independent and unofficial
Prince fan community
Welcome! Sign up or enter username and password to remember me
Forum jump
Forums > Prince: Music and More > Was Graffiti Bridge really that bad?
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Page 1 of 8 12345678>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
Author

Tweet     Share

Message
Thread started 05/18/16 5:39am

missfee

avatar

Was Graffiti Bridge really that bad?

I think it's a fair question. I saw it again last night after not having seen it in probably 10 years or so and while I've always thought it sucked, my viewing last night came with some sort of appreciation for creativity in the vision that Prince had for this project. I tried watching it with more of an open mind and see the point that he was getting at. The main issue I have with the storyline is that he made the Time out to be these evil bad guys while he looked like, pretty much, a bullied saint, trying desperately to save his club (and himself) and ends up saving the day (and his block) with a ballad about having more faith. The song itself "Still Would Stand All Time" is a really good song, but to all of a sudden have a choir pop up from out of the bushes and help him sing it was a bit much. lol The wardrobe was really colorful and fun. I swear Prince's outfit near the end with the half jumpsuit nearly made him appear naked. I had forgotten all about that Tevin Campbell and Mavis Staples were in the movie too.


*Please also note that when I popped the DVD in last night, I already had about 3 full glasses of red wine and drank two and a half more while watching. thumbs up!

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #1 posted 05/18/16 5:41am

Militant

avatar

moderator

Graffiti Bridge could have been great, but IMO most of the faults come down to bad sequencing and editing.

Have you seen the outtakes? The "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got" video which would have started the movie is absolutely brilliant and could have set a different tone to the movie. Bring that back, trim the fat, cut out Tevin whose part wasn't needed, and sequence the story a bit better and you have a way better film. I enjoy the film as it is and I think a lot of the criticism it gets is exaggerated.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #2 posted 05/18/16 5:43am

KaresB

Yes. As a film, it's very bad.

If you watch it as a music video though, it's enjoyable, due to the great music.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #3 posted 05/18/16 5:43am

hw3004

Yes!

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #4 posted 05/18/16 5:44am

GottaLetitgo

The feather should have won an Oscar.
All good things they say never last...
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #5 posted 05/18/16 5:46am

funkystuff

to put it simple: Yes

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #6 posted 05/18/16 5:58am

GottaLetitgo

I love the Elephants and Flowers scene though. People walking out of a Prince performance (as if) and the people that remained were having an orgy. That was why Prince was a badass!
All good things they say never last...
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #7 posted 05/18/16 6:00am

jaawwnn

Yes, yes it is. It is that bad and even worse as well. The definition of "for fans only" and even that's pushing it. There's definitely a better film in there but you'd be changing almost everything to find it.

For me the worst bit is just the absolute lifelessness of all those soundstage sets. Purple Rain is a fairly bad film that is made into a total classic by the brilliant live scenes and the capturing the moment of it all. GB is missing all of that.


[Edited 5/18/16 6:03am]

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #8 posted 05/18/16 6:04am

missfee

avatar

Militant said:

Graffiti Bridge could have been great, but IMO most of the faults come down to bad sequencing and editing.

Have you seen the outtakes? The "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got" video which would have started the movie is absolutely brilliant and could have set a different tone to the movie. Bring that back, trim the fat, cut out Tevin whose part wasn't needed, and sequence the story a bit better and you have a way better film. I enjoy the film as it is and I think a lot of the criticism it gets is exaggerated.

No I haven't seen the outtakes. Makes me curious.

I agree with you that Tevin's scene wasn't needed...and I'd add that Mavis Staples scene wasn't needed either.

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #9 posted 05/18/16 6:05am

Militant

avatar

moderator

I think it wasn't that long ago that we had this discussion, but another thing is that Graffiti Bridge is clearly two different movies jammed into one.

Movie 1 : Prince and Aura, the feather and it's meaning, etc

Movie 2 : Purple Rain 2 with The Kid VS The Time

Movie 1 is the movie Prince wanted to make and evolved from earlier concepts like The Dawn.

Movie 2 is the movie Prince was forced to make in order to get funding, and this seems to have happened at the last minute.

Hell, Prince didn't even have a keyboard player in the movie, they used Philip C who was the hairdresser!!! If the movie had *always* been a battle of the bands between The Kid's band and The Time, a la Purple Rain, then it seems pretty obvious that Prince would have given this band a name, explored their personalities (TC Ellis being desperate to rap doesn't count), given them all at least one line or some backstory, etc, etc.

Bringing in The Time and making it a follow up to Purple Rain revolving around a battle between two bands clearly is something that was all jammed in at the last minute.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #10 posted 05/18/16 6:10am

missfee

avatar

KaresB said:

Yes. As a film, it's very bad.

