(thank you google)


...And I have a lot of things to say about the movie

First of all, the movie ain't as bad as people said... For years I've heard people over there destroying Graffiti Bridge ... I don't think so... It was bad but not THAT bad... I think it's not worse than Purple Rain...

But what I didn't expect is how Graffiti Bridge looks so much like Purple Rain, everything from the scenes to the actors... It's not even a sequel because it doesn't have the same storyline, but all the elements that made Purple Rain a success are there... Shame on you Prince... Obvioulsy Prince tried to repeat the success of Purple Rain and he failed miserably...
Graffitti Bridge is not a Purple Rain 2 but more 1990's Purple Rain because there's barely no difference.. Actors are just older and music is different...

2) I didn't know that Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis made an appearance in the movie

3) Didn't know Tevin Campbell was there either

4) Again Morris Day steals the show, Prince can't act to save his life

5) They all look old, especially the members of the Time, a bunch of dudes over their 30's who try to stay cool...

6) I've always thought that Thieves In The Temple video was one of the gayest shit I've ever seen, but I guess I was wrong, Tick Tick Bang is even worse... Very disturbing... WTF he was thinking...

7) The best performance is Elephant and Flowers, I really like his black and white outfit and the choroegraphy

8) Again, Prince can't act for shit, bad bad actor... Just plain...

9) Graffiti Bridge reminds me one of the reasons why I wasn't a fan of Prince as a kid : Has he ever fallen in love with a black woman only once in his life ???
Everytime Prince makes a video or a movie, the girlfriend has to be a Latina... I'm not racist but why does he have to choose a latina as her girlfriend... As a black man I've always had a problem with that...
Even Michael Jackson put black women in his videos, even when he turned straight white...
But most importantly I just hate how the only black female in the movie (who is the only good actress in the movie by the way) is a typical oversexualized, loud and unintelligent black woman ... And the worst scene in the movie is when Jerome decide to take her long coat and put it in the mud ... Since Prince wrote the script, I really wonder what the hell he was thinking... It's not even funny... It reminds me the scene in Purple Rain when Jerome disposes a black woman in an alley trash container... That's just disturbing... It's not even funny and extremly disrespectful... It's not just sexist... It's like if Prince trully wanted to humiliate black women... This guy has some serious issues when it comes black women...

And that latina character in the movie is not even hot by the way...

10) It's obvious that by the year 1990, his music started to be more and more influenced by the urban music of the time (hip hop and New Jack swing)...

11) I really understand why the movie failed miserably... Beside the fact that Prince wasn't as popular as he used to be and his music as good... I think black folks were into something else with more substance... The movie was released in 1990... A year after Spike Lee's Do the Right thing, and a year prior Boyz N the Hood...

We can see right there a strong generation gap between Prince and the hip hop generation.
Graffiti Bridge (just like Purple Rain) portrays a fictionnal and color blind environment where racism and discrimination don't exist... Opposed to a very racial and political oriented movies as Do the right thing and Boyz n hood... It's obvious that Prince showed how disconnected from the black community he was at that time...

12) Graffiti Bridge could have been a relative success if it was released in 1986 when he was still big

Shit Sucks !

Hmm... I'll read your post later since I'm at work! I still never saw this movie.

Okay...I ain't readin' all that. But I can definitely tell you that movie ain't worth the effort.

very harsh words there about black women ..

You do know that he had quite a long term relationship with that black woman you're talking about, don't you? Robin Power?

krayzie said:

Cosign on the misogyny. Prince loves and hates women at the same time.
Hell, he loves and hates his fans!

But you're right. If he had released this movie after Under the Cherry Moon, who knows? We might have had another Prince movie after 1990.

LOL!

Whoa! There's a lot in that post.I loved the movie,tho,and Prince never looked hotter. Long hair=

krayzie said:

I stopped reading your post right here.

Well, on the whole P and black leading ladies, if you makes feel any better, Vanity originally had the role in PR (don't be tempted to split hairs with me people).
[Edited 1/25/08 15:58pm]

prettymansson said:

but at least looked good.

My responses....

First of all, the movie ain't as bad as people said... I think it's not worse than Purple Rain... But what I didn't expect is how Graffiti Bridge looks so much like Purple Rain, everything from the scenes to the actors... It's not even a sequel because it doesn't have the same storyline, but all the elements that made Purple Rain a success are there... Shame on you Prince... Obvioulsy Prince tried to repeat the success of Purple Rain and he failed miserably...

