Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Lindsaygirl]

Hello wanda

I was wondering what you think about elvis and me book?? Do you think there's alot of turth in it?? I think it really more turthful than childbride but l would like to hear your thoughts about it.

[Wanda June Hill]

I haven't read her book word for word and haven't seen it for years as it's packed up with Starla's stuff. I thought she was being careful and selective and that I was surprised so much was missing- about him as it was more about her than him. And I was also surprised at the "story" they came up with about him and women who'd given birth etc:.... it was acceptable, understandable, crazy and he was okay with it, I guess because it would not say bad things about either of them...poor daddy just had a problem...etc:...he did but it was more because she didn't want to have any more babies... I can see that being a problem for him alright.
Actually, I am surmising here and I don't like to do that- having not been in either pairs of shoes etc:... to borrow a little bit of that line etc;...
I think the book was as she said, to get her daughter to understand her side a little more as they were at odds over her father etc; and how hurt he seemed to be over everything. He didn't want Priscilla hurt either or to carry the blame and so he took it on himself... after all he was the man, the stronger of the two etc; and he could "handle it". I hope that she can be happy and remember all the good things in her aging process. I wish that for everyone. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Well said, Wanda! The book, from what I recall, is ok but didn't care for the movie version at all specially with that Dale Midkiff playing our Elvis, they can keep him! Elvis had the most beautiful eyes that almost seemed to show his spirit and soul and felt Dale had 'sneaky' looking eyes somehow, if that makes any kind of sense!

[tonytrout]

My opinion of the book is that it was too 'one-sided' in regards to Elvis's story. There were so many more things she could've put in the book but kept it centered on herself and not enough on Elvis, IMO.

[Lindsaygirl]

IMO all books all one sided either way you look at it. Elvis isn't here to write a book and give us a peek what his thoughts and feelings were about things. He did share things with wanda but elvis life will always be a mystery and l really enjoyed elvis and me. It was alot better than l have read from the mm which were also around elvis all the time. I think we should remember that elvis and me is one sided but however priscilla was there and lived those memories and if Albert Goldman didn't write that awful book l doubt priscilla would of shared those private things and she wrote that book so lisa could see her father was nothing like what albert wrote about him and lisa also has stated she loved the book and knew why her mother didn't want her to do the things lisa was getting into at the time, but what the bottom line is some will like it and some not.

[juliepresleyfan]

yes ive read the book and i think prisc was a bit harsh, the film a friend copied me from a video, ive not watched it all yet as she made me one a while ago and the darn thing kept freezing, but she done it again and its ok , ive yet to watch it .
but i agree with you sue i think dale midkiff was a bad choice to play him.
and they seem to be tring to make elvis the villain while prisc is shown as a saint (not true im guessing )

yes sue i agree dale has got sneaky looking eyes, kind of creepy maybe , i see what you mean ,
and i watched the end of it , and dale midkiff makes poor elvis look like a constipated water buffalo, elvis was still gorgeous wasnt he , so i object to that i really do,

[Golden Sky]

Thanks for bringing this up, Lindsay. My best friend hates Elvis because she saw the "Elvis and Me" miniseries and believes it's true. All my efforts to persuade her otherwise can't stand against Priscilla's endorsing this movie. (My friend says Priscilla did appear at the start of the movie and talk about it. I wouldn't know.)

I've never seen the movie (don't want to!) but I just saw some youtube clips and agree about the villainous eyes. He just looked arrogant, and Elvis was not. So that's a huge misrepresentation right there.

It's a shame Priscilla wrote that story without Elvis around to defend himself. I wonder if she would have told the same things while he was alive. I didn't think her book made him look too terrible, though. If anything, I came away from the book thinking Priscilla and Elvis were equally to blame about the failures of their relationship. Priscilla should have walked away earlier if she felt the way she did- why didn't she? Was she faking affection just to capture him like a trophy?

If his paying attention to other girls, and scrutiny of her appearance, and metaphysical interests were so intolerable to her, why didn't she just walk out? She makes it sound like she was victimized by the fact that he refused to change, neverminding she walked into the marriage with her eyes wide open.

I think she wanted fame from day one, more than she wanted Elvis, but maybe just because she was immature. I did get a sense from the book that they never really understood each other.

Just my thoughts

[Wanda June Hill]

Hi, well, I think it was written through the eyes of a "16 year old" though she was much older when she wrote it...she remembers what she thought and saw at an early age. Elvis was over protective, he wanted her to be the best she could be and he had a good eye for dressing himself and women too. When he dressed her, she looked good and she can't say otherwise. I wore the same type make up, hair and clothes but of course didn't have the money for the ones she had- and yes, she did want a career other than being his wife- she didn't want any more kids then either and of course at 33 etc: Elvis wanted a family to come home to and a wife who liked being a homemaker...he had said that all his life.
He didn't think women should work if their husband provided enough money etc:...but did think if he didn't, then if the wife could, without harming the children's lives etc:, she could work outside the home if it was necessary. He the same as told me to "stay home and have more kids" pretty early in our friendship and I told him to have the kids himself." That went over well--- as my daughter says, "I won" that one but he never changed HIS mind. He didn't.
I think the book could have been a bit different-but it was designed to sell, and publishers want a little intrigue and so it was written up with some in it. I wish people didn't read it and think he was "interested in only young girls etc:" and some thought he was a "child pervert" because of the "slant of the book"- however having had a real publisher the first time, I know what happens to your words-they are left out, altered and switched around and sometimes come out totally with the wrong impression left to the reader. So I will give her that one...and too, I have not read the whole book word for word and it's been years even at that.
I thought the movie could have done so much more and wasn't like it was truly - as I said, through the eyes of a 16 year old impressionable girl who wasn't old enough to understand and who had some preconceived dreams and ideas of "life with the king" too. So take it with a grain of salt.... Elvis was trying to do the best he could with having her around him, he could have just been a cad, used her dumped her when he was done with her, and he didn't...because he loved her, tried to give her the best he could and still be "Elvis" when "out there" in public land. A kid sees things differently---usually not the complete reality of the situation as they don't yet have the means mentally and emotionally to see things as they truly are. I sure didn't from what I can remember about those early times in my life. I do not think it occured to her that people would think her Elvis was a "monster"- because she didn't see him as that at all... and she never did take well to "correction" or "being told what to do"...that's the Gemini in her I'm sure!!!
In all honestly, though I don't like some of the things that happened between them, both she and he share equal blame in many ways and I think he knew it and I think she knows it- what the public thinks now is worth about the ink on the pages etc:... I wish her well and I hope that she has a set of really cute, healthy grandbabies in a few.... She needs something to do - something to look forward to...and to be able to share it with... wjh
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[Rainbow Light]

Thanks for your thoughts, insight and clarification regatrding Priscilla's book/movie, Wanda!