We need a good Prince documentary, in the same vein as Netflix's 'Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown'.

Just a feel good documentary about the happy times of Prince in concert and his life and him playing instruments and discussions with his former bandmembers.

Estate, if you're listening, heed my words, please.

Something celebrating the wonderful life of P. No sadness, but happiness!

Peace...

I just saw the "The Prince Story: Icon, Genius... Slave" docu-drama last night. Very depressing! I know that sadness and tragedy are an important part of his story, but we wouldn't be fans if it weren't for the glory and majesty of his craft. I'd like to see something focusing more on that side of things.

Maybe, I'll change my mind on the James Brown documentary. Some of the band members are giving their opinions on him and it's less than flattering. I'm watching it as I type this.

We need a lovefest of Prince on video from people who loved him, like we do. I don't want to hear the negative opinions of band members. We get enough negativity from the news.

Any recent documentaries on Prince are not from people who love him but opportunists(The Prince Story: Icon, etc.) who want to exploit his death. I want a positive documentary that doesn't even mention his death, just his undying love of music.

I’ve said it before, but I’d love to see a serious documentary by a director capable of creating a work art in its own right. I agree that it should focus on Prince’s impact as an artist and cultural figure, but I find documentaries that are purely celebratory slightly tacky. Prince’s work and career raises all sorts of interesting questions regarding art, race, identity, freedom of expression and individuality, and not all of them are easy or comfortable. I’d just like to see a serious, thoughtful document of his importance as an artist.

Personally, I think that someone like Steve McQueen would be a perfect candidate (Hunger, 12 Years a Slave). He’s a respected artist in his own right and an admirer of Prince. Part of me doubts that he would consider it a good move for him personally, but he’d approach the project with intelligence and taste.

https://twitter.com/bbcne...76?lang=en

I'm still waiting on the Betty Davis documentary...

purplethunder3121 said:

I'm still waiting on the Betty Davis documentary...

Yes, me too - she really deserves wider recognition.

Unless it's done by Spike Lee or one of the Burns brothers, I don't want to see it .

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7595904/prince-documentary-prince-r-u-listening-due-in-2017-featuring-bono-mick-jagger

fen said:

I’ve said it before, but I’d love to see a serious documentary by a director capable of creating a work art in its own right. I agree that it should focus on Prince’s impact as an artist and cultural figure, but I find documentaries that are purely celebratory slightly tacky. Prince’s work and career raises all sorts of interesting questions regarding art, race, identity, freedom of expression and individuality, and not all of them are easy or comfortable. I’d just like to see a serious, thoughtful document of his importance as an artist.

Personally, I think that someone like Steve McQueen would be a perfect candidate (Hunger, 12 Years a Slave). He’s a respected artist in his own right and an admirer of Prince. Part of me doubts that he would consider it a good move for him personally, but he’d approach the project with intelligence and taste.

https://twitter.com/bbcne...76?lang=en

.

Agree with the thread - there's yet to be a documentary to satisfy us here on the org, apart for the BBC Omnibus documentary which was great at the time - but that was back in the early 90's. That's what the BBC are the best at - making documentaries (most of the time, ahem).

.

I was always envious when Scorcese made great documentaries on Bob Dylan & The Rolling Stones, why a Prince documentary doesn't get this level of detail and quality in its' crafting. Steve McQueen seems like a good shout though.

.

However, will we ever be fully satisfied? If you're reading this response, you have to be a pretty big Prince fan as it is - and that's a tough ask - although, I'm sure, we all think we could personally make a decent fist of it, so why can't an excellent film-maker?

.

My only worry is that one really long bland documentary that reveals nothing we don't already know will come out and put other potentially better documetary-makers off making one.

I heard the BBC had one in early development but it came unstuck because of issues with the estate / rights.

.

I'd love to see a proper documentary - but I worry that Prince's output was so huge, and his career so damn long, it'll be difficult to do it justice in the timeslot likely to given to it by a regular broadcaster. It's not like there are long stretches of his career you can just gloss over when he wasn't doing much. I just hope someone's willing to commit to something on the scale of the ESPN "OJ" doc.

chrisslope9 said:

Unless it's done by Spike Lee or one of the Burns brothers, I don't want to see it .