If you watch it as a music video though, it's enjoyable, due to the great music.

I enjoy the soundtrack...minus all the Time's songs. lol I always wondered why "Jerk Out" was never featured in the film as a performance (or was it actually filmed and got cut?). The Time's "Pandemonium" album is one of my favorites. It's odd to me that none of the songs, except for a snippet of Jerk Out in the background, was featured in the movie. Could you imagine them performing "Skillet", "Chocolate" and "Data Bank" in the movie? It would had been so hot.


[Edited 5/18/16 6:16am]

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #11 posted 05/18/16 6:13am

OldFriends4Sal
e

Militant said:

I think it wasn't that long ago that we had this discussion, but another thing is that Graffiti Bridge is clearly two different movies jammed into one.

Movie 1 : Prince and Aura, the feather and it's meaning, etc

Movie 2 : Purple Rain 2 with The Kid VS The Time

Movie 1 is the movie Prince wanted to make and evolved from earlier concepts like The Dawn.

Movie 2 is the movie Prince was forced to make in order to get funding, and this seems to have happened at the last minute.

Hell, Prince didn't even have a keyboard player in the movie, they used Philip C who was the hairdresser!!! If the movie had *always* been a battle of the bands between The Kid's band and The Time, a la Purple Rain, then it seems pretty obvious that Prince would have given this band a name, explored their personalities (TC Ellis being desperate to rap doesn't count), given them all at least one line or some backstory, etc, etc.

Bringing in The Time and making it a follow up to Purple Rain revolving around a battle between two bands clearly is something that was all jammed in at the last minute.

add to that that Prince said he made a film/story for the Time, and that didn't fly

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #12 posted 05/18/16 6:13am

missfee

avatar

Militant said:

I think it wasn't that long ago that we had this discussion, but another thing is that Graffiti Bridge is clearly two different movies jammed into one.

Movie 1 : Prince and Aura, the feather and it's meaning, etc

Movie 2 : Purple Rain 2 with The Kid VS The Time

Movie 1 is the movie Prince wanted to make and evolved from earlier concepts like The Dawn.

Movie 2 is the movie Prince was forced to make in order to get funding, and this seems to have happened at the last minute.

Hell, Prince didn't even have a keyboard player in the movie, they used Philip C who was the hairdresser!!! If the movie had *always* been a battle of the bands between The Kid's band and The Time, a la Purple Rain, then it seems pretty obvious that Prince would have given this band a name, explored their personalities (TC Ellis being desperate to rap doesn't count), given them all at least one line or some backstory, etc, etc.

Bringing in The Time and making it a follow up to Purple Rain revolving around a battle between two bands clearly is something that was all jammed in at the last minute.

WHAT!!!! Never knew that. Well I tell you one thing, he did one hell of a job on Prince's hair because it was absolutely gorgeous. Don't know who was used to do the rest of the cast's hair, but Jesse's roller set look was on point too. I'm serious. nod

Well now that you've broken all the facts down, it makes sense.

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #13 posted 05/18/16 6:15am

missfee

avatar

OldFriends4Sale said:

Militant said:

I think it wasn't that long ago that we had this discussion, but another thing is that Graffiti Bridge is clearly two different movies jammed into one.

Movie 1 : Prince and Aura, the feather and it's meaning, etc

Movie 2 : Purple Rain 2 with The Kid VS The Time

Movie 1 is the movie Prince wanted to make and evolved from earlier concepts like The Dawn.

Movie 2 is the movie Prince was forced to make in order to get funding, and this seems to have happened at the last minute.

Hell, Prince didn't even have a keyboard player in the movie, they used Philip C who was the hairdresser!!! If the movie had *always* been a battle of the bands between The Kid's band and The Time, a la Purple Rain, then it seems pretty obvious that Prince would have given this band a name, explored their personalities (TC Ellis being desperate to rap doesn't count), given them all at least one line or some backstory, etc, etc.

Bringing in The Time and making it a follow up to Purple Rain revolving around a battle between two bands clearly is something that was all jammed in at the last minute.

add to that that Prince said he made a film/story for the Time, and that didn't fly

From what I gathered from interviews on this topic by The Time, it was explained as if it was Prince who changed the original story focusing on The Time to what it is now and not the "powers who be".

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #14 posted 05/18/16 6:17am

BoraBora


Even worse.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #15 posted 05/18/16 6:20am

joyinrepetitio
n

avatar

missfee said:

Militant said:

I think it wasn't that long ago that we had this discussion, but another thing is that Graffiti Bridge is clearly two different movies jammed into one.

Movie 1 : Prince and Aura, the feather and it's meaning, etc

Movie 2 : Purple Rain 2 with The Kid VS The Time

Movie 1 is the movie Prince wanted to make and evolved from earlier concepts like The Dawn.

Movie 2 is the movie Prince was forced to make in order to get funding, and this seems to have happened at the last minute.

Hell, Prince didn't even have a keyboard player in the movie, they used Philip C who was the hairdresser!!! If the movie had *always* been a battle of the bands between The Kid's band and The Time, a la Purple Rain, then it seems pretty obvious that Prince would have given this band a name, explored their personalities (TC Ellis being desperate to rap doesn't count), given them all at least one line or some backstory, etc, etc.

Bringing in The Time and making it a follow up to Purple Rain revolving around a battle between two bands clearly is something that was all jammed in at the last minute.

WHAT!!!! Never knew that. Well I tell you one thing, he did one hell of a job on Prince's hair because it was absolutely gorgeous. Don't know who was used to do the rest of the cast's hair, but Jesse's roller set look was on point too. I'm serious. nod

Well now that you've broken all the facts down, it makes sense.

Earl Jones, Jill's uncle was still doing Prince's hair. Philip C. was a set hair dresser for all the other people in the movie. Morris also had his own hair dresser.

__________________________________________________
2 words falling between the drops and the moans of his condition
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #16 posted 05/18/16 6:21am

missfee

avatar

joyinrepetition said:

missfee said:

WHAT!!!! Never knew that. Well I tell you one thing, he did one hell of a job on Prince's hair because it was absolutely gorgeous. Don't know who was used to do the rest of the cast's hair, but Jesse's roller set look was on point too. I'm serious. nod

Well now that you've broken all the facts down, it makes sense.

Earl Jones, Jill's uncle was still doing Prince's hair. Philip C. was a set hair dresser for all the other people in the movie. Morris also had his own hair dresser.

Oh ok, sorry my mistake.

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #17 posted 05/18/16 6:26am

OldFriends4Sal
e

missfee said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

add to that that Prince said he made a film/story for the Time, and that didn't fly

From what I gathered from interviews on this topic by The Time, it was explained as if it was Prince who changed the original story focusing on The Time to what it is now and not the "powers who be".

oh ok, there are so many twists and changes to this film(period)

Madonna was supposed to be in it, when the Lovesexy band was still on board:Sheila E Cat etc

Cat took off Boni left for Australia and Sheila E and Prince part ways because of her 4th album and then her back issues/lung collapsed

Kim Bassinger was next to be in it? I believe

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #18 posted 05/18/16 6:26am

BklynDiamond

avatar

KaresB said:

Yes. As a film, it's very bad.

If you watch it as a music video though, it's enjoyable, due to the great music.

Funny that you say that as I have always watched it as a collection of music videos and less as film.

As a film it has no redeeming qualities but it is a great music video.

Because of their half-baked mistakes, we get ice cream, no cake; all lies, no truth; is it fair to Kill the YOUTH ~~ Party Up
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #19 posted 05/18/16 6:27am

OldFriends4Sal
e

ROLLING STONE (1990)


PRINCE TALKS

BY NEAL KARLEN

A COUPLE OF NIGHTS LATER

Originally, Graffiti Bridge was going to be a vehicle for the reborn Time, with Prince staying behind the camera. But Warner Bros. wouldn't go for it, so Prince wrote himself into a new movie. Later, visitors to Paisley Park saw a version of a script that was allegedly obtuse to the point of near gibberish. "That was just a real rough thirty-page treatment I wrote with Kim," Prince says. "Graffiti Bridge is an entirely different movie."

BBP: And I heard that the last album—the album you guys did in the early 90’s…

Johnson: Pandemonium

BBP: Yeah! That one! That was the first album you really had a lot of creative control over as a group.
Johnson: Yeah. Yeah, and he was actually cool about that. He gave us two or three songs. He stayed out of our way. That when he was (with) Kim Basinger, so he brought her to the studio and shit, was hanging out with that, and he was nice that whole time. And I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what happened to him about that. In a couple of years he just became a different person. He was good to us in ’04 when he did Musicology, because the Morris Day and The Time version did 14 of those gigs. We did 14 of those shows out in different cities and stuff. But after that, he’s just been nothing but problems for us. So I don’t know. I don’t get it. Me and him don’t talk. He knows I hate him; I’m sure he don’t like me. And we’ll just leave it like that. No really, I don’t have time for it. But it’s why I play the blues, brother. It’s why I play the blues. Cause Lord knows I got ‘em.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #20 posted 05/18/16 6:29am

postiepaul3

Can you imagine if this film was leaked from the vault now, I think we would have a different opinion of the film.I suspect that any movie that might see the light of day in the future will be favoured regardless of content. Acting aside the music makes it watchable. For me movie 1/10 music 7/10

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #21 posted 05/18/16 6:30am

emesem

The low budget feel didnt help. They filmed 98% in a studio that looked as real as a 70's Doctor Who set. Also unlike Purple Rain, the music was not recorded live which makes it look more like a TV special than a feature film.

Plot and acting wise it made Under the Cherry Moon look like Citizen Kane.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #22 posted 05/18/16 6:30am

soladeo1

The fact that Graffiti Bridge was filmed largely on a sterile soundstage was a poor decision. The fact that the screenplay was 30 pages of rambling, incoherent nonsense was an even poorer decision.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #23 posted 05/18/16 6:31am

PurpleColossus

avatar

When it comes to all of Prince's movies I'm not expecting the next 'Casablanca' here lol. I enjoy them for what they are, they are meant for Prince fans.

[Edited 5/18/16 6:34am]

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #24 posted 05/18/16 6:31am

OldFriends4Sal
e

http://www.themortonrepor...-part-two/

An Interview with Jimmy Jam of The Original 7ven, Part Two

Jimmy Jam discusses The Time, Prince, and working with Janet and Michael Jackson.

By Chaz Lipp, Contributor

Let’s look back to 1990 and the Graffiti Bridge movie. How did the original seven members of The Time come to be involved with that project?

Let me try to clarify a little bit. There might be a misconception that we got back together to do the Graffiti Bridge movie. That’s absolutely not the case. What happened, Morris [Day] was working on a project with Prince. It was basically going to be more of a solo project. Prince was going to do the bulk of the writing and playing. I think it was going to be calledCorporate World, but there were a few different names floating around at that point. Around that same time period, we had also been working with Morris on different projects and things. We thought, let’s get The Time back together and just make a record. So we got back together and started making an album. This was with Prince’s blessing, by the way. And we had our own idea for a film.

What kind of film did you guys have in mind?

It was basically based on our own true story, rather than a fictional story. Purple Rain was a fictional story based in some truth, the whole backdrop of Minneapolis and the competition of the bands. The way that worked was very true and very well done in that movie. But we really wanted to make a film about our exploits on the road and some of the things that went on, because we had a great time on the road.

How far did you guys get with this project?

We actually brought in someone to write a screenplay. We sat and talked with a couple of screenwriters, telling them the stories we thought were funny, letting them weave a storyline around it. We were in talks with Warner Bros. to do it. The next thing you know, literally out of the blue, Prince called us for a meeting at Paisley Park. And I remember we walked in thinking it was going to be about the movie — the movie we thought we were going to do. All of sudden it turned into Graffiti Bridge, and we were like,“What’s Graffiti Bridge?” Prince was like, “This is my movie.” And it was, you know, this girl and a feather. [laughs] It was like, “No, no, no — we’ve got our own ideas for a movie.”

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #25 posted 05/18/16 6:34am

OldFriends4Sal
e

Cat Glover

Prince, Madonna and I were the original lineup for Graffiti Bridge. That movie was strictly written for Prince, Madonna and myself. Period. Exclamation point.
That movie was actually written on the Lovesexy Tour. Everyone in that movie replaced us. Prince actually wrote the movie and most of it was what we experienced on the Lovesexy Tour. Madonna pulled out of the movie and I left Prince; I quit. So, he had to revamp the script.
That's when he got Ingrid Chavez and everyone else. But, Mavis Staples was one person that was originally supposed to be in the movie. She was always part of the movie. Sheila E. was part of the movie. Everyone else was a replacement. I don't mean to say it that way, it sounds kind of harsh and mean, but, I know the original script.
I was in the studio with Madonna and Prince when they were discussing the script. The story was totally different. I remember they were arguing over the script, bragging on each other, talking about each other's shoes and I was laughing. Madonna said to Prince "Cat and I should have a dance battle" and Prince said (speaking in a low raspy voice) "I don't think so. I don't think you want to do that. I don't think you want to dance against Cat." That's just how he said it. I'll never forget it.
That was two powerful people, together, in the same space—and me. I was more like a bystander listening and watching.
But, the whole movie changed.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #26 posted 05/18/16 6:34am

DarkKnight1

avatar

Yes, the movie was brutal. Couple of great tracks from the album though.

(Insert something clever here)
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #27 posted 05/18/16 6:39am

OldFriends4Sal
e

Grifitti Bridge deleted scenes & outtakes

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #28 posted 05/18/16 6:45am

OldFriends4Sal
e

"a different kind of movie. It's not violent. Nobody gets laid." -Prince

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #29 posted 05/18/16 6:49am

Militant

avatar

moderator

OldFriends4Sale said:

"a different kind of movie. It's not violent. Nobody gets laid." -Prince

I love that Monte is the one that gets to come at Prince, haha. That's too funny.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Page 1 of 8 12345678>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Forums > Prince: Music and More > Was Graffiti Bridge really that bad?