I have always wanted to see this movie in color, personally I thought it was a mistake for Prince to make this black & white, and could even possibly be partly responsible for its luke warm reception. The scenery and outfits in this movie were unreal, color would have brought so much more life to this film imo.

"Butterscotch.....chocolate.....no way!"

[Edited 6/3/16 9:03am]

[Edited 6/3/16 9:07am]

[Edited 6/3/16 9:08am]

I've wondered the same thing. I would think it exists somewhere (in the Vault)...it would be fun to see it, although not really right to "reverse-colorize" it and go against Prince's vision. One could say it would be like adding bass to When Doves Cry or adding cowbell to The Beautiful Ones or something. But at the same time, I don't think he really care about that movie that much when he passed away so perhaps he wouldn't even care much. Obviously movies were a short side interest to him and not where his lifelong passion was.

leadline said:

Warner Brothers Films probably has the original color print somewhere (it's probably not in the Paisley Park vault). But that's good news since they might be more financially inclined to re-release it like Purple Rain was these last couple of months. July 4th is 20th anniversary of the release so it would be great time this summer.

I think it would be incredible to see it in color...I'd re-buy it just for that. IMO it would really change the whole dynamic of the movie.

*July 4th is the 30th anniversary

PurpleColossus said:

I think it would be incredible to see it in color...I'd re-buy it just for that. IMO it would really change the whole dynamic of the movie.

Absolutely, can you imagine a color bluray release of this? Heaven!

I love the black and white. It was Prince's desire to be original and give it the ' look of the ' classic ' films.

I would love to see that film in color, but I doubt a color version exists somewhere "in the vault." in all likelihood it was shot on actual black and white film stock. the reverse colorizing is a beautiful dream--one I would happily watch--but i doubt it's an endeavor that Prince undertook for himself. (Side note: I've actually watched UTCM a few times since his passing, after not seeing it for many years. I forgot how funny it is. Although there are some "slow" parts, it has me in stitches everytime. Good for the grieving heart.) here's another post production colorized still i adore:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/13/2a/cd/132acd762159d8f86f2bde46f945fa89.jpg

Oops, sorry. I didn't realize it was shot in color. YES YES I want to see this. AND SOON!!!

[Edited 6/3/16 9:23am]

leadline said:

PurpleColossus said:

I think it would be incredible to see it in color...I'd re-buy it just for that. IMO it would really change the whole dynamic of the movie.

Absolutely, can you imagine a color bluray release of this? Heaven!

.

3rdEyeUnlimited said:

Per Nilsen's DMSR says:

"There were misgivings about the film from its inception. Prince was determined to shoot in black and white, something that the Warner Bros executives were strongly against, fearing it would substantially reduce the potential audience. [...] A ccompromise was worked out by Prince's management team: the film would be shot on colour film but developed into monochrome in the processing stage. However, some of the first days' scenes had to be re-shot after the initial footage showed that there were complications with the lighting caused by the strange process of making a black and white movie on colour film."

That seems to indicate that they got the lighting and other concerns worked out and then continued on with color film. It would be nice to see, for sure.

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

.

It was Prince's desire to be original and give it the ' look of the ' classic ' films.

.

Correction: It was Prince's desire to be idiotic that led him to take color footage of one of the most glorious, beautiful places on Earth, and turn it into black and white.

.

Why go to the gorgeous French Riviera for a film in black and white? Prince should have just gone to Trenton, New Jersey. Prince was no cinematic brain surgeon, we all can agree on that.

xRachx said:

I actually like that it's in black and white. You can't even tell what era it was made. It's visually beautiful

Well I don't know what movie you're watching, but perhaps you missed the sports cars, the clothing, the boom box, the neon telephone, and other modern elements that very much give away the time it was set in.

I remember Siskel & Ebert calling it "somewhere between a Fred Astaire movie and a perfume commercial". #NailedIt

TrivialPursuit said:

xRachx said:

I actually like that it's in black and white. You can't even tell what era it was made. It's visually beautiful

Well I don't know what movie you're watching, but perhaps you missed the sports cars, the clothing, the boom box, the neon telephone, and other modern elements that very much give away the time it was set in.

I remember Siskel & Ebert calling it "somewhere between a Fred Astaire movie and a perfume commercial". #NailedIt

TrivialPursuit said:

there was a post from one of ps engineers saying it doesnt exist a while ago

Dilan said:

there was a post from one of ps engineers saying it doesnt exist a while ago

Too bad.

Black and white photography forces the viewer to focus on the content, instead of the colors.

Se7en said:

Black and white photography forces the viewer to focus on the content, instead of the colors.

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What!?!

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So films like THE GODFATHER, JAWS, PULP FICTION, DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, RAN, DIRTY HARRY, PLANET OF THE APES, TRAINSPOTTING, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, GODFATHER PART II...we are focussing on the color, instead of the content?

.

Wow, thanks for that clarification. All the while I thought people focus on the charcters and their conflicts in THE GODFATHER. I didn't know we all were dummies just dazzled by the colors in the film.

Cloreen said:

Se7en said:

Black and white photography forces the viewer to focus on the content, instead of the colors.

.

What!?!

.

So films like THE GODFATHER, JAWS, PULP FICTION, DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, RAN, DIRTY HARRY, PLANET OF THE APES, TRAINSPOTTING, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, GODFATHER PART II...we are focussing on the color, instead of the content?

.

Wow, thanks for that clarification. All the while I thought people focus on the charcters and their conflicts in THE GODFATHER. I didn't know we all were dummies just dazzled by the colors in the film.

exactly now you realize you're a dummy that was dazzled by colours thank you se7en

RiotPaisley said:

It would make an amazing bonus on a re-issue. I'd buy it- I think the pictures of the scenes in color are amazing. Especially the scenes of the birthday party. If I were to introduce the film to a new Prince fan I'd require it viewed in BW first. I really want to see it in color.

I couldnt agree more. I think the opening sequence with the scenic outdoor shots of the French Riveria and the moutains would be interesting to see in color

I probably wouldn't go if theatres showed a color version. In black and white, I think UTCM has a certain romantic charm and timelessness to it that would be destroyed by color.

leadline said:

PurpleColossus said:

I think it would be incredible to see it in color...I'd re-buy it just for that. IMO it would really change the whole dynamic of the movie.

Absolutely, can you imagine a color bluray release of this? Heaven!

Dilan said:

exactly now you realize you're a dummy that was dazzled by colours thank you se7en

.

So I'm a dummy because I enjoy a movie in color? You just watch and enjoy black and white films. So you couldn't like PURPLE RAIN or SIGN O' THE TIMES. Pity for you; they were actually good films.

.

Hey, kid, that poster above says we (and that includes you) don't focus on the content of a movie if the movie is in color. You do not think that is the most assinine thing ever said? Aren't you insulted by it? He's telling you that you are like a child, dazzled by color film, and you can't really focus on the story because of that color film. Incredible.

.

And then this kid Dilan calls me a dummy because I enjoyed PURPLE RAIN. In fact he feels anyone who enjoyed PURPLE RAIN is a dummy who was simply dazzled by the colors. Unreal. Now I've heard everything.

I think if it was released int color it might have done better. I think doing it in b&w, then having it set in modern day was kinda disjointed. It needs to be one or the other: B&W set in the early 20th century, or in color set in the 80s. Also, maybe don't give away the ending in the opening scene.

For all its flaws, I still love the movie, and it brings me back to my early teens.

I assume a color print exists if they shot it that way. I don't think it'll ever see the light of day, however.