Rating: 
Summary: Great movie....not so great DVD unfortunately...
Review: Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Purple Rain and Prince 's (the artist) music, but this DVD was kind of disappointing. The video quality of the transfer looks pretty good for its age, but why isn't there a widescreen version? The production notes that Warner puts on their DVDs are annoying and glare off the TV. Oh, and a trailer. I know this isn't a special edition, but there was so much stuff that could have been used. I guess you get what you pay for though. The movie gets 5 stars, but the DVD gets a 2/5.
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie, but the DVD? POOPSTAR!
Review: Okay, okay, okay-- only 3 stars for one of the greatest rock movies ever made... but it received very poor DVD treatment. This was one of the highest grossing theatrical releases of 1984. It took everyone by surprise that summer, and made Warner Bros. a LOT of money. So are there any music videos as bonus materials? NO. Are there any interview clips, new or old? NO. Is there any commentary from director or screenwriter? NO. IS THE MOVIE PRESENTED IN WIDESCREEN FORMAT?? Inexplicably, NO!! This was an OSCAR winning film (Best Song Score). Yes, it is relatively inexpensive, but c'mon-- it could have at least been letter boxed!! The only features are some production notes and a trailer. I wouldn't recommend purchasing this, especially if you already own the VHS version. The movie? For what it is, 5 stars. The DVD? 1 star. I split the difference. Hopefully Warner Bros. will wise up and release all four of Prince's films in a deluxe box set.
Rating: 
Summary: DO NOT BUY THIS DVD
Review: This DVD was released when DVDs first started coming out. There are no extras and it is full screen,etc. a SPECIAL EDITION version is due to be released sometime this year(along with "Goodfellas"....FINALLY!). Don't buy this old piece of crud...wait for the newer version. The movie is great, but this DVD is worthless no matter what the price of it is.
Rating:
Summary: Dazzling Musical Performances....and Misogyny Run Amok
Review: I have just witnessed the induction of Prince into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The enigmatic and abundantly gifted musician dazzled the crowd - first by opening the show with a medley of old favorites....then by lending a hand on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Watching Prince's genius on display caused my thoughts to drift back to the summer of 1984. The soul-funkster wunderkind dominated the musical landscape that year, first by his best single ("When Doves Cry") and later with the release of "Purple Rain", his first film that boasted a bevy of brilliant performances - and proved a fitting showcase for Prince's talents. However....discomfitting themes permeated the film. When you see this film listed in TV Guide, the editors describe the movie as "Prince's vanity video" - and they're not talking about Denise Matthews, the evangelist who once crooned "Nasty Girl." Two years before the release of this film, Rolling Stone's record reviewer cited the musician's troubling dichotomy via a review for the double album "1999." (The age-old double standard...[...]....the difficult crossroads between religious conviction and sexuality, etc. - Prince suffered mightily from a combination of these issues.) In 1984, that same magazine slathered sycophantic praise all over "Purple Rain" - utterly dazzled by Prince's musical talents and magnetism - and conveniently overlooking his flaws.In 1984, I was one of those fawning admirers. Twenty years later, I remain awed by Prince's musical genius, the prolific volume of his contributions, and his white-hot stage charisma. Beholding the diminutive musician offstage, however, is a jarring experience. He's notoriously non-verbose and palpably uncomfortable, and unfortunately these qualities are evidenced in his first movie. Moreover, the treatment of women in "Rain" is vile: Those discarded are tossed in dumpsters - those desired are slapped when recalcitrant. Tsk, tsk, Prince: What does Jehovah (the deity Prince thanked during tonight's ceremonies) think about this - as well as most of the songs from 1980's "Dirty Mind?" Anyone who's witnessed Prince in concert (as I did in early 1985) knows that the mighty mite struggles with conflicts aplenty. At the show's midpoint, the "Artist" veered from standard performance into something just plain weird. I didn't understand it then - I don't ponder it now. In conclusion, though, "Purple Rain" offers more-than-ample proof of Prince's undeniable prowess - at least onstage. The songs are wonderful ("Doves Cry", "Take Me With U", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die For U"......); unlike "1999" and 1987's "Sign Of The Times", there's no filler to be found. Prince isn't the only believer to harbor conflicts: Jimmy Swaggart evidently suffers from the same malady. Unlike the weeping willie pseudo-minister, Prince packs a powerful punch on stage, and he's far more intelligent...and certainly more compelling. That's probably why I came to regard much of "Purple Rain" with contempt: Prince is smart enough (and blessed with enough raw talent) to know the difference. For the music - I give 5 stars. For the script - a lonely 1 star. Average them out - and you wind up with three. Let's hope Prince's current "Musicology" tour boasts His Royal Badness's pervasive musical prowess, and leaves the rest in the dumpster, where no woman should have gone before.
Rating: 
Summary: Concert sequences and music survives in Prince's first movie
Review: This semi-autobiographical movie set in Minneapolis about the Revolution and their struggle to outdo rival bands, including Morris Day's The Time, was the first of four movies the Purple One did--if one counts the concert film Sign 'O' The Times. The love angle comes in when the Kid sees Apollonia window-shopping and flirtatiously walks off with the anklet he espies her wearing. The music is initially the only asset the Kid has. He is selfish, arrogant, and thinks himself head over them. Wendy and Lisa hand him a song with a familiar melody that he initially dismisses with sheer contempt--re the puppet show with ventriloquist voices. He barely notices Jill, a blonde at the club who is nursing a crush on him. He eventually turns against Apollonia, whom he slaps after she tells him she's going to join Morris's project group, Apollonia 6. Apart from the concert sequences, for me, two memorable scenes highlights of this movie are unfortunately sexist in nature, to which I give a thousand apologies. One is the scene when Morris Day and Jerome Benton are stopped by one of Morris's white girlfriends who tears into him. The hapless woman is seized by Jerome and thrown into a trash can. The other is the Kid's stopping off at a lake and agreeing to help Apollonia if she jumps naked into Lake Minnetonka. She jumps in, only to have the Kid tell her, as she clambers out gasping, "That ain't Lake Minnetonka." Although I knit my brow into a frown when I first read this in a magazine, I now unknit that brow and agree that Morris Day hands down steals the show with his ladies-man, Cab Calloway/James Brown schtick. Their take on Abbott and Costello'fs 'gWho'fs On First'h routine is hilarious. Even though they perform only two numbers in the movie and not completely, their brand of dance funk serves as a contrast to the Hendrix-guitar rock from the Revolution. Olga Karlatos and the Mod Squad TV series' Clarence Williams III play the Kid's parents, and despite the lack of substantial screen time, one can see the Kid mirroring his father in his moodiness, creative talent, and the way they treat women. Nearly 20 years later, how does this movie hold up? Well, given the rampant sexism in this movie, probably not too well. If anything, the concert sequences, particularly the blazing opening number, "Let's Go Crazy," and the final three, beginning with the brilliant heartfelt title track and into a blaze of glory with "I Would Die 4 U" and "Baby I'm A Star." Of the people in the movie, Apollonia is by far the nicest person in the movie, or at least the one with the least faults. One note of interest is seeing Dez Dickerson, Prince's former guitarist, doing the song "Modernaire" with his group prior to Prince's performance of "The Beautiful Ones." And seeing some of the characters make me wonder what are they doing now? Apollonia, Jill Jones, Dez Dickerson, where are you? The sexism may not go over well with today's PC-oriented stance. However, I will admit that this movie signified the peak of his career, and many would agree that the companion album holds up better today.
Rating:
Summary: Purple Rain 20 years later
Review: I remember when I recently saw Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back,Jay showed his affinity towards Morris Day and the Time.Then some teenagers called Purple Rain "a crappy 80's movie".Although most of Y generation view Purple Rain like the second coming of Grease 2,Purple Rain rocked back in '84 with people actually dancing in the isles.
This movie finally brought Prince into the mainstream and showed the genius that he was.Although he'd been making records since 1978,he made his mark with such albums as Dirty Mind, Controversy,and 1999(his breakout album with his first top ten hit Little Red Corvette)but only to a limited R&B and underground market.But once Purple Rain hit,things were never the same.The movie also brought Morris Day and The Time to the mainstream which unfortunately they would soon break up to never enjoy the fruits.
The movie is pretty much about a musician called The Kid (Prince) who dreams of making it despite his troubled homelife and a rival band, The Time.The movie has it's fair share of bad acting as well as misogyny ("That ain't Lake Minnitonka")it's the musical numbers as well as Morris Day's comic timing that steals the show.The music still sounds fresh, especially the minimalist When Doves Cry which could even be released today.
Hopefully Warner brothers will release a 20th anniversary edition DVD with loads of extras as well as deleted scenes which were featured in the trailer.And with Prince's comeback in 2004 including his Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction, Grammy performance and tour,it would really be the year of Prince.
Rating:
Summary: A classic film. A poor DVD.
Review: I don't think there's a Prince fan alive who hasn't seen this movie, so if you already have it on VHS save your money. There are no special features and it's formatted not letterboxed as it should be! The DVD's Prince bio cites his birth date as 1960. While all Prince fans know he was born in 1958. Now for those of you who haven't seen this movie: well now's your chance to see one of the greatest films ever made. Unlike so many rock stars' movie debuts Purple Rain has a very powerful story about a confussed and abused young man who faces alienation in the music world he wants to break into. Very emotional. But it also has Prince and the Revolution bringing the house down with their very original brand of music and flashy stage acts. Bottom line, if you Prince, you'll love this movie. If you don't like Prince you won't. PS Where is the 'Under the Cherry Moon' DVD already?
Rating:
Summary: A Rock Movie Classic Faces Some Very Real Taboo's
Review: It took a viewing of the 'Purple Rain' DVD to really realize
how important this movie is to understanding Prince's world.His
ontage performance in the film exhibit an uncontrollable fire
that few have been able to replicate but the movie itself is a
DRAMA-plain and simple.It revolves around Prince as a conflicted
rock star on the Minneapolis club scene who's confused by tentions within his band,abusive parents and a very sexist additude towards woman,including his sexy girlfriend Appolonia,
whom he at one point actually hits in the film.Is it autobiographical?I don't know but despite some rather quistionable acting on the part of some of the musicians this
movie is an entertaing rock movie AND a poignant ( and sometimes
frightening) anti-abuse film because in the end Prince's abusive
father attemps suiside,Prince learns a lesson about how to treat woman and learns to live with and control his demons.A surprizing film I would rate as such:
BEYOND 5 stars for the music Ditto for the performances
4 stars for theplot
1 1/2 stars for some of the acting
Not bad overall!
Rating:
Summary: Plot and message, yikes! Prince onstage awesome!
Review: Finally saw this flick for the first time all the way through tonight. Part of my ongoing reacquaintance with Prince in the wake of the return to form in Musicology. My aunt found this misogynistic; my sister considers this one of her favorite movies of all time. For me, Prince throws down the gauntlet as the post-modern James Brown with slammin microphone throwdowns, total onstage command, and a similar inability to construct love. I saw so many justifications for why I avoided Prince as a teenager in this film. Throwing women in dumpster, the lake scene, slapping women around, some of this was tough to watch for me. Perhaps I am too sensitive. Prince doesn't really act, not that you should expect him to. Sometimes he models on his bike or pouts in his dressing room. Other times he gives knockout performances. The best parts of Purple Rain for me could have been condensed to a sequence of music videos. But a storyline focused Prince to give him pop megastardom and its a vital mid80s cultural document. For that reason alone anyone interested in music should check this film out. Morris Day was classic for me just about all the way through. He was funny and I dug the funk of his band. I dig tracks like the Bird. I agree with other reviewers who complained about the shoddy DVD in its fullscreen only format and its lack of extras. Equally shoddy is the fact that Warners has not come out with a deluxe soundtrack that includes stuff by Apollonia 6 and the Time. I'd love to have a soundtrack like the deluxe soundtrack for "The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff that delves into all of the great music to come out of this film and that features all the bands under Prince's influence at the time. The film has a lousy message and poor acting but at least it focused Prince on a project that many consider his most consistent musical statement. I still prefer the Prince of Sign O the Times to the Prince of Purple Rain because of the greater maturity. But I recognize this movie as a stepping stone in his evolution as an artist and as a man and I recommend it to all curious about his music as a window into the paradoxes of his world and his artistry. 5 stars for the music
2 stars for DVD quality
2 stars for plot 3 stars overall. --SD
Rating:
Summary: PURPLE UPDATE!!--In A Few Weeks!
Review: To all of you who, like me, wondered why this
DVD was so crappy with no extras, etc., in
the next few weeks "Purple Rain" the 20th Anniversary
2-DVD set in widescreen format, with extras, & a remastered
soundtrack complete with 8 accompanying videos will be
released! (Eureka!!) Also, "under The Cherry Moon",
"Sign O' The Times" and the sucky sequel to "Purple Rain"
1990's "Graffitti Bridge" will all be released in the same
kind of format with extras!
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