Dreamily gazing at the album covers of was not, statistically speaking, a rare habit among American teen girls in the late 1950s and early 害羞草研究所�60s.
But for teenage fantasy became a strange and surreal reality. Sofia Coppola害羞草研究所檚 starring captures all the dreaminess, the absurdity and, finally, the nightmare of falling in love with Elvis.
Priscilla was just 14 years-old 害羞草研究所� a 9th grader 害羞草研究所� when she first met him. It was 1959. She was living in West Germany, where her Air Force officer stepfather was stationed. The swoony early scenes of Coppola害羞草研究所檚 film find a solitary Priscilla sipping soda in a Navy base diner while a cover of Frankie Avalon害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淰enus害羞草研究所� (害羞草研究所淰enus, make her fair / A lovely girl with sunlight in her hair害羞草研究所�) plays around her.
A man approaches and asks if she likes Elvis. Of course she does. Would she like to meet him? Um, what? After some negotiations with her parents, Priscilla is sitting there on the sofa at a small party when the King of Rock 害羞草研究所榥害羞草研究所� Roll, himself (Jacob Elordi), strolls down the stairs. Big, big sigh.
Coppola, the writer-director of 害羞草研究所淭he Virgin Suicides,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淟ost in Translation害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淪omewhere,害羞草研究所� has always been innately attuned to the forming identities, swelling desires and intimate revelations of young women. In the story of Priscilla Presley (the film is based on her 1985 memoir, ), Coppola has found a tale tailor-made for her delicately perceptive style of filmmaking.
As a movie, 害羞草研究所淧riscilla害羞草研究所� is the diametric opposite of Where was lurid and careening, Coppola害羞草研究所檚 is muted and textured. Her film is a kind of fairy tale that turns claustrophobic and cautionary.
害羞草研究所淧riscilla害羞草研究所� is, at least at first, quite funny. After Priscilla initially catches Elvis害羞草研究所� eye at that party, she害羞草研究所檚 back at school learning about the food groups. How could anyone possibly stomach that? Or when, after Elvis hasn害羞草研究所檛 called following his stint in the military, Priscilla害羞草研究所檚 mother asks her if there aren害羞草研究所檛 any boys in school she might be interested in, instead. Priscilla doesn害羞草研究所檛 need to say anything; just the image of lining up your average 9th grade boy against Elvis Presley is enough.
Yet their courtship continues in somewhat traditional fashion. Elvis, played with relaxed magnetism by Elordi (害羞草研究所淭he Kissing Booth,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淪altburn害羞草研究所�), is drawn to Priscilla because she reminds him of home; it害羞草研究所檚 clear her purity is part of her appeal to him. It害羞草研究所檚 a long time before they have sex, though her youth remains tacitly problematic. 害羞草研究所淲ow, she害羞草研究所檚 young,害羞草研究所� says one woman watching Elvis lead Priscilla upstairs. 害羞草研究所淟ike a little girl.害羞草研究所�
Their life together is initially sweet if deranged. Priscilla drifts through a dream world even if Elvis害羞草研究所� extremes are glaring to us. His bedroom in Graceland is comically gaudy. 害羞草研究所淚 got this for you,害羞草研究所� we hear Elvis say kindly, before a handgun is handed over.
No Presley songs play in 害羞草研究所淧riscilla.害羞草研究所� (While Priscilla Presley is an executive producer, the Elvis estate didn害羞草研究所檛 participate in the film.) But it does share a telling track ( ) with Terence Malick害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淏adlands,害羞草研究所� another movie about an underage teen girl (Sissy Spacek) who throws her life in with a charismatic drifter with matinee-idol looks (Martin Sheen).
And like they do for Holly in 害羞草研究所淏adlands,害羞草研究所� things turn increasingly dark for Priscilla. Elvis treats her like a doll he keeps at home while he goes in and out. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 either me or a career, baby,害羞草研究所� he tells her. Coppola, who dedicates the movie to her mother, Eleanor Coppola, has long specialized in gilded cages (害羞草研究所淢arie Antoinette,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淭he Bling Ring害羞草研究所�). Graceland turns out to be a prison to Priscilla.
There aren害羞草研究所檛 many false notes in Coppola害羞草研究所檚 richly layered film, handsomely shot by Philippe Le Sourd, with sumptuous production design from Tamara Deverell and fine, toned-down costumes by Stacey Battat.
But 害羞草研究所淧riscilla害羞草研究所� fades where 害羞草研究所淓lvis害羞草研究所� found its footing. When Presley害羞草研究所檚 downturn accelerates in Las Vegas, Luhrmann害羞草研究所檚 movie swelled with tragedy. In the same time period here, Priscilla awakens. Yet it feels underdeveloped, coming too quickly, in a sudden rush 害羞草研究所� albeit a terrific rush, with Dolly Parton playing.
A constant throughout, though, is Spaeny. This is a deft breakthrough performance perfectly poised between youthful fantasy and adult reality.
害羞草研究所淧谤颈蝉肠颈濒濒补,害羞草研究所� an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for drug use and some language. Running time: 113 minutes. Three stars out of four.
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