+++FOr someone like Prince, where at the time a lot of what he was doing was great...this was NOT a great movie. It even earned a Raspberry award. Obviously people other than the fans thought it was terrible. IMO it's more cheesy than anything else. From the acting to the posing to the Sets. Pure velveeta. BTW GB IS and WAS supposed to be a sequel to PR...THAT was the intention by all parties.


3) Didn't know Tevin Campbell was there either

+++He's on the Soundtrack with the only hit he had. I wasn't aware of his involvement or that his song (which I heard everywhere) was from that movie.

4) Again Morris Day steals the show, Prince can't act to save his life

+++True

5) They all look old, especially the members of the Time, a bunch of dudes over their 30's who try to stay cool...

+++The Time still ARE cool

6) I've always thought that Thieves In The Temple video was one of the gayest shit I've ever seen, but I guess I was wrong, Tick Tick Bang is even worse... Very disturbing... WTF he was thinking...

+++He wasn't. I also thought the "release it" moment was equally as bad.


9) Graffiti Bridge reminds me one of the reasons why I wasn't a fan of Prince as a kid : Has he ever fallen in love with a black woman only once in his life ??? This guy has some serious issues when it comes black women...
+++He likes what he likes. I think he's always been attracted to Latina-ish WOmen in general...not that I know exactly their racial background...SHeila, Ingrid, Mayte, Susan Moonsie, Vanity, Mani...None have been exactly balck nor latina. Ha also likes to portray a ensemble cast if you will (band and otherwise) of people with diverse backgrounds.

10) It's obvious that by the year 1990, his music started to be more and more influenced by the urban music of the time (hip hop and New Jack swing)...
+++Beacuse he was being pushed by the WB to be so. Notice the next album D&P was a complete R&B album.

11) I really understand why the movie failed miserably... Beside the fact that Prince wasn't as popular as he used to be and his music as good... I think black folks were into something else with more substance...
+++Hardly. Prince's popularity had definitely waned by this time. Even though Batman did really well. I don't think it is a black and white issue.

We can see right there a strong generation gap between Prince and the hip hop generation. Graffiti Bridge (just like Purple Rain) portrays a fictionnal and color blind environment where racism and discrimination don't exist... Opposed to a very racial and political oriented movies as Do the right thing and Boyz n hood... It's obvious that Prince showed how disconnected from the black community he was at that time...
+++Again, I don't think the intention had anything to do with color or being disconnected to it. This was a sequel to PR and was a vehicle (as most of his attempts are) to get him back in the spotlight.

12) Graffiti Bridge could have been a relative success if it was released in 1986 when he was still big

+++Very doubtful. UTCM bombed. I think the only reason GB got to be released was because Batman did so well, and thus no one was saying "No" to Prince, who was determined to see one of his own thought up projects come to fruitation as opposed to projects like Crystall Ball being paired down to a 2 disc album Prince no longer cared about by the time it came out.

superspaceboy said:

i dont think his preference of what he liked was really an issue .. cause he had girlfriends of all colors.. but how black women 'are treated' in his movies is questionable... not only what Krayzie said, but also the scene Jerome wavin'the margarita glasses @ the waitress for her to get lost.. wasnt necessary ..

"Graffiti Bridge" was a "Purple Rain" sequel, because the owner of the club was still undecided.

Prince's fan base is not entirely black. He is black himself and tries to reach out to all his fans by having women of other races in his movies and videos.
[Edited 1/25/08 19:50pm]

Flowerz said:

Wasn't necessary, but it was funny. They were playing jerks, remember?

And was that girl they threw in the trash black? That wouldn't be my first or even second guess (no it doesn't make it right, I'm just sayin').

I guess I am the only one that like the movie then.

The soundtrack is da bomb too. I love "Joy In Repetition". FUCKING RAWWWWKS!!!!

I think this film is the worst thing P has ever done. I simply think it's whack. (yes, I said the word "whack") I saw it the night it came out and I thought it was whack as hell then. I was shocked it was so bad. I've seen it since and I feel the same.

