The Film Talk » Films That Everyone Knows About But Has Forgotten How Bad They Really Are Even Though They Have At Least One Thing To Commend Them #1: Purple Rain

Films That Everyone Knows About But Has Forgotten How Bad They Really Are Even Though They Have At Least One Thing To Commend Them #1: Purple Rain

March 17th, 2009by Gareth Higgins · Comments

This is what happens when you listen to your inner ‘give the benefit of the doubt’ whisper. Yesterday morning, feeling a little sluggish, I decided to begin the working week with a viewing of ‘Purple Rain’, Albert Magnoli’s extended pop video showcase of the talents of a certain Prince Rogers Nelson, and a film that I had not been permitted to watch on its original release given my status then as a nine year old. I thought it might wake me up, get me in the mood to do some writing. It turns out to be a film of such unique character that I think I can only respond with something like stream of consciousness narrative – let’s call it ‘word association film criticism’…

Prince has a hairy chest

He lives with his parents

He has no friends

He looks like a girl with a beard

His enemy throws women into dumpsters

There’s a beautiful evergreen forest on the outskirts of town

He’s tiny

His girl is the reason I wasn’t allowed to see this movie when it was first released – finally I’m vindicated

If this is what the ’80s were like why do I miss my childhood?

The music is everything you expect

Morris Day is terrible

Everyone is terrible

The poster’s more dramatic than anything else in the movie

Prince’s hairstyle makes him look like Marie Antoinette

It’s still Prince, for goodness’ sake

It’s a movie built around a soundtrack

Does that make it all bad?

Mostly. But the title song’s pretty great.

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Tags: Gareth Higgins · Gareth Higgins Reviews · Musicals · Reviews

Tom

Prince's follow up to this, 'Under the Cherry Moon' I think also falls into this category, because the music is the only good thing about it. But as for Purple Rain's actual sequel, 'Graffiti Bridge' - that was terrible in just about every way imaginable.

Lewis Cash

"If this is what the ’80s were like why do I miss my childhood?"

This line totally reminds me of a great lyric by the band The Hold Steady: "The 80s alomst killed me, lets not recall it quite so fondly."

Phil

I love this movie, as terrible as it can be (and usually is).

The screen cap you posted is a classic - Prince's ventriloquism where he is capable of making the puppet speak without even opening his mouth.

Aside from the soundtrack being one of the few things that props this movie up, the film does have some nice shots embedded in it. Terrific "concert"-like footage, of course. I liked the scene of Morris shortly after insulting "the Kid" after his father's failed suicide attempt outside the dressing room, as well as the "I Would Die 4 U" montage.

Of course, the acting is terrible - so bad that it makes the movie endearing to me for some reason.