Stars: Prince, Morris Day, Clarence Williams, Olga Karlatos, Apollonia Kotero

Director: Albert Magnoli

Summary: A brilliant, talented musician struggles for success even as a rival musician threatens to supplant him, both professionally and romantically. Featuring Prince performing many of his well-known songs including 'Let's Go Crazy', 'When Doves Cry' and 'Purple Rain'.

A brilliant, talented young musician struggles for success even as a rival musician threatens to supplant him, both professionally and romantically. "Purple Rain" features Prince, in his own inimitable style, performing many of his latest hits, including "Purple Rain," "When Doves Cry," and "Let's Go Crazy." Academy Awards: Best Original Song Score.

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While "rock musical" remains a phrase used by sadistic parents to give their offspring nightmares the genre does occasionally throw up the odd gem, Purple Rainbeing perhaps the shiniest example. Given the theatricality of Prince's stage shows, it was only a matter of time before the diminutive pop potentate found himself a big-screen vehicle but few could have predicted that Purple Rainwould become nothing less than a cultural phenomenon. The story, co-written by one-time Starsky &Hutchscripter William Blinn, may be a somewhat hackneyed tale with His Purpleness overcoming a troubled background and musical rival Morris Day to achieve his dreams of rock stardom. However, the cast, which also includes Prince protegée Appollonia, rises above the clichés to hand in a set of performances which, while never likely to trouble the Oscars, prove that all concerned can at least play a rough approximation of themselves with minimal difficulty. What really helped push the film's box-office receipts through the roof, however, was its soundtrack featuring a clutch of hit singles--notably "When Doves Cry"--and which cemented our pint-sized hero's position as one of the globe's premiere performing artists. Sadly, subsequent attempts to re-bottle this particular brand of lightning with Under a Cherry Moonand Graffiti Moonwould prove substantially less successful but Purple Rainstill looks--and, more importantly sounds--rarely less than funktastic. --Clark Collis

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Director Commentary, Producer Robert Cavallo Commentary, Cinematographer Commentary, Making Of The Movie And The Music Featurette, The Minneapolis Music Scene And the Career Of Prince Prior To Purple Rain Featurette, Impact Of The Movie Featurette, 8 Music Vide
Year:	1984
Release Date:	July 1, 2006
Runtime:	107 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	D 033533
Keywords:	Special, Music, Films, Two, Rain, Edition, Purple, Shows, Anniversary, 20th, Performing, Musicals, Discs, Arts
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts