NYFF 2023 Review: The Innocence, Love and Melancholy in Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla’

Occasionally tragic, sometimes straight to the point, and reminiscent of her newly-revisited “Marie Antoinette” and “The Virgin Suicides,” Sofia Coppola’s cinematic adaptation of Priscilla Presley’s autobiography, “Priscilla,” is a twisted fairytale that explores the innocence, love, and melancholy that the titular character rockily experiences both in and out the spotlight of the King of Rock n’ Roll’s stature.

The Wikipedia Rundown of Modern Rock Biopic

Rock n’ roll biopics often make the public go back and listen to their records to an obsessive degree. I remember the significant number of people listening to Queen when “Bohemian Rhapsody” came out. Both old fans and newly invested ones rejoiced. I was happy that more people worldwide would give the band their well-deserved flowers. Although not to the same degree, the same thing happened when Baz Luhrmann brought us his version of Elvis. A small amount of Elvis fever ransacked people’s minds after experiencing the film about the “King of Rock n’ Roll.” The problem is that the film was quite disappointing.

“Elvis” was a Wikipedia rundown of some of his most notable achievements and recognized downsides of his career. It was smothered into an intoxicating smudge of bright lights, pizzazz, and over-stylized production. At least you got something out of Austin Butler’s performance. He didn’t have the icon’s look but nailed the expressions and movements. It was the best aspect that the film had to offer. Yet, a couple of things were missing from the film. The most important thing missing was the complicated relationship with Priscilla Presley and its effect on both players. Lost in his admiration for the man, Luhrmann handled that topic very poorly. Their love and union are a vital part of these people’s lives. The Australian director decided to skip most of it because he wanted to abstain from substance to include more flash.

An Autobiography Turned Into a Touching Feature Film

Thankfully, Sofia Coppola has been inspired enough by the tale of Priscilla’s past by reading her autobiography about her time with Elvis, as well as speaking to her directly that she’d make a film out of it, even if it were released in too close of a gap from Luhrmann’s biopic. Coppola not only wants people to know about Priscilla. She adds the struggles, joy, and melancholy of her happy and tragic experiences. There’s space for her to talk about how she handled fame when she was beside the man with the biggest spotlight of them all. Sofia Coppola brings us “Priscilla”—an adaptation of Presley’s autobiography, “Elvis and Me.” With her usual tactile touch, she shows us the different sides of Priscilla.

Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi in “Priscilla” (Photo: New York Film Festival 2023).

Whether or not she’s wearing a veneer to protect her image from the public, her innocence is stuck in a setting that has a fairytale sense to it amidst the dark times by the flashing lights of her lover’s fame, twisting itself into revealing the dark corners of his partner’s persona. Everything began in 1959, near Wiesbaden on a West German army base. This is where we see Priscilla (played by an astonishing Cailee Spaeny), a lonely fourteen-year-old who lives with her mother and army father, spending most of her time at a local diner studying. She’s in solitude most of her time; Priscilla has no social life. But when she least expects it, Priscilla is invited to a party hosted by Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi, who churns out a rather unassuming performance compared to Spaeny’s work) during his time doing military service.

From the Glory of his Success to the Untidiness of his Emotional Stability

Their first encounter is filled with respect, yet there’s this weird, unimaginable feeling of seeing a person’s face for the first time who has been on the cover of records sold by the millions. A look that might be on the walls of a girl somewhere in the world becomes flesh and blood for Priscilla. And he’s seeking real and honest conversation, which she brings into Elvis’ life. The two of them begin to click immediately and rapidly. One invite comes after the other, whether at a party or the lovebirds spending time alone. However, these early minutes reflect how Priscilla can’t act or make decisions like the main character, even in her own life. We observe Elvis through the eyes of a young girl in an array of settings and viewpoints, from the glory of his success to the untidiness of his emotional stability.

