I've always loved Graffiti Bridge the album. If you remove all the associated acts' songs (I typically include The Latest Fashion as it has so much Prince in it though), it's actually a really cool Prince album and you can feel the transition from LoveSexy to Diamonds and Pearls.

Every few years, I re-watch Graffiti Bridge. I think I've seen the movie all the way through maybe 4 times. Watching it as an 8 year old kid, I was awe-struck. This movie is amazing for a little kid growing up, in love with the whole Prince mythology.

As a young adult, I went back and watched it again and couldn't understand what the fuck kind of crack I was smoking at such a young age. Ingrid Chavez has to be one of the worst actresses I've ever witnessed. Apollonia, who was no Bette Davis, could've won an Oscar against Ingrid's performance in this movie. Truly cheezy and ridiculous.

However, what still amuses me to this day is the interactions between Prince and The Time. My FAVORITE scene in the movie is when Jerome and Morris are tossin' out their money and Morris breaks out the stash in his heel. It's ALMOST as funny as the Chocolate/Butterscotch scene in UTCM.

I think I get a vague idea of what Prince was trying to do with this movie, but I think he would've done better by having a legitimate screenwriter and director attached. A sequel to Purple Rain wasn't an awful idea and neither was the idea of Morris owning the block of a bunch of indie clubs. Unfortunately, you have to wade through gifted musicians struggling through awful dialogue that doesn't do their artistry justice. Seeing Mavis Staples recite those lyrics to the Melody Cool segue as part of the script is painful. It sounds so much better on the record.

Through all of this drama, though, the soundtrack and other music that spawned from the Graffiti Bridge Experience didn't do too bad. The Time got a top ten hit with Jerk Out and Thieves in the Temple was a big hit.

What are your feelings on Graffiti Bridge? It gets a lot of flak, but the record itself is pretty killer.

[Edited 7/2/10 18:01pm]

[Edited 7/2/10 18:04pm]

I fell in love with Graffiti Bridge back when it came out, the album anyway. The movie at the time was disappointing to me, as I was trumpeting it to everyone that would listen that Prince's new movie was going to ROCK! Lol! Boy was I wrong! I could see the basic outline of what he was trying to do, but it just wasn't fleshed out AT ALL.

The album though was hot. "New Power Generation", "We Can Funk" (which was debuted on the radio as they previewed the album the week before it got released, and that was my first time hearing it; fell in love instantly), "Melody Cool", "Joy In Repetition", "Question of U" all were my super favorites upon first listen and plus Jerk Out and Chocolate were on the radio too. It was a GOOD ass time, musically, for me in the Prince world. The Time actually had a decent video for Jerk Out with Quincy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, and I forgot who else all makingcameos, and it didn't look CHEAP, unlike most of Prince and associates' videos.

Sigh...I know you were talking about the movie, but it was the music that got me hyped AND got me over the disappointment that was that monstrosity on the screen.

alexnvrmnd777 said:

I fell in love with Graffiti Bridge back when it came out, the album anyway. The movie at the time was disappointing to me, as I was trumpeting it to everyone that would listen that Prince's new movie was going to ROCK! Lol! Boy was I wrong! I could see the basic outline of what he was trying to do, but it just wasn't fleshed out AT ALL.

The album though was hot. "New Power Generation", "We Can Funk" (which was debuted on the radio as they previewed the album the week before it got released, and that was my first time hearing it; fell in love instantly), "Melody Cool", "Joy In Repetition", "Question of U" all were my super favorites upon first listen and plus Jerk Out and Chocolate were on the radio too. It was a GOOD ass time, musically, for me in the Prince world. The Time actually had a decent video for Jerk Out with Quincy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, and I forgot who else all makingcameos, and it didn't look CHEAP, unlike most of Prince and associates' videos.

Sigh...I know you were talking about the movie, but it was the music that got me hyped AND got me over the disappointment that was that monstrosity on the screen.

The music is the shit, though! I think the album actually gets waaaay overlooked by people because the movie was so.... well, bad.

Spinlight said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

I fell in love with Graffiti Bridge back when it came out, the album anyway. The movie at the time was disappointing to me, as I was trumpeting it to everyone that would listen that Prince's new movie was going to ROCK! Lol! Boy was I wrong! I could see the basic outline of what he was trying to do, but it just wasn't fleshed out AT ALL.

The album though was hot. "New Power Generation", "We Can Funk" (which was debuted on the radio as they previewed the album the week before it got released, and that was my first time hearing it; fell in love instantly), "Melody Cool", "Joy In Repetition", "Question of U" all were my super favorites upon first listen and plus Jerk Out and Chocolate were on the radio too. It was a GOOD ass time, musically, for me in the Prince world. The Time actually had a decent video for Jerk Out with Quincy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, and I forgot who else all makingcameos, and it didn't look CHEAP, unlike most of Prince and associates' videos.

Sigh...I know you were talking about the movie, but it was the music that got me hyped AND got me over the disappointment that was that monstrosity on the screen.

The music is the shit, though! I think the album actually gets waaaay overlooked by people because the movie was so.... well, b

[Edited 7/2/10 18:39pm]

Spinlight said:

I've always loved Graffiti Bridge the album. If you remove all the associated acts' songs (I typically include The Latest Fashion as it has so much Prince in it though), it's actually a really cool Prince album and you can feel the transition from LoveSexy to Diamonds and Pearls.

Every few years, I re-watch Graffiti Bridge. I think I've seen the movie all the way through maybe 4 times. Watching it as an 8 year old kid, I was awe-struck. This movie is amazing for a little kid growing up, in love with the whole Prince mythology.

As a young adult, I went back and watched it again and couldn't understand what the fuck kind of crack I was smoking at such a young age. Ingrid Chavez has to be one of the worst actresses I've ever witnessed. Apollonia, who was no Bette Davis, could've won an Oscar against Ingrid's performance in this movie. Truly cheezy and ridiculous.

However, what still amuses me to this day is the interactions between Prince and The Time. My FAVORITE scene in the movie is when Jerome and Morris are tossin' out their money and Morris breaks out the stash in his heel. It's ALMOST as funny as the Chocolate/Butterscotch scene in UTCM.

I think I get a vague idea of what Prince was trying to do with this movie, but I think he would've done better by having a legitimate screenwriter and director attached. A sequel to Purple Rain wasn't an awful idea and neither was the idea of Morris owning the block of a bunch of indie clubs. Unfortunately, you have to wade through gifted musicians struggling through awful dialogue that doesn't do their artistry justice. Seeing Mavis Staples recite those lyrics to the Melody Cool segue as part of the script is painful. It sounds so much better on the record.

Through all of this drama, though, the soundtrack and other music that spawned from the Graffiti Bridge Experience didn't do too bad. The Time got a top ten hit with Jerk Out and Thieves in the Temple was a big hit.

What are your feelings on Graffiti Bridge? It gets a lot of flak, but the record itself is pretty killer.

awww spin i loved graffiti bridge as a kid too

but i saw it recently and i must say its so bad its good JERKIN EVERYTHING SIGHT!

i don't know what it is but GB has some type of magic to it when your young

plus another thing ........when Ingrid got hit with the truck why was everyone looking stupid and noone ran to help her! and the ones that did just stared down at her

that was some really fucked up stuff

prince and morris was in the background looking like "sheeiitt i dont know her....somebody go help her"

[Edited 7/2/10 22:41pm]

http://prince.org/msg/7/325780

[Edited 7/3/10 0:26am]

PicklesMcMillan said:

when Ingrid got hit with the truck why was everyone looking stupid and noone ran to help her! and the ones that did just stared down at her

that was some really fucked up stuff

prince and morris was in the background looking like "sheeiitt i dont know her....somebody go help her"

i agree. i enjoyed the film but that part was tres strange.

she was the angel he couldnt screw, so why care too much if she get hit with a truck?

she was a means to an end of the dispute with the mean guy.

then left in the street to die like her use by date expired.

nice one Prince

Spinlight said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

I fell in love with Graffiti Bridge back when it came out, the album anyway. The movie at the time was disappointing to me, as I was trumpeting it to everyone that would listen that Prince's new movie was going to ROCK! Lol! Boy was I wrong! I could see the basic outline of what he was trying to do, but it just wasn't fleshed out AT ALL.

The album though was hot. "New Power Generation", "We Can Funk" (which was debuted on the radio as they previewed the album the week before it got released, and that was my first time hearing it; fell in love instantly), "Melody Cool", "Joy In Repetition", "Question of U" all were my super favorites upon first listen and plus Jerk Out and Chocolate were on the radio too. It was a GOOD ass time, musically, for me in the Prince world. The Time actually had a decent video for Jerk Out with Quincy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, and I forgot who else all makingcameos, and it didn't look CHEAP, unlike most of Prince and associates' videos.

Sigh...I know you were talking about the movie, but it was the music that got me hyped AND got me over the disappointment that was that monstrosity on the screen.

The music is the shit, though! I think the album actually gets waaaay overlooked by people because the movie was so.... well, bad.

It gets overlooked because of that and because a couple of the songs were written a few years prior. Maybe so, but together, on this album is one helluva musical thrill ride. Sure there are a couple of clunkers on it but as a whole, I was quite happy with this when it came out (still am).

It's what helped be sooooo disappointed in the direction he was taking upong hearing Diamonds and Pearls. That was SUCH a let down coming after GB. That album took many multiple listens to get me to even begin to be ok with it because it was Prince-lite (and sell out) to me when compared to what he released just a year before.

Loved the soundtrack & the film.

robinhood said:

PicklesMcMillan said:

when Ingrid got hit with the truck why was everyone looking stupid and noone ran to help her! and the ones that did just stared down at her

that was some really fucked up stuff

prince and morris was in the background looking like "sheeiitt i dont know her....somebody go help her"

i agree. i enjoyed the film but that part was tres strange.

she was the angel he couldnt screw, so why care too much if she get hit with a truck?

she was a means to an end of the dispute with the mean guy.

then left in the street to die like her use by date expired.

nice one Prince

wait a minute..he couldn't screw her ?

i thought the joy in repetition part was an interpretation of a screw

this really changes things for me

and did prince know she was an angel?

PicklesMcMillan said:

robinhood said:

i agree. i enjoyed the film but that part was tres strange.

she was the angel he couldnt screw, so why care too much if she get hit with a truck?

she was a means to an end of the dispute with the mean guy.

then left in the street to die like her use by date expired.

nice one Prince

wait a minute..he couldn't screw her ?

i thought the joy in repetition part was an interpretation of a screw

this really changes things for me

and did prince know she was an angel?

he put her on the bed and when she woke up he mimed "mine"

she said 'no baby', pointed up and said 'his'

something like that

robinhood said:

PicklesMcMillan said:

wait a minute..he couldn't screw her ?

i thought the joy in repetition part was an interpretation of a screw

this really changes things for me

and did prince know she was an angel?

he put her on the bed and when she woke up he mimed "mine"

she said 'no baby', pointed up and said 'his'

something like that

"are angels really real, or are they just in the mind? it'll all come out in the wash, in time" < thats probably not word for word but its at the start of the movie

robinhood said:

robinhood said:

he put her on the bed and when she woke up he mimed "mine"

she said 'no baby', pointed up and said 'his'

something like that

"are angels really real, or are they just in the mind? it'll all come out in the wash, in time" < thats probably not word for word but its at the start of the movie

i just caught it ,thanks

PicklesMcMillan said:

robinhood said:

"are angels really real, or are they just in the mind? it'll all come out in the wash, in time" < thats probably not word for word but its at the start of the movie

i just caught it ,thanks

no sweat

Coincidentally, I just gave the film another spin last night. It's actually kinda fun when you're drunk!

Spinlight said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

I fell in love with Graffiti Bridge back when it came out, the album anyway. The movie at the time was disappointing to me, as I was trumpeting it to everyone that would listen that Prince's new movie was going to ROCK! Lol! Boy was I wrong! I could see the basic outline of what he was trying to do, but it just wasn't fleshed out AT ALL.

The album though was hot. "New Power Generation", "We Can Funk" (which was debuted on the radio as they previewed the album the week before it got released, and that was my first time hearing it; fell in love instantly), "Melody Cool", "Joy In Repetition", "Question of U" all were my super favorites upon first listen and plus Jerk Out and Chocolate were on the radio too. It was a GOOD ass time, musically, for me in the Prince world. The Time actually had a decent video for Jerk Out with Quincy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, and I forgot who else all makingcameos, and it didn't look CHEAP, unlike most of Prince and associates' videos.

Sigh...I know you were talking about the movie, but it was the music that got me hyped AND got me over the disappointment that was that monstrosity on the screen.

The music is the shit, though! I think the album actually gets waaaay overlooked by people because the movie was so.... well, bad.

Totally agree. Graffiti Bridge the movie is pretty much a mess, besides the performance clips. I just think of it as a long form music video and skip the nonsense. Thieves In The Temple is one of the last great Prince songs.

It was a shameful waste of an opportunity. To ruin the chance of a PR2!!! anyway the album was great-I even like GB the song. I think the only song I dont like is shake and cant stop this feeling I got.