Here comes the rain again

Jon Bream, Star Tribune
August 23, 2004
For this week's 20th anniversary DVD release of "Purple Rain," Prince has been, well, a purple pain.

He refused requests from Warner Home Video to do a commentary or interview for the $27 reissue, which includes a bonus disc of extras. Nor did he do anything for

"Under the Cherry Moon" and "Graffiti Bridge," the final two in his rock-musical

trilogy, also being released Tuesday for the first time on DVD.

Although he's having his most lucrative year ever as a concert performer, Prince reportedly demanded a fee to participate in the project. Typically, DVD commentaries are unpaid, although a few stars -- including

Arnold Schwarzenegger for "Total Recall" -- have been paid for their

extra efforts. Prince, who has feuded with Warner Bros. for more than a

decade, also urged other "Purple" principals not to play without pay. His two co-stars, Morris Day and Apollonia, didn't do interviews, either.

Although Prince will get some royalties from the DVD, that is chump change compared with what he's hauling in from his concert tour or his current bestselling CD, "Musicology."

Also missing from the DVD are outtakes from the movie. The notion of saving footage for future use wasn't common in 1984. Plus, "Purple Rain" was done by first-time producers and a first-time director, with a first-time star and a cast of mostly amateurs in Minneapolis, of all places.

It was a hard sell to Warner Bros., co-producer Bob Cavallo recalls on the DVD.

" 'OK, that's a great idea,' " was the sarcastic reaction of studio powers-that-be, Cavallo said, but they ultimately agreed to the $7 million gamble, which went on to gross more than $65 million and catapult Prince to international stardom.

Twenty years later, "Purple Rain" still holds up as one of the most exciting and essential rock movies. The script and acting will never win any awards, but has there ever been a dramatic rock movie with as many riveting and powerful stage performances? In one song after another, Prince is positively irresistible, his dazzlingly magical combination of singing, dancing and guitar playing being the glue that makes the soap-opera plot turns palatable. (He won an Oscar for his soundtrack.)

The key, explains director Albert Magnoli in a commentary on the DVD, is that these sequences were filmed in front of an audience at First Avenue in Minneapolis in the fall of 1983, with Prince actually singing, accompanied by pre-recorded music (although his band appeared to be playing live). Using four cameras, Magnoli was able to capture Prince's captivating performances in only one or two takes. Nowadays, that approach would be unheard of for a concert scene.

Moreover, the filmmakers shot the stage sequences in a mere 10 days, even though a month had been budgeted.

"We went into it three weeks behind and came out of it on schedule," Cavallo said.

"Purple Rain" tells the quasi-autobiographical story of the Kid, a struggling but overdressed Minneapolis musician from a broken home. His parents fight as he battles for supremacy in the local club scene. In the end, Prince gets the girl (and top billing), but his family life is a mess.

"Purple Rain" was first issued on DVD in 1997 as part of the initial wave of releases in that format. By current standards, however, that disc seems primitive -- there are no extras, and the original widescreen visuals are chopped to TV size.

Bonuses on the new edition include:

• Interviews with musicians Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman and Jellybean Johnson, among others, and director Magnoli, producer Cavallo and screenwriter William Blinn.

• An overlong discussion of the significance of First Avenue from a parade of locals, such as Grammy-winning producer Jimmy Jam, Chan Poling of the Suburbs, former club manager Steve McClellan, Prince drummer Bobby Z and KMOJ announcer Q Bear.

• Footage of MTV's coverage of the Hollywood premiere of "Purple Rain" in July 1984, plus a discussion about the cultural significance of the movie and eight music-video clips related to the flick.

The most valuable extra is the "Mystery Science Theater"-like commentary from Magnoli, Cavallo and cinematographer Donald Thorin as they watch the film. Of course, these moviemakers aren't wise guys -- they play it straight.

The other two flicks

Watching "Under the Cherry Moon" and "Graffiti Bridge" ($20 each) in concert with "Purple Rain" proves that Prince is not an actor, director or screenwriter.

After dismissing director Mary Lambert, he ended up directing "Cherry Moon," in which he is far and away the worst actor. The only scene in which he seems natural is when he performs the song "Girls & Boys" in a swank nightclub. Shot in black-and-white, the tragically absurd 1986 romantic comedy follows two gigolos trying to romance rich women in the south of France.

"Graffiti Bridge," 1990's sequel to "Purple Rain," seems worse now than it did when it was released -- and it was dreadful then. Written and directed by Prince, the movie comes off as a series of poorly lit music videos (featuring Prince, the Time, Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples and George Clinton) shot on a low-budget set. The soundtrack has its moments, but the film has little redeeming value.

Neither movie comes with extras, aside from music videos spawned by the two soundtracks. Prince was prudent to pass on these DVDs, but his failure to participate in the reissue of his first movie leaves a black cloud over "Purple Rain."

Jon Bream is at 612-673-1719 or popmusic@startribune.com.

DVD COMMENTARY SO OBSCURE

JON BREAM HAVE TO COMPARE TO MST3K HUH?

Knowing all things Prince as intimately as I'm sure he does, did Bream REALLY think ol' Purplepants would have anything at all to do with this DVD re-release from WB?

The old fool is typing out of his fire-hydrant head once again

.

"Also missing from the DVD are outtakes from the movie. The notion of saving footage for future use wasn't common in 1984."

Unless your name is Prince and youve kept video footage of damn near everything
youve done in your career since day one that is

I thought that was a good article. I agree that Prince is conspicuously absent from the DVD. I don't blame him for not doing it, but he will be missed.

Prince damn well should have been paid for any commentaries, etc. on the DVD project. It's his fuckin' livelyhood. WB dropped the ball again.

If they had paid him maybe he would have given them some goodies to accompany it out of the vault?

if they want him they should pay him. but i think that prince is happy where he is in his life and doesn't want to deal with them(warner) anymore. the past is the past. move on.

In a way it's cool he didn't do any interviews.. adds to the mystery of what he was really thinking during the filming..

One of the things I liked about the movie is that they kept it small, even though Prince was playing arenas by the time "Purple Rain" was being filmed, they kept the movie set at First Avenue. Making the big time for Prince was when he won the hometown crowd over and not at an arena or stadium like Rick Springfield's movie or that silly "Rock Star" movie with Marky Mark. Prince kept it street, and at the end of the movie you know he had First Avenue with him, and the world was next.

It sucks that he chose not to be involved in the project at all, but I can't say I'm really surprised. It's par for the course, actually.

It'd be great to see an MST version of "Purple Rain"...or even better, one of the other two turds. Keeping it Minnesota Real. POOK RULES!

i would want to be paid as well...i can't lie! it would have been nice, though, if prince gave an interview for the dvd. after all, it's his fans that will be purchasing it and it would have been a cool thing to do for them. that said, i'm not surprised prince is still putting his pockets ahead of any consideration for his fans. this is one man who is not interested in going out of his way for anyone but himself.

sure, let the flaming begin...

Purple Rain" tells the quasi-autobiographical story of the Kid, a struggling but overdressed Minneapolis musician from a broken home.

"struggling but overdressed"-that was the best part 2 me

moonshine said:

"Also missing from the DVD are outtakes from the movie. The notion of saving footage for future use wasn't common in 1984."

Unless your name is Prince and youve kept video footage of damn near everything
youve done in your career since day one that is

Who knows what Prince is thinking? Wait another 5, 10, 30 years or whatever, maybe a re-issue of the Purple Rain movie and soundtrack through NPGMC, with a bucket load of extras. I'm sure he's planning something, I'm sure it's all been thought of, it's probably ready to go at his say. He's just playing the time game that he always does. No surprise to me. I can't help thinking he has something there waiting for us!

We know he's re-recorded all previous albums, whos to say, that theres not a "modern" recording release planned for the PR Album? Not for when we want to hear it, not for when Warner Bros/sony wants to release it... When P is good and ready to let us hear it. All a mystery, but isn't that what he's always been? Isn't that why we like his music so much? We never know whats going to be next. Sometimes it's good, sometimes bad.

It is a shame it the album wasn't released with updated recordings, and it's a shame this current tour isn't promoting Purple Rain (as far as I know it isn't). It's just another Hits Tour, which is good don't get me wrong... Hmm, thinking he should do a Bootleg tour... What did prince say about the never to be released Gold Experience, "Only Time Will Tell..."

We'll have to wait and see if there's anything

Whatever dollar figure Prince asked for, Warner Bros should have paid it. Are they nuts? Every fan is obviously going to buy it, but if they are looking for a more broader appeal for mainstream to buy the DVD and every reviewer of the DVD always points out "Prince declined to be part of the set", then what do they expect? Idiots - they would have made that money back by the end of it.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY !!

dnaplaya said:

The notion that Prince was acting is pretty stupid. In all 3 movies P is playing himself or just bringing out his many different personalities. Now if P played a detective or something or some1 out of his element(music) then the critiques of his acting skills would make sense. If u look at UTCM as a comedy like it was obviously intended 2b then u would probably give it a C or C+ for Prince's 1st ever effort of Directing a movie. It's been over criticised!

ELBOOGY said:

"Although he's having his most lucrative year ever as a concert performer, Prince reportedly demanded a fee to participate in the project. Typically, DVD commentaries are unpaid, although a few stars -- including

Arnold Schwarzenegger for "Total Recall" -- have been paid for their

extra efforts."

Why does this seem unreasonable to Mr Bream? I applaud Prince for refusing to give off his time if he's not going to receive pay.

GustavoRibas said:

Yes, they should have paid him to participate.

And I do miss his absence on the DVD.

BUT I'm ever so glad he didn't participate. He is a different person now and practices selective revision when it comes to his 1980's heyday. I'd cringe to hear him condemn the sex scenes and the Darling Nikki performance ...and talk about how God would want him to make a movie that little kiddies could watch.

It's just good enough to have this new superior DVD package.

ELBOOGY said:

For the record,I think 'Jesus Christ Superstar' is a great movie musical

ELBOOGY said:

dnaplaya said:

otan said:

SuiteLady said:

ELBOOGY said:

The self indulgence thing is the reason he's a genius 2 this day. He's always had a vision of how he wants his projects 2b whether we r talkin songs, video's or movies. I've seen worse films by so called filmmakers,directors, and producers. I'm not saying that any of the movies r great(not even PR) but they r far from this constant bashing as if they're not watchable. GB is a musical and really should'nt be judged as a movie. I'll watch GB before i'll watch Jesus Christ Superstar anyday!

Please tell me you're joking. GB pales in comparison to Jesus Christ Superstar! Perhaps you are too young to understand the context of the times in which it was made? That movie will be around long after Graffiti Bridge is re-made by the American Idol pop tarts.