As far as Krazie's comments on P and black women; His points are valid. Very. I've spoke on this several times on here in various threads. Me being a black cat who has dated black, white, latin and oriental women in my life do think P has an issue with black women. Always have. He has shown this MANY times, I feel. In his lyrics and visually. I know Vanity and Susan, although they have some other things in their blood, they are essentially, black women. Jill Jones, although bi-racial, is black. That's what she considers herself. My opinion is that P is and always has been color struck. I don't trip off of anyone who prefers a certain race to fuck with. That's their biz. BUT Prince as an artist and as a BLACK artist, he has to be sensitive to the shit that he does regarding black women. And he hasn't been. His lyrics to Ice Cream Castles says it all where he's coming from. Not cuz he's talking about inter racial love. So what? But it's the shit he says about black girls tripping cuz he's into a white girl. He refers to them as "mad sistas, why can't they realize?" That's kinda deep. While I was recording with Morris, he mentioned something about Ice Cream Catles and I said that I always liked the music and melody to the song. Which is true. Morris himself said he wasn't too keen on singing that line refering to black women. But P wouldn't change it. See Rick James dated all races of women too BUT Rick always represented when it came to black women. Because he was aware of not alienating black women. He didn't want them to feel slighted. Where I feel P went out of his way to do that. Especially in the 80's. Many black women turned on P after UTCM. That was the second leading lady to star as his love interest that was non black. Then again in this whack ass movie with Ingrid. His message is clear. Sure, I know Vanity was to star in PR but he could have easily got another hot looking black woman that resembled Vanity if he REALLY wanted to. Whatever.

seeing GB in 1990 was like seeing The Phantom Menace.

I wanted so much to believe, but there was no denying that it sucked balls

blackguitaristz said:

Purple Rain had cemented me into being a Prince fan, so I really had high hopes for GB. Especially after the disappointment that Under The Cherry Moon was for me.
I remember, right before purchasing my movie ticket, thinking to myself, "Well, it can't be any worse than Cherry Moon...".

I was wrong.
So horribly wrong.

I have never watched the film in a full sitting and i dont think I ever could, as far as I remember it does not even have a story line. It is without doubt the worst thing Prince has ever done.

Christ! You have got a few chips on your shoulder, man!

Why should it be a problem if Prince makes a gay-looking video? Almost all of his videos are 'gay'. I thought that was why we liked them?

And you are reading far too much into the black woman thing in both films. Firstly, Jerome does not chuck a black woman into the dumpster in Purple Rain. She looks pretty white to me, or maybe latino or mixed race. So if I am right, two black guys chuck a white woman in the dumpster. As a white man, do I find this sinister or offensive? No, it never crossed my mind until today.

I too have a thing for latino-looking or mixed race women. And if I was as rich and famous as Prince, I would surround myself with them! That's not to say I don't like white women. I like all women!

Prince is the most positive, non-racist, non-sexist, forward thinking artist of his generation, if not of all time. How many other artists have had multi-racial bands with gay and lesbian members and female bass players and drummers kicking ass big style??? He's a million miles from the, "nigga this and bitch that" you sadly get in most contemporary black music.

Don't get me wrong, I love Dr Dre, 50 Cent, Timbaland, etc. but Prince makes them look like the most sexist and racist guys on the planet!

By the way, Graffiti Bridge is shit and no way as good as Purple Rain. However, put it next to most Beatles and Elvis films and it's not that bad either.

krayzie said:

Just a question:
Why is this an issue for you personally?
In my opinion Prince can do what he likes best and if that is the ever returning latina type than that is oké. He doesn't have to fake it to be politically or racial correct. If he was behaving correctly in more ways then his whole basis of being Prince in the 80's would be void.

eightiesmusicculture said:

Brilliant post, I agree with everything you've said there!

blackguitaristz said:

100% agreed. It shows in the way Robin Power is depicted in GB and also in how the only dark skinned woman in UTCM is portrayed as a nightmarish figure. There are many other examples as well.

3 things:

1. P does like and date black women.
2. GB was cool, more like xtended videos of the songs off the album in video form.
3. It was cool seeing The Time 2getger pre4ming.

I give GB 4 outta 5 stars, its a movie 4 fans of P and The Time. I watched it again last night, i love all the movies, no complaints here, ya'll ...
[Edited 1/26/08 6:11am]
[Edited 1/26/08 6:13am]

Hey U.
Had a lotta fun reading your post - thanx 4 that. Personally I think the movie suck way BIG time! Anyways...just a small correction. You refer to a scene in PR where Jerome gett rid of one of Morris' gf's in a container. She's actually white.

I do agree however that its weird that Prince hasn't dated that many black women. Didn't he tho...have a "thing" with Cat?

krayzie said:

Now I know why you use that avatar.

You're blind.