I was wondering if anyone saw prince's movies when they first came out. Was it in the theather? Did people in the theather laugh? How was it first rated by critics in comparison to now?

purple rain...well i wasnt even thought of @ that point...nuffin but an egg waitin 2 b hatched....
utcm...in the womb (i think..if i remember correctly)
and gb..too busy with my colouring books


but..i do wish i was around for those releases...

Teighgirl33 said:

I saw Purple Rain when it was first released in the UK: very few people in the cinema during a mid-week evening showing. The buzz was still to spread big time across the UK when I saw it although Prince was already getting some greater prominence in the music press as the marketing kicked in.

No-one laughed.

I saw it again when it was shown around the country as the music had established itself in the charts. Large crowd, midweek evening.

Prince could do no wrong in the music press by then. Don't recall anyone laughing.

When 'Under the Cherry Moon' was released, I saw it at the cinema. Very few attended - midweek evening showing. The press that I recall in general was mixed about the film, but tended to give it the benefit based on favourable reviews of the soundtrack, with the album richly praised in the UK music press overall.

I distinctly remember that despite being promoted as a romantic comedy it hardly raised a laugh apart from the ladder scene - and when Christopher died.

'Sign O' The Times' was briefly released to the cinema in the UK and was promoted favourably in the music press during a period where Prince could do little wrong (yes, the tabloids made up stories about 'His Royal Wierdness' to compensate for the lack of interviews and his apparent secrecy, but the music press regaled him as a musical and performing genius.

A few more people showed up for the film than had done for 'UTCM'. When a scene showed people in the audience holding their cigarette lighters aloft, several audience members joined in as a joke. It was the only laugh.

Fortunately, 'Graffiti Bridge' didn't get a UK cinema release - and I never know whether to laugh or cry on the rare occasion that I watch it.

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langebleu said:

Purple Rain was packed when I went and everyone seemed to love it -- laughed in the right spots, and really got into it.

Under The Cherry Moon was almost packed and it seemed that most people didn't know what to make of it.

Sign O' The Times was about a quarter full, but it seemed to be mostly Prince fans -- we all dug it tho.

Graffiti Bridge -- I went a couple times, and hardly anyone was there either time.

Snap said:

Dido for me. Except never saw SOTT in the theatre. One of many regrets.

Snap said:

Ditto for me as well. Except when I saw Sign 'O' The Times, the theater was pretty full... opening night.

Purple Rain: 7 times in the theaters.

Under The Cherry Moon: 7 times

Sign 'O' The Times: 1 time

Graffiti Bridge: 7 times

I always wanted to go back and see SOTT again, but by the time I did, it had left the theaters too quickly.

Well, with UTCM here in FLORIDA there was only like 4 other people besides me opening night. The girls all SCREAMED with his scene on the bed his ASS Shot in the lAME pants. In NYC some Lady was Laughing Continuous and saying OH that PRINCE. For Batman it was PACKED in NYC and we were SCREAMINg when his songs were playing. For GRAFFITI BRIDGE I saw that 10 times one night in a TIMES SQUARE Theater that played it continously until 6am. That was FUN. My friend and I were the only fans. The other fans were HOMELESS MEN who were SLEEPING. Sign O The TIMEs likewise opening day in FLORIDA well like only 3 other Fans. We all Cheered and got up and danced. I actually travelled to Miami to pick up tickets from a radio Station. I won a contest and had an older NEIGHBOR drive me to the station cause I had to pick up the tourbook and t-shirt and button along with passes. He didn't know where it was nor I and a ROUTINE trip took 4 hrs. Then for Some WEIRD REASON PRINCE's MOVIES were in OUT of the way places. I didn't drive back then and it took 4hrs in Florida with the SWITCHING of BUSES. Also in NYC in BROOKLYN ONLY KINGS PLAZA or KINGSWAY played his FLICKS. It's TRUE you could BANK on it! I actually Missed the OLD Days DOWNTOWN FLATBUSH had this theater called the ASTOR but I wasn't able Too Young but I remember like BLACK EXPLOTATION and KUNG FU MOVIES being played there like DOLEMITES STUFF. Damn I MISS JUNIORS. I gotta go back for JUNIORS and CONEY ISLAND and all the SHOPPING which is FABULOUS.... BROOKLYN!!!!

I missed the first three in the theaters because I had pretty restrictive parents. GB came out in my 2nd year of college, however, so I was free then. I went to see it at the Burnsville Mall in Burnsville, MN because no other theater in the Winona, MN vicinity was playing it. The place was pretty dead. There were MAYBE about 10 to 20 people there. And that was on opening weekend!

Teighgirl33 said:

Well i just got the newly released 20TH Anniversary Of purple Rain & it has an extra disc on the opening day release showing prince & all the stars of the movie arriveing.It was kool with pee-wee,eddie murphy sheila E eTC Being there but i never knew it was out at the movies back then.Then again i stated my prince fan-natic thing back in 83 which was right around when i came out so it knuck past me some how.

I remember waiting in line to see Purple Rain the day it came out. I went with a group of friends and the theater was packed. The crowd was very interactive, singing along to songs and making comments at certain parts. I think everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.