Priscilla (Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio:  Lionsgate
 Release Date: February 13, 2023
 Rating: R
 Film:  3/5
 
 Plot
 When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend. Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, in this deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy, and fame.
 
 My Thoughts
 Growing up, my mother was a huge Elvis Presley fan and I remember the day that he died, my Mom picking my sister and I up from a birthday party and she was in tears that one of her teenage idols was no longer with us. Seeing how that impacted her emotionally has always stuck with me and the closest I’ve come to having the same reaction was the day that Leonard Nemoy died, which brought a tear to my eye. Not so much his passing, but the memories of watching Star Trek with my grandfather when I was a kid and how his favorite character from the show joined him in heaven (if you believe it exists).
 
With that in mind, I sat down to watch Priscilla to see her relationship with Elvis through her eyes, and wow, it isn’t pretty. The pair met while Elvis as stationed in Germany and frankly, I find it very creepy that the young lady was approached by a serviceman in a diner asking if she’d like to go to meet Elvis along with he and his wife. As a parent, there’s no way in hell I would have allowed my ninth-grade daughter to go and meet a celebrity at his home unless I was the chaperone, but then again, I wouldn’t ever think of ever pimping out my daughter. I know the statement is bold, but that’s what it looks like to my eyes. Why in the h-e double hockey sticks would a parent allow their child to spend time with someone 10 years older than them? Call me old fashioned, but that’s just bizarre.
 
Anyway, the film progresses from there and shows how the pair ended up in marriage and the challenges Priscilla faced along the way. Both my wife and I found the story to be a bit too slow for our liking and the film spent too much time on a build-up that ultimately didn’t satisfy the time invested. While it isn’t a bad film by any stretch, I just think it could have been better. The performances are quite good, although Elvis (Jacob Elrodi), is much too tall by five inches and Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny), is too short compared to their real-life counterparts and we both found it distracting when the two were standing side-by-side.
 
Overall, the presentation is excellent all around and you can tell by the sharpness of the image that the film was shot in 4K and downconverted to 1080p for the Blu-ray release. Colors have that muted look of the period but details in faces and clothing are very revealing. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track is loaded with time-period music which ultimately is the highlight of the audio presentation.

Video 4.5/5
 Audio 4.5/5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
 
 
 Special Features:
 

• Brushed with Beauty: Creating Priscilla’s Story
• The Making of Priscilla: A Film by Liv McNeil
• Theatrical Trailer

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBWk6BohVXk&ab_channel=A24


 Conclusion
 My wife’s biggest gripe with the film is that she didn’t really learn anything new about the story and like me, she was really bothered by the nonchalant way their differences in age was portrayed, as if it’s OK for a man 10 years older than a teenager was able to cultivate a relationship with her with very little pushback from her parents. Is that the way it really happened? If you’re interested in the subject, it is worth watching because I did find the acting quite good from the two stars.       
 
 
 Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
 Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
 ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Kaleidescape Strato + Server
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-990
 M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
 M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
 Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner