iZsaZsa said:

KoolEaze, what is the Wizard Of Oz connection?

You probably already know about the Wizard of Oz references in Prince´s music and shows and interviews over the years, so I guess your question refers to the movie Zardoz, right?

-

The movie´s title comes from the Wizard of Oz. (WiZARD of OZ).

-

From Wikipedia:

Plot[edit]

In a future post-apocalypse Earth in the year 2293, the human population is divided into the immortal "Eternals" and mortal "Brutals". The Brutals live in a wasteland, growing food for the Eternals, who live apart in "the Vortex", leading a luxurious but aimless existence on the grounds of a country estate. The connection between the two groups is through Brutal Exterminators, who kill and terrorize other "Brutals" at the orders of a huge flying stone head called Zardoz, which supplies them with weapons in exchange for the food they collect. Zed (Connery), a Brutal Exterminator, hides aboard Zardoz during one trip, temporarily "killing" its Eternal operator-creator Arthur Frayn (Niall Buggy).

Arriving in the Vortex, Zed meets two Eternals — Consuella (Charlotte Rampling) and May (Sara Kestelman). Overcoming him withpsychic powers, they make him a prisoner and menial worker within their community. Consuella wants Zed destroyed immediately; others, led by May and a subversive Eternal named Friend (John Alderton), insist on keeping him alive for further study.

In time, Zed learns the nature of the Vortex. The Eternals are overseen and protected from death by the Tabernacle, an artificial intelligence. Given their limitless lifespan, the Eternals have grown bored and corrupt. The needlessness of procreation has rendered the men impotent and meditation has replaced sleep. Others fall into catatonia, forming the social stratum the Eternals have named the "Apathetics". The Eternals spend their days stewarding mankind's vast knowledge (through a voice-recognition based search engine), baking special bread for themselves from the grain deliveries and participating in communal navel gazingrituals. To give time and life more meaning the Vortex developed complex social rules whose violators are punished with artificial aging. The most extreme offenders are condemned to permanent old age and the status of "Renegades". But any Eternals who somehow manage to die, usually through some fatal accident, are almost immediately reborn into another healthy, synthetically reproduced body that is identical to the one they just lost.

Zed is less brutal and far more intelligent than the Eternals think he is. Genetic analysis reveals he is the ultimate result of long-running eugenics experiments devised by Arthur Frayn — the Zardoz god — who controlled the outlands with the Exterminators, thus coercing the Brutals to supply the Vortices with grain. Zardoz's aim was to breed a superman who would penetrate the Vortex and save mankind from its hopelessly stagnant status quo. The women's analysis of Zed's mental images earlier had revealed that in the ruins of the old world Arthur Frayn first encouraged Zed to learn to read, then led him to the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Zed finally understands the origin of the name Zardoz — Wizard of Oz — bringing him to a true awareness of Zardoz as a skilful manipulator rather than an actual deity. He becomes infuriated with this realisation and decides to plumb the deepest depths of this enormous mystery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zardoz

Not really that much of a connection, but I thought Prince looks a bit like Zed in that picture, with the loincloth and all, and of course there´s the Wizard of Oz connection there, something that´s been a thing in the Prince universe since what, 1986? 1987?

KoolEaze said:

iZsaZsa said:

KoolEaze, what is the Wizard Of Oz connection?

You probably already know about the Wizard of Oz references in Prince´s music and shows and interviews over the years, so I guess your question refers to the movie Zardoz, right?

-

The movie´s title comes from the Wizard of Oz. (WiZARD of OZ).

-

From Wikipedia:

Plot[edit]

In a future post-apocalypse Earth in the year 2293, the human population is divided into the immortal "Eternals" and mortal "Brutals". The Brutals live in a wasteland, growing food for the Eternals, who live apart in "the Vortex", leading a luxurious but aimless existence on the grounds of a country estate. The connection between the two groups is through Brutal Exterminators, who kill and terrorize other "Brutals" at the orders of a huge flying stone head called Zardoz, which supplies them with weapons in exchange for the food they collect. Zed (Connery), a Brutal Exterminator, hides aboard Zardoz during one trip, temporarily "killing" its Eternal operator-creator Arthur Frayn (Niall Buggy).

Arriving in the Vortex, Zed meets two Eternals — Consuella (Charlotte Rampling) and May (Sara Kestelman). Overcoming him withpsychic powers, they make him a prisoner and menial worker within their community. Consuella wants Zed destroyed immediately; others, led by May and a subversive Eternal named Friend (John Alderton), insist on keeping him alive for further study.

In time, Zed learns the nature of the Vortex. The Eternals are overseen and protected from death by the Tabernacle, an artificial intelligence. Given their limitless lifespan, the Eternals have grown bored and corrupt. The needlessness of procreation has rendered the men impotent and meditation has replaced sleep. Others fall into catatonia, forming the social stratum the Eternals have named the "Apathetics". The Eternals spend their days stewarding mankind's vast knowledge (through a voice-recognition based search engine), baking special bread for themselves from the grain deliveries and participating in communal navel gazingrituals. To give time and life more meaning the Vortex developed complex social rules whose violators are punished with artificial aging. The most extreme offenders are condemned to permanent old age and the status of "Renegades". But any Eternals who somehow manage to die, usually through some fatal accident, are almost immediately reborn into another healthy, synthetically reproduced body that is identical to the one they just lost.

Zed is less brutal and far more intelligent than the Eternals think he is. Genetic analysis reveals he is the ultimate result of long-running eugenics experiments devised by Arthur Frayn — the Zardoz god — who controlled the outlands with the Exterminators, thus coercing the Brutals to supply the Vortices with grain. Zardoz's aim was to breed a superman who would penetrate the Vortex and save mankind from its hopelessly stagnant status quo. The women's analysis of Zed's mental images earlier had revealed that in the ruins of the old world Arthur Frayn first encouraged Zed to learn to read, then led him to the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Zed finally understands the origin of the name Zardoz — Wizard of Oz — bringing him to a true awareness of Zardoz as a skilful manipulator rather than an actual deity. He becomes infuriated with this realisation and decides to plumb the deepest depths of this enormous mystery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zardoz

Not really that much of a connection, but I thought Prince looks a bit like Zed in that picture, with the loincloth and all, and of course there´s the Wizard of Oz connection there, something that´s been a thing in the Prince universe since what, 1986? 1987?

ufoclub said:

KoolEaze said:

You probably already know about the Wizard of Oz references in Prince´s music and shows and interviews over the years, so I guess your question refers to the movie Zardoz, right?

-

The movie´s title comes from the Wizard of Oz. (WiZARD of OZ).

-

From Wikipedia:

Plot[edit]

In a future post-apocalypse Earth in the year 2293, the human population is divided into the immortal "Eternals" and mortal "Brutals". The Brutals live in a wasteland, growing food for the Eternals, who live apart in "the Vortex", leading a luxurious but aimless existence on the grounds of a country estate. The connection between the two groups is through Brutal Exterminators, who kill and terrorize other "Brutals" at the orders of a huge flying stone head called Zardoz, which supplies them with weapons in exchange for the food they collect. Zed (Connery), a Brutal Exterminator, hides aboard Zardoz during one trip, temporarily "killing" its Eternal operator-creator Arthur Frayn (Niall Buggy).

Arriving in the Vortex, Zed meets two Eternals — Consuella (Charlotte Rampling) and May (Sara Kestelman). Overcoming him withpsychic powers, they make him a prisoner and menial worker within their community. Consuella wants Zed destroyed immediately; others, led by May and a subversive Eternal named Friend (John Alderton), insist on keeping him alive for further study.

In time, Zed learns the nature of the Vortex. The Eternals are overseen and protected from death by the Tabernacle, an artificial intelligence. Given their limitless lifespan, the Eternals have grown bored and corrupt. The needlessness of procreation has rendered the men impotent and meditation has replaced sleep. Others fall into catatonia, forming the social stratum the Eternals have named the "Apathetics". The Eternals spend their days stewarding mankind's vast knowledge (through a voice-recognition based search engine), baking special bread for themselves from the grain deliveries and participating in communal navel gazingrituals. To give time and life more meaning the Vortex developed complex social rules whose violators are punished with artificial aging. The most extreme offenders are condemned to permanent old age and the status of "Renegades". But any Eternals who somehow manage to die, usually through some fatal accident, are almost immediately reborn into another healthy, synthetically reproduced body that is identical to the one they just lost.

Zed is less brutal and far more intelligent than the Eternals think he is. Genetic analysis reveals he is the ultimate result of long-running eugenics experiments devised by Arthur Frayn — the Zardoz god — who controlled the outlands with the Exterminators, thus coercing the Brutals to supply the Vortices with grain. Zardoz's aim was to breed a superman who would penetrate the Vortex and save mankind from its hopelessly stagnant status quo. The women's analysis of Zed's mental images earlier had revealed that in the ruins of the old world Arthur Frayn first encouraged Zed to learn to read, then led him to the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Zed finally understands the origin of the name Zardoz — Wizard of Oz — bringing him to a true awareness of Zardoz as a skilful manipulator rather than an actual deity. He becomes infuriated with this realisation and decides to plumb the deepest depths of this enormous mystery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zardoz

Not really that much of a connection, but I thought Prince looks a bit like Zed in that picture, with the loincloth and all, and of course there´s the Wizard of Oz connection there, something that´s been a thing in the Prince universe since what, 1986? 1987?

Ha ha... awesome that "Zardoz" is being brought into the discussion.

Well...... The similarities are there. And remember : “The gun is good but the penis is evil.”

[Edited 7/30/15 15:58pm]

I believe Jean Baptiste Mondino Shot the cover for LOVESEXY

Google him and check out the many celeb photos that hes done over the years (Including: Madonna, Björk & thousands of other celebs)

He's also the guy that directed Madge's Justify My Love video.

Dilan said:

i just realised we know nothing about the shoot of that front cover i wonder if that was at all awkward lol. does anyone know who took the picture and if there are any contact sheets

I believe Jean Baptiste Mondino Shot the cover for LOVESEXY

Google him and check out the many celeb photos that hes done over the years (Including: Madonna, Björk & thousands of other celebs)

He's also the guy that directed Madge's Justify My Love video.

KoolEaze said:

For all the newbies and those who haven´t seen this one before....it´s the alternate album cover for Lovesexy.

I think the portrait looks slightly different than what was later used for the album cover. So I wonder if ALL the negatives were really destroyed, because this is most likely from the same session.

Yep, and the photographer probably still has some