On October 27th, Director Sofia Coppola’s highly awaited film was released to a handful of theatres across the world. Reviews and articles started to pour in, again proving the age-old legacy of the Presley family to still be reigning just as much attention as it once was.  

Starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, “Priscilla” delves into the realities behind Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s controversial relationship. It’s no surprise that, in its attempt to reveal the dark truths of their partnership, the film has also garnered a vast array of criticisms. 

Sofia Coppola started her directing career in 1998 up until now, creating many highly applauded films – “The Virgin Suicides” (1999), “Lost in Translation” (2003), and “Marie-Antoinette” (2006), to name her most acclaimed. In September of 2022, Coppola announced that she would be working to adapt Priscilla Presley’s memoir “Elvis and Me” for the screen.  

Priscilla Presley worked closely with Coppola and her crew throughout the making of the film. In fact, she was involved as an executive producer on the film. “I just got who she was and I felt that she could get me,” Priscilla said of Coppola. 

Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie, commented on the creation of the film earlier this year before her passing. Upon reading the script, Lisa Marie reached out to Coppola, asking her to reconsider the way in which she painted Elvis’ image. Lisa Marie described the screenplay as “shockingly vengeful and contemptuous,” clearly expressing her distaste with it. Much of her concerns revolved around the fear of the scrutiny their family would receive, as Lisa Marie was already grieving the passing of her son at the time. “I will be forced to be in a position where I will have to openly say how I feel about the film and go against you, my mother and this film publicly,” Lisa Marie stated firmly. 

Coppola answered soon after through her representative, saying, “I hope that when you see the final film you will feel differently, and understand I’m taking great care in honoring your mother, while also presenting your father with sensitivity and complexity.” While the truth is that Lisa Marie was not able to see the final film, her opinions have still been shared across news tabloids and magazines everywhere, nonetheless adding a degree of debate to the ethics behind the film.  

Another voice of dissent against the film comes from the Elvis Estate itself. The estate claims they were unaware of the “Priscilla” project, and therefore denied Coppola’s requests for Elvis’ music to be used in the film. The estate also commented on the inaccuracy of the sets used within the film to depict Graceland. Many estate representatives have shared their overwhelming disfavor for the film, again adding to the controversy surrounding the film’s sensitive subject matter.  

So, what are critics saying now that the film is released? Los Angeles Times’ Justin Chang praises the film, saying “With exquisite patience, pointillist detail and a sadness so soft and luxuriant… “Priscilla” charts this young woman’s struggle over the next 14 years…”  

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Magazine’s Sean Collier argues against the execution of the biopic, saying it’s “too quiet to hold the audience’s interest and too cautious to truly interrogate its subject.” 

Critics worldwide seem to be divided on whether the film should be considered a success. Regardless, movie-goers everywhere are flocking to theatres to see what the craze around the film is about. In the first weekend of November, as the film expanded its availability to more theatres nationally, it found itself in the box office top five.  

Amidst the chaos and dissent surrounding the creation of Coppola’s “Priscilla,” it is unsure whether audiences will ever come to a consensus regarding the film. To see where opinions regarding “Priscilla” lean in the next few years is a mystery that can only be solved in time. 

Sources: 

Los Angeles Times. (2023, October 27). Review: “priscilla,” Sofia Coppola’s best movie in years, shimmers with beauty and heartbreak. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-10-27/priscilla-review-presley-elvis-sofia-coppola 

Collier, S. (2023, November 3). Movie Review: Priscilla. Pittsburgh Magazine. https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/movie-review-priscilla/ 

Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley were divided on … – biography. (n.d.). https://www.biography.com/celebrities/a45735605/priscilla-presley-lisa-marie-presley-react-to-priscilla-movie 

Ava Stockstad is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].