Tag: Purple Rain
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‘Streets of Fire’ Should Have Been the Biggest Rock Musical of the ’80s
No one was afraid of cinematic excess in the ’80s, and nothing says “cinematic excess” quite as perfectly as the rock musical, a sub-genre that took on all sorts of (rockin’ and rollin’ and just plain bitchin’) shapes in the decade that birthed everything from “Purple Rain” to “Flashdance” and “The Blues Brothers.”Buried amongst a…
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Entergalactic and the Untapped Potential of Adult Animation
Visual albums are great vehicles for bands and artists to promote their discography, using the songs from new releases to soundtrack feature length productions. This has resulted in some incredibly well done, artful and impactful projects such as Prince’s Purple Rain, Beyonce’s Black is King, and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. The most recent release of…
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Clarence Williams III, ‘The Mod Squad’ and ‘Purple Rain’ Star, Dies at 81
Clarence Williams III, an actor known for portraying Linc Hayes on “The Mod Squad” and Prince’s father in “Purple Rain,” died on June 4. He was 81.Williams’ management confirmed his death to Variety, citing the cause as colon cancer.Williams broke through in 1968 as one of the stars of the counterculture cop show “The Mod…
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‘Coming 2 America’: How Director Craig Brewer Justifies Telling Black Stories as a White Filmmaker
Craig Brewer is a white filmmaker not unaccustomed to Black-centered stories. Barring his 2000 indie debut, “The Poor & Hungry,” and his 2011 “Footloose” remake, his films predominantly feature African-American protagonists. Brewer based his Memphis-set Southern rap drama “Hustle & Flow” on his friendships with hip-hop artists Al Kapone, Juicy J, and DJ Paul. (John…
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William Blinn, ‘Starsky & Hutch’ Creator and ‘Purple Rain’ Writer, Dies at 83
William Blinn, a longtime writer responsible for “Purple Rain” and “Starsky & Hutch,” died on Thursday. He was 83.Blinn passed away due to natural causes at an assisted living facility in Burbank, his daughter, Anneliese Johnson, told multiple media outlets.Blinn enjoyed a four-decade career where, along with penning the script for the Prince-starring film, he…
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At the Amazing 1984 Box Office, Movies Like ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Gremlins’ Grew into Blockbusters
Not considered a seminal year in Hollywood history, 1984 delivered an amazing number of iconic American films. Here’s a sampling of movies that still resonate today: “Beverly Hills Cop,” “The Karate Kid,” “Footloose,” “Purple Rain,” “The Terminator,” “Scarface,” “Romancing the Stone,” “Police Academy,” “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stop Making Sense,” “Stranger Than Paradise,” and “A…
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The 7 Best Movies New to Netflix in February 2020
There’s no shortage of great movies coming to Netflix in February 2020, as the streaming giant’s typically eclectic release slate runs the gamut from recent favorites like “Good Time” and “Anna Karenina” to unimpeachable ’90s classics like “Jerry Maguire” and “Starship Troopers.” And while Netflix’s library of older films continues to dry up, the addition…
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National Film Registry Adds ‘Clerks’, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, ‘Purple Rain’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’ & More
Another year has almost come to a close, and that means it’s time for the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress to add 25 more movies to their archive that protects and preserves “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films.” This year, there seems to be a concerted effort to better represent a more…
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‘Purple Rain,’ ‘Clerks, ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ Added to National Film Registry
“Purple Rain,” “Clerks,” “She’s Gotta Have It,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Amadeus,” “Sleeping Beauty,””Boys Don’t Cry” and “The Last Waltz” are among this year’s additions to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.The list also includes 1944’s “Gaslight,” starring Ingrid Bergman in an Oscar-winning performance; the 1955 film noir “The Phenix City Story,” based…
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‘Purple Rain,’ ‘Amadeus,’ ‘Boys Don’t Cry,’ ‘Clerks’ Enter National Film Registry
Purple Rain, Amadeus, She’s Gotta Have It and Clerks — this year’s biggest public vote-getter — plus seven films directed by women, including Boys Don’t Cry, are among the latest cinematic treasures chosen for the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, it was announced Wednesday.The list of 25 films picked to be preserved for future…