a star-making role for Cailee Spaeny, who’s got quite a bit of charisma. I also appreciated Ms. Coppola talking about the pedophilia elephant in the room. “Priscilla” proves that, while we know Elvis didn’t visit Epstein Island via the “Lolita Express,” it’s only because it hadn’t been built yet.
Someone recently objected to this line of reasoning by pointing out that people got married much younger back in the day, and 14-years-old is perfectly fine. Maybe so, maybe so. But what about the fact that Elvis liked to have his entourage collect a bunch of 14-year-old girls and have them jump around on his bed, pillow fighting in their underwear, while he peeked through the closet keyhole?
I’m a bit tired of the Elvis saga, which caused some boredom. And a story about a little caged bird, kept in darkened rooms away from the public eye, all by her young self, told in Ms. Coppola’s signature dreamy and lethargic manner, is, well … depressing.
Movie poster for "Priscilla." A24
‘Priscilla’
Director: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi, Ari Cohen, Dagmara Dominczyk
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Release Date: Nov. 3, 2023
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Would you like to see other kinds of arts and culture articles? Please email us your story ideas or feedback at [email protected]
Mark Jackson
Film Critic
Mark Jackson is the chief film critic for The Epoch Times. In addition to film, he enjoys martial arts, motorcycles, rock-climbing, qigong, and human rights activism. Jackson earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Williams College, followed by 20 years' experience as a New York professional actor. He narrated The Epoch Times audiobook "How the Specter of Communism is Ruling Our World," available on iTunes, Audible, and YouTube. Mark is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic.
