‘Purple Rain’, Prince’s Cult Film Turns 40
“‘Purple Rain’ has a freshness and maturity that most Hollywood films lack. It is a film that must be seen and one only hopes that it will be taken into consideration by the Hollywood industry. Every person who has had anything to do with this film has a special talent”: with these words the Chicago Tribune welcomed “Purple Rain” on the day of its release in US and UK cinemas, July 27, 1984.
“It’s also an example of the kind of filmmaking that works best,” the review continued, “a film that, despite its apparent hipness, seems to be sincere. Prince and director Albert Magnoli seem to have something to say.”
It’s been exactly 40 years since the release of “Purple Rain” and today the film can be considered a cult in all respects. The film, directed by Albert Magnoliwritten together with William Blinn and made in and around Minneapolis, marked the acting debut of the Minneapolis musician – at the time 26 years old – in the role of the protagonist, “The Kid”, a black singer who performs at the First Avenue nightclub but who risks being removed from the club’s lineup. Together with his band, the Revolution, “The Kid” competes for the available spot on the club’s stage along with two other bands. The musician falls in love with a promising singer and dancer, Apollonia (played by the beautiful Apollonia Kotero), but then discovers that she has joined the rival group Revolution: the disappointment in love is accompanied by domestic arguments between the mother and the father of “The Kid”, who attempts suicide.
“The Kid” is a stubborn and also a bit selfish guy: when the girls in his band make him listen to their demos, he promptly discards those songs, considering them not up to his. Until, one day, he puts his selfishness aside and, starting from a demo recorded by the girls, gives life to “Purple rain”, conquering the audience at First Avenue.
In the United States, “Purple Rain” grossed around $70 million at the time of its release: as of 2009, the film’s gross was estimated at around $140 million. In Italy, the film was released only on June 12, 1987, three years after its release in American and British theaters. The film’s soundtrack, containing previously unreleased songs by Prince, but also songs by Time, Ice Cream Castle and Apollonia 6, won an Oscar in 1985 and sold 15 million copies in the States and 25 million copies worldwide. Among the songs by Prince Also featured on the film’s soundtrack are “Take me with U”, “When doves cry”, “I would die 4 U” and “Purple rain”.