Sofia Coppola covers the first ten years of their relationship, from Priscilla’s age of 14 to 24, with all the discomfort (the manipulation, gaslighting, affairs, and vocal fights) and shattered sentiments that arise through that decade. Like all of her filmography, this film has a dreamy and enchanting style that’s quite alluring. But darkness is more prevalent in the fairytale box set. Through an eye-popping production design and a closely-knit and personal (without being too theatrical in its expression) look presented by cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, Sofia Coppola captures that essence of pensive innocence within the confines of brewing torment—the trials and tribulations of a draining relationship. That’s when Sofia Coppola is at her best as a director. She intertwines innocence with melancholy to create a dreamy effect that washes over you at different lapses and raises other emotions.

Molly Manning Walker and Sofia Coppola Double Bill

In a way, it reminded me of a film I saw at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Molly Manning Walker’s directorial debut, “How to Have Sex.” Both of these films could be seen as a double bill of some sort due to the nuanced explorations of sexuality and desire from the eyes of teenage girls. Mia McKenna-Bruce’s performance in the aforementioned film is reminiscent of Spaeny’s in “Priscilla.” Both of their beautiful and touching portrayals have a double-sided facet to them. Each look has equal amounts of elation and restraint. The effects of their respective situations take a toll on them. They come near to succumbing to the pain but have this sense of control over the problems that arise—emerging stronger than they were before.

Cailee Spaeny in “Priscilla” (Photo: New York Film Festival 2023).

When you look back at her projects, you notice that she’s in her best shape when there’s an interlacing between purity and some kind of desolation, especially when she uses a source material. But that’s not Priscilla’s only similarity with “Marie Antoinette” and “The Virgin Suicides.” There’s also the story’s essence of being a relatable tragedy. Like life itself, Priscilla and Elivs’ relationship has its many ups and downs, more so the latter when you see the full-glimpse effects that the paparazzi and multitude of flashing lights don’t capture. The film focuses on the suffering and betrayal rather than the joy and endearment of their relationship.

Love and Despair Amidst Loneliness and Restraint

There are specs of their love and tenderness shown through different stages. You get two different sides: both in front of the public and out of the spotlight. Its beginning hinted at a possible snapshot or regular biopic mold without much deftness or a profound nature. As the film continues through its beautifully-colored settings with a dreamy look, everything comes together in a nicely packaged look on fractured relationships where once there was love, now is blooming anguish. Coppola finds many ways to capture that feeling without exceeding its subdued and expressionistic hand. One of the best and most probably overlooked aspects that “Priscilla” has is being empathetic rather than judgy about what happened throughout their lives at that point in time.

You feel this sensation through Cailee Spaeny’s beautiful performance. The recent Volpi Cup winner takes all of the pain, desire, and loneliness and delivers some astonishing star-making work. She’s just marvelous. As mentioned, Spaeny offers an array of emotions in each glance at the camera or Elivs. Love and despair blend with her loneliness and restraint. It creates a magnetic performance worthy of the praise she’s receiving during this pre-release fall festival run. Coppola insists we learn about the woman who was with one of the most iconic musical acts in history. Still, that same insistence doesn’t translate into rushed or frantic storytelling or structure.

It helps to shape the world in which “Priscilla” resides. It changes through the instabilities that have forged their personas so that later on. They use it as liberation from the person who’s entrapped them. When you think the film has demonstrated all of its thematic touches, Coppola brings us one last essential touch in the way of a final shot and an anachronistic record that seals “Priscilla” perfectly. (Spoiling the song choice at that concluding moment will definitely be a mistake.) Its ending expresses the idea of a princess being locked away in a tower, reflective of its introduction where Priscilla is set freely into an unknown world—one that has some surprises yet equally contains sources of peril.

Much to its favor, Coppola never shows Priscilla as a victim. The “woman behind the legend” narrative thread that’s reflective from a quick glance doesn’t come across as expected. Playing it safe wasn’t an option if Coppola wanted to make this story as honest and piercing as possible. I believe I saw the best of her abilities a couple of years ago with her adaptation of “The Beguiled.” She took some liberties from the material to create a more profound version. She reveals new abilities that come with experience, passion, and focus.

“Priscilla” is currently playing at the New York Film Festival. The festival goes from September 29th – October 15th. Join us for continual coverage.