If you saw Purple Rain there’s on thing you have to agree with – the movie was written entirely around Prince. No, maybe it wasn’t an entirely accurate account of Prince’s life, but the movie was a bit of a self-portrait. Talented musician struggling with emotional issues . . . Gee, wonder who that could be about?
Prince plays “The Kid” who is an up-and-coming musical talent
with some severe emotional issues. While Prince’s character is named “The Kid” all the other characters are named after the real names of the actors and actresses who play the parts. It’s a Prince movie – you had to expect at least a little eccentricity.
If you haven’t watched Purple Rain lately, you may be surprised how dated it seems if you watch it again. Come on – you have to admit it – Purple Rain was typical 80s cheese. In all actuality Prince did indeed come up with the idea for the Purple Rain movie (although the version that came to be is a bit different than his original script).
The name Purple Rain had more to do with the 80s than just the Purple Rain movie. Purple Rain was also the title of Prince’s 1984 album and the title of one of the Album’s hit songs. Two other very popular songs on this 80s album included “Let’s Go Crazy” and “When Doves Cry.” Yes, the 80s wasn’t just having a “purple rain” – it was more like a purple flood.
So what’s the bottom line? Purple Rain will never be voted as a major motion-picture accomplishment and the actors probably won’t ever receive any awards for their acting skills, but it is an interesting way to spend two hours of your time. The music is great (if you like Prince’s music, that is) and the plot isn’t exactly original, but it does provide at least a little bit of insight into what made Prince the man he is today.
