I'm kind of picky about my movies.

Still, I may be the only guy on the face of the earth that liked UTCM BEFORE HE LIKED PRINCE!!!

I remember watching that movie when I only was familiar with about 2 of his songs in the early 90s (I'm young, shut up). I hadn't seen his other movies at the time.

To this day, I still, actually, unbelievably, like that movie. I mean, as a movie, not just as cheese. Sure, the death seen was god-awful, and his Bela Lugosi look was just weird, but, I really enjoy that one.

I still do quotes from that movie for my friends. They don't know what I'm talking about, but still find them funny. Like, when he plunges the boat into the tub, and then calls it a fascist. Or when he tells Mary he's thinking about "thex". Or the whole "Wrecka Stow" bit. I'm just weird I guess.

It probably helps that I adore the psychadelic and surrealist elements of the soundtrack, so I have a bit of a bizarre perspective of the movie to begin with.

Anyway, mull that one over for a bit, would ya?

PS. Grafitti Bridge is plain bad, PR is good, but not great. Many faults, and I would say Prince lags behind all of his musical compadres in the acting department for that movie. Morris is a born actor. He's the definitive actor of music, in the way that stars of WWE are the actors of wrestling.

kinke said:

I disagree

I still love to watch his movies, although GB tends to stay on the shelf and I only really get it out for the Extra Music Video's on the DVD.

UTCM Is not all that bad, It was written as a light hearted film and should be treated that way, If you take it on board as a Quality Movie then you are bound to hate it !!

My fave bit in UTCM is....."You did it to mary's mo-om, You did it to Mary's Mo-om" ....Still has me giggling

Purple Rain was a Ground Breaking and Shaking movie at its release, all my schoolfriends where going on about it for months !! Yes, the acting was awfully poor ..... But hey, have you checked out some of those outfits

I really dont think that UTCM and GB where meant to be serious movies, maybe I am wrong.

carlpenn said:

Agreed. Aside from PR, I don't think anyone should even try to take it seriously. UTCM was/is still hilarious to me. Seriously, the humor in that movie is just beyond a lot of people.

Having said that, I do think Prince had a few moments where you can relate to the character. Even though he was mostly playing himself.

I've said this before on another tread but I have this vision: I wish he would play a character like Gary McCullough in the HBO miniseries "The Corner". Yes it was about dope fiends, but it would've been a role that you never in your imagination thought it would be character he would've acted his ass off. I would've like him to play like Khandi Alexander played hers only her character Fran would've played his older sister and he would've played a father for the first time, but to an out of control daughter instead of a son(DeAndre). That's would I would've like to seen. It would've been a FAR cry from UTCM, GB or PR and it would've showed his acting ability for the first time.

Yes UTCM is cheesy but if you don't take it seriously it's damn good fun,
Grafitti Bridge was a cringe fest-I'll say no more
and PR was, for a Prince fan since 1979, tremendous, sod the acting, it aint what we went see

No,Prince is not really an actor but I think his biggest problem is his insistence on directing his films.'Purple Rain' had a skilled director who knew what he was doing (Al Magnoli),which is one reason why it is a good movie.Look what happened with the other movies,which were directed by Prince.

A good director can make a great movie,even with weak actors.

So what else is new ?

wow, I always thought he was a great actor. Especially in Cherry Moon.

savoirfaire said:

That scene where he says "Fascist ! " was sort of censored in the German (dubbed) version, much like most of the earlier seasons of Magnum P.I .

Anyway, good to know there is someone else besides me who really enjoys Under The Cherry Moon. I seriously like this movie. Really.
The only positive review so far was somewhere on www.salon.com
It´s excellent for what it was.
PR is good, rock movies are kinda dated and age badly, but there are worse ones out there, I loved Purple Rain.

The problem is that Prince doesn´t do any cameos and that he hasn´t been approached by the right director yet. With his ego being much more accessible these days I think someone hip and talented like, just for instance, Quentin Tarantino, could create a miracle and bring out some good acting skills out of Prince, in a very unexpected role.
I would have loved to see him as the Joker in Batman,his Partyman video was convincing. As an old school Batman geek I would have prefered him over Nicholson any day, at least he looked like the original Joker in the comics.

Prince is a hardworking, disciplined perfectionist. I don´t see why he shouldn´t be able to act.
We have all kinds of weirdos passing as actors and actresses these days.

It's a shame he'll never be as good as he showed the potential to be in Purple Rain.

Right now, I don't think he's interested in it. Plus, he is not willing to take direction from anyone at this point -- which is what he would need. Plus, as someone has already pointed out, it's not clear what role he would play.

luv4u said:

well on the acting part yes but just being prince yes he did a great job. it's one of my favorite movies of all time b/w very creative.

kinke said:

Quick Q. How can someone do a great job being themselves?
Is it really one of your favorite movies of all time? Are you just kidding?
How many movies have you seen?

What did you like about it besides the B/W?

setyrmindphree said:

Prince can act! The Proof is he's been doing it all his life.

MickG said:

he may not be the best actor, but does he not make you smile when hes acting, i think his true personality shines through and shows that he is really funny and down to earth. In UTCM when he is in the bar and sees the bats and when he mocks Mary in the car saying SHUTUP!! Theres lots of comedy moments in that film I LOVE IT!! He may not be the best actor but i still got helluva jealous of the sex scene in Purple Rain, to this day I have to fast forward that scene, even though I have a partner and 2 kids!

I don't think Prince is a great actor, but he's good and and believable in Purple Rain and Under The Cherry Moon. One thing I can say is that Prince is a much better actor than Mick Jagger ie Mick Jagger really can't act.

setyrmindphree said:

Ok, then, tell me what about Prince as an actor don't you like?

setyrmindphree said:

What's your point?

ImYours said:

Like I said in the very first post.

I know he is a interesting person, but it just does not translate to his acting ability.
For me, a great actor/actress is someone who draws you into there story. You forget your watching someone act. They make you feel human emotions through there acting. The closest P has ever come for me was PRain during the emotional scenes (anger, crying, etc.).


I'll clarify. He doesn't do that in any of his movies. I am not moved when I leave the theater. It has not changed my thinking about life or my opinions of being human. Therefore, for me, it's not acting but some looonnnng video with too little music. Not to go blue, but it's like a 2 hour adult film with 3, 5 minute sex scenes (hey, I suppose they're great actors also). The only thing that came close, read my comment about PRain.

I mean come on, UTCM and Graffitti Bridge were absolutely horrendous. I'm not quoting, but someone posted an opinion that UTCM was just him and friends having fun. Maybe so, but were discussing Prince, a very competetive and calculated artist. I doubt he would spend millions just for fun. GBridge was P being passionate and very serious about his work. He wanted it to be big, but he fumbled the ball in every aspect of that movie.
May I remind U I'm a fan of 24 years. If one is to view P from an unbiased audience standpoint, quite frankly, he sucks the banooch as an actor. i would wager that 95-99% of people would agree. True, one may enjoy the music and dance scenes but my thread was about the acting. To tell you the truth, there was a scene or two in PRain (I don't remember what it was - maybe GBridge) but Morris Day actually made the viewer "See" that he had a paradigm shift of some sort. That he "Understood" something about what he was doing was wrong. Some of the best acting in any of the movies. Morris is actually a more "naturally" gifted actor than P. What was the name of Morris's sitcom? Not saying it was any good, but other people (agents, producers, writers. etc.) saw a spark of talent.


I've told U why I think P can't act his way into a make-up store, so why don't U share with me why U think he should be able to get his masscara and blush with his acting ability.

What about his acting do you like? What makes him a good actor in your view? I'm interested in your opinion.

No he can't act. At all.

Hey ImYours, I told U specifically why I don't think he is a good actor, and answered your Q as to "What is my point?", so howz 'bout a little love back.

Let me know why you think he is good.

Prince is as good as 50% of the current actors making movies today. Not that that says anything but still. hell, he has more depth than most "movie stars" ala Brad Pitt and their wooden azz.

setyrmindphree said:

ok with all your questions. yes it's one of my favorites movies, back in 86' having a b/w was cool no i'm not kidding and your a lil too serious about this let's be forreal!

setyrmindphree said:

Yes, I agree, but it's very funny though..

I think he's self-conscious which is also funny because when he's on stage and performing he is so confident!
[Edited 1/5/06 19:22pm]

He did a very good job on Oprah. It takes a very good actor to pull off hiding his emotions over the death of his child..

...and I loved his acting in UTCM...He was so funny!!
[Edited 1/6/06 8:10am]

Prince can play himself and by extension, any character that is akin to him. Lots of "actors" actually play a version of themselves, for instance John Wayne. Their "range" comes from how much of themselves they can convey to the camera, how comfortable they get in front of it.

In Purple Rain, Prince was a beginner. Taking that into account, he did do a fairly good job. The trouble really started when he began to self-direct his movies. If he had stuck to professional directors and had listened to them, and perhaps accepted projects that were not centered on his stage persona, I believe he could have developed into a competent "actor" -- one good at playing a variation of himself.

His self-indulgence killed his career. He didn't have the wisdom to recognize that a genius in music isn't necessarily an all-around genius. And that is a huge load of pretense and ego. See, Einstein was a science genius, played the violin well and was a good humorist, but I think even he would have had the humility of getting the right people to help with an hypothetical movie career. Not Prince. I guess he was making the same mistake as Madonna, thinking "When I'm on stage or in a music video, I act, so I'm an actor." But Madonna at least did not try to direct herself.

That is Prince for you... a genius yes, but an ego as big and catastrophic as the Hindenburg.

Oh and whoever took friends to Graffiti Bridge, my condoleances.

Zelaira said:

Under the Cherry Moon is under rated because you have to understand the type of movie it is. He did an A plus job on it I think, he captured the best era in film making, you would think it was from that time if you didnt know. 40's-60's euopean flicks are the best and he captured it well, all the way down to his acting, and you are right his sense of humor is right on. His smile and he draws you into the picture , I think, without special effects etc.
All of these actors today I hate, they play themselves, a characture of them selves over and over again.
And they DO NOT have the presence to carry a film all the way through from beginning to end like old movie actors had to back in the day.
Prince has that presence. You have to give him that.
And most actors today lack that ability.

Who cares if he can act? All I want to do is look at him.