Customer Reviews
If you love great music.... - By: DDH255, 29 Jun 2008 
I suppose one of the main reasons for watching the film is to try to extend an understanding of Prince, of that brilliant & enigmatic character whose unique talents have shaped the most joyful music of our generation. Whilst the film hints at a semi-autobiographical content, this is not fully explored. The Kid (the main character) has to overcome family difficulties & the scepticism of his peers, using his experiences, to shape his music.
Prince ,typicallly, is generous in alllowing others to share the spotlight. Both the Time & Apollonia perform . Yet it is Prince's films & his concert performances are energetic & captivating. Darling Nikki is challlenging & sexy. Purple Rain is soulful & magnificent. These sequences alone show an artist of stature & probably justify the cost of the DVD.
So it it better than a concert video? Maybe not... the script lacks dramatic energy & the acting is lightweight in places. Yet it is a wonderfully watchable record of the talents of one of our most mercurial performers.
Enough To Merit 5 Stars - By: pjr, 17 May 2008 When this came out in 1984 it was a phenomenon & turned Prince from a man with potential into a global superstar. Which is quite an achievement considering his early work set him apart from the more mainstream artists. Having included some quite risque material on earlier albums. Looking at the cover of "Dirty Mind" it's hard to believe he'd be the star he was in under 5 years.
The film itself was meant to be semi-autobiographical (although that claim has since been refuted) & centres around the club The Kid (Prince) & his band (The Revolution) play in. It details the struggles he has to maintain his artistic sensibilties & also the rivalry with the other band who play the club (The Time). There is also a love interest in the shape of Apollonia who is given the chance to sing with her own band thanks to Morris Day (leader of The Time) which increases the rivalry. There's also a sub plot about The Kid's unsuccessful father & his relationship with him. In truth the plot is paper thin & there for one reason & one reason alone - to get you to the next piece of music. Plotted like a disaster movie more than a musical it lives for its highs.
The music itself is the film's saving grace. In strict terms what Prince plays here at times harks back to the old style ("Darling Nikki") & also hints at where he'd go next with the lush orchestral gentle grooves of "Take Me With U". The rest was pretty much where he was at the time with a mix of soul, funk, & blistering Hendrix-like guitar. It's impressive music & it makes the film rise above the mediocre.
Prince performs with aplomb when onstage & the chief delight of the film itself is to show what an utterly electrifying live performer he is. Offstage he's moody & rather inarticulate but once he's in front of the crowd he's another person performing on another plane. James Brown leaps & yelps, Michael Jackson's dance moves - plus that guitar - made Prince a total one-off & the main purpose of the film is most adequately satisfied. Even 20+ years on it is still a marvel to behold.
The extras on the DVD follow pretty much the standard fare with some talking heads discussing the movie, & a rather dated MTV piece covering the film's premier which is of little interest. The rest of the disc is made up of the videos for alll the tracks released as singles. The best of the lot, surprisingly, is the one for Apollonia 6's single "Sex Shooter" which is delightfully silly but at least doesn't rely on the film for most of its footage. The rest falll evenly into those designed to advertise the film, with "When Doves Cry" topping the bill acting as a 3 & a half minute trailer in itself, & live performances. There are a couple of these & the extended jam session that is "I Would Die For U" is the most enjoyable, featuring some blistering timables from Shiela E.
Overalll it's a wonderful advertisment for a brilliant live performer. It's not the greatest cinematic achievement in modern cinema but it still manages to hold your attention - although Jerome Benton is sorely underused - & once Prince hits the stage, the magic begins. For the price, it's worth the ride.
Purple Rain - By: Andrea M. Watt, 11 Nov 2007 I remember this movie from many years ago (watching it as a teenager) i loved the entire movie & of course the music, not only should you buy this dvd, you should also purchase the cd soundtrack, very beautiful lyrics...
Purple Rain remains one of the most contemporary and entertaining films of its decade - By: Jenny J.J.I., 29 Jun 2007 
This movie is soooo 80's & watching this last night had me dying while bringing back some fond memories. This semi-biographical tale of Prince's struggling to make it in the music industry is hit & miss throughout. For those who haven't already seen this; the film is reallly nothing more than a feature-length music video marking Prince's acting debut; he is essentiallly playing himself here, & is surprisingly charming. Prince is no actor...he mumbles his lines & resorts to melodrama in serious scenes...but his performance truly conveys a great deal of pain & conflict.
For a musician in his first role, he is actuallly quite good. Morris Day is a virtual scene-stealer; the "Time" leader plays, who else, Morris Day & his performance is inspired & funny. Prince's then-band mates Wendy & Lisa also shine as well as Apollonia who is adequate as The Kid's love interest. Clarence Williams III ("The Mod Squad") gives the best performance here as The Kid's father; his rage, confusion, & guilt truly come through in a brilliant performance, & his role should have been bigger.
"Purple Rain" is certainly an ego trip for its star. But Prince certainly deserves to have a big head because the music in "Purple Rain" is nothing less than awe-inspiring. He deservedly won an Oscar for his score, & the excitement of his live shows are truly on display here. The Time is also fun to watch; "Purple Rain" includes their performances of two of their biggest hits, "The Bird" & "Jungle Love."
"Purple Rain" is not without its imperfection. The film doesn't fully investigate The Kid's home life with the exception of a few throwaway scenes. Despite the charms of most of the performers, the acting is amateurish & often laughable. Despite its shortcomings, "Purple Rain" is a modern classic, the quintessential 80's picture. If you get a chance, rent or buy this DVD, the quality is great as well as the music.
if only...... - By: DarlingNikki, 24 Oct 2006 I wish the deleted scenes were in this release
its weird when u see them elsewhere, please please please include them in a future super fantastic edit Mr Nelson
thsnks