.

Yeah, because there are no other capable documentarians out there. Suuuuuure.

Probably only Ken Burns could pull it off, and it would have to span several hours.

williamb610 said:

purplethunder3121 said:

I'm still waiting on the Betty Davis documentary...

Now that is a documentary under Prince as well I would love to see. Her music is so crazy is odd especially for her time period. Talking about whipping a man with a chain with a chain and bar hopping all night. Good sh*t

luvgirl said:

williamb610 said:

We need a good Prince documentary, in the same vein as Netflix's 'Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown'.

Just a feel good documentary about the happy times of Prince in concert and his life and him playing instruments and discussions with his former bandmembers.

Estate, if you're listening, heed my words, please.

Something celebrating the wonderful life of P. No sadness, but happiness!

Peace...

Thank you so much for saying that. We do not have a proper documentary on Prince. Contrary to Popular belief, "Possessed" or The Rise Of Prince is not it... [Edited 10/19/17 11:10am]

No problemo!

Just saying what most of us who love Prince feel! I was inspired by watching the James Brown documentary!

Listen up, Estate!

paisleypark4 said:

purplethunder3121 said:

I'm still waiting on the Betty Davis documentary...

Now that is a documentary under Prince as well I would love to see. Her music is so crazy is odd especially for her time period. Talking about whipping a man with a chain with a chain and bar hopping all night. Good sh*t

The trailer for the Betty Davis doc looked really good and the film-makers raised funds for it...but didn't quite make the mark. I haven't heard anything since then...

williamb610 said:

luvgirl said:

williamb610 said: Thank you so much for saying that. We do not have a proper documentary on Prince. Contrary to Popular belief, "Possessed" or The Rise Of Prince is not it... [Edited 10/19/17 11:10am]

No problemo!

Just saying what most of us who love Prince feel! I was inspired by watching the James Brown documentary!

Listen up, Estate!

I wonder how much of that aborted Kevin Smith doc footage was actually completed...

Why would we need a documentary?

Isn't stuff documented well enough already?

Would anything new come out?

udo said:

Why would we need a documentary?

Isn't stuff documented well enough already?

Would anything new come out?

Because really well-done documentaries reveal things we don't know about figures in history that we thought we knew all about... I'm thinking of documentaries I've seen on PBS like those done for American Experience, American Masters, and the great Ken Burn's docs on The Blues and Jazz... Also, The excellent Bob Dylan doc No Direction Home by Scorsese done for American Masters... Another great one came to mind not associated with PBS--Sound City (where Prince recorded).

[Edited 10/20/17 0:06am]

A documentary in the vein of "O.J. Simpson: Made In America". 5-6 parts á 1.30 hour long.

'Prince: R U Listening?' Due in 2017!

chrisslope9 said:

RodeoSchro said:

fen said:

I’ve said it before, but I’d love to see a serious documentary by a director capable of creating a work art in its own right. I agree that it should focus on Prince’s impact as an artist and cultural figure, but I find documentaries that are purely celebratory slightly tacky. Prince’s work and career raises all sorts of interesting questions regarding art, race, identity, freedom of expression and individuality, and not all of them are easy or comfortable. I’d just like to see a serious, thoughtful document of his importance as an artist.

Personally, I think that someone like Steve McQueen would be a perfect candidate (Hunger, 12 Years a Slave). He’s a respected artist in his own right and an admirer of Prince. Part of me doubts that he would consider it a good move for him personally, but he’d approach the project with intelligence and taste.

https://twitter.com/bbcne...76?lang=en

Great idea. If he'd do it, you may get a documentary for the ages.

The last few years have seen some great documentaries.

Amy (Winehouse)

What Happened, Miss Simone (N. Simone)

Little Girl Blue (Joplin)

No Direction Home (Dylan)

All Or Nothing At All (Sinatra)

Can I Be Me (Houston)

Living In The Material World (Harrison)

Marley (Bob Marley)

Most of these do not shy away from exploring the frailties of their

subjects. This does not diminish either the document or the subject.

Rather it enlarges them.

A really serious effort on Prince would be at least 2 or 3 hours,

otherwise it's not worth bothering.

[Edited 10/22/17 5:47am]

rap said:

controversy99 said: