I just wanted to know, what is the general consensus of how his songs were used in this flick?

Looking back on it all, I felt like for the most part, yes it was cool to hear those songs in the movie, but by the same token, I felt like it distracted you from what was going on in the movie, cuz if you're a big Prince fan, you'll be listening to the songs, not the dialogue!

I even felt as though this was a result of Spike Lee picking his favourite Prince jams and the man himself not only approving of them but also adding in some new stuff, of course in an effort to get free from his evil "CONtract" from Warners.

Also, I felt like a lot of those tunes just didn't work...for example, the scene where Theresa receives a terrifying and life threatening phone call from Tony Soprano's nephew, who says that he wants to put a paper bag over her head while he f*cks her. Now normally you would expect to hear some really dark & brooding music....like some scary synth music, or a creepy trip hop tune. Instead you get, "Black day, stormy night...." I mean, great song, but come on now.

I think songs like "Pink Cashmere" and "Power Fantastic" didn't fit their according scenes either.

That said, the scene with "How Come U Don't Call Me anymore" was perfect. Even Prince himself loved that scene enough to start playing the song in concert again. So were the scenes with "Oilcan" and "Decuce And A Quarter." Fit 'em to a T.

So.....what do you all think of Spike using P's songs in this flick?


Let's discuss.

I haven't see Girl 6 yet

Hotel said:

Its not the best acted movie, however because I am a big Spike fan I found the movie worth watching. Nice campy movie with some hot little phone sex scenes.

The movie stunk, but we got a CD with remastered tracks... so I ain't bitchin'.

paisleypark4 said:

i thought theresa randle was awesome in this movie. a shame she's so underrated and underused. i think she's great (and fine as hell ). everyone else was okay too and the look of the film . my only beef with the movie was the script. mainly the ending (made no sense at all ) and how it dealt with her whole relationship with isaiah washington. he's a thieving loser, with whom she probably shouldn't have married in the first place and she gets back with him. why? cuz he brings her flowers and acts concerned . as for the music, i became a prince fan from watching this movie, so i'm kinda biased. the music itself, not the lyrics, seem to fit each scene the songs appear. to use the example given, the cross, while about god and whatnot, does have more of a "gloomier", rock feel to it, that fits with the mood of the scene. it works. for me at least. love this movie

I actually really love this film, thought the songs fitted perfectly.

Wesco said:

I was just a teen when this movie came out so I may not have fully understood the film. Either that, or Spike is just a weirdo like that, I dunno.

But anyway, regarding the Theresa Randall comment.....

even Andrea Bocelli and Stevie Wonder know she's fine!

'Specially in that scene where she's in that red bra & panties.

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[Edited 1/1/10 23:44pm]

It's too loaded with them, it was like Spike Lee wanted to have every Prince song he ever liked on it. Although I still maintain that "She Spoke 2 Me" is one of his best tracks from the 90s.

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[Edited 1/1/10 23:45pm]

novabrkr said:

Exactly.

That's what I said in my inital post - that it felt like this was more a case of "Spike Lee's favourite Prince songs."

I also made a list of all the songs featured in the movie, along with an accompanying disc. So for those who aren't up on it:

1. she spoke to me
2. raspberry beret
3. take me with you
4. 17 days
5. housequake
6. girls and boys
7. nasty girl (vanity 6)
8. pink cashmere
9. power fantastic
10. the screams of passion (the family)
11. erotic city
12. nothing compares to you (live version with rosie gaines)
13. oilcan (the npg)
14. how come you don't call me anymore
15. adore
16. sign o the times
17. hot thing
18. deuce & a quarter (the npg)
19. don't talk to strangers
20. count the days (the npg)
21. the cross
22. for the tears in your eyes
23. sometimes it snows in april
24. girl 6 (the npg)

That's a badass mix of songs.

but like I said earlier, IMO some of those songs didn't really fit into the scenes.
[Edited 2/12/09 2:43am]

mzkqueen03 said:

When I would notice the cd in a record store that I went 2, it was right under Prince's material. I never did buy it...and money has always been an issue 4 me.

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[Edited 1/1/10 23:45pm]

mzkqueen03 said:

Not all of those songs are on the soundtrack. Only about 13 of them are.

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[Edited 1/1/10 23:45pm]

I have to add too that it was definitely a weird experience watching that movie when I rented it back in the day (I must have been 17, not sure if I was even in legal age of being allowed to rent it by the way - not that I wouldn't have seen plenty of pornography prior to it). But I mean, the soundtrack was just so detached from the rest: it was like I had left the stereos in the room playing a Prince mixtape while watching the movie.

Lee definitely should have had utilized more instrumental stuff on it, and Prince was back in those days probably recording quite a lot of funk jams with the NPG (still his best band as far as musicianship goes). It would have been nice to hear i.e. the stuff that ended up on The Vault -CD in the movie, as most of them are from the same era. Why the hell weren't some of those songs like "When The Lights Go Down", "Old Friends For Sale", "Extraordinary" on the soundtrack?

novabrkr said:

Co-sign 100%!

That's exactly how I felt when I saw this movie again for the first time in 12 about years or so.