Graffiti Bridge (film)
| Graffiti Bridge | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Prince |
| Produced by |
Randy Phillips Arnold Stiefel |
| Written by | Prince |
| Starring |
Prince Ingrid Chavez Morris Day |
| Music by | Prince |
| Cinematography | Bill Butler |
| Edited by |
Conrad Gonzalez Rebecca Ross |
Production company |
Paisley Park Films |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4.6 million |
Graffiti Bridge is a 1990 American rock musical drama film written by, directed by, and starring Prince in his final film role. It is the sequel to his 1984 film, Purple Rain. Like its predecessor, it was accompanied by a soundtrack album of the same name.[2]
Plot
The plot re-joins The Kid, in his future life as a performer and club owner. Morris (Morris Day), his rival from Purple Rain, returns as co-owner of The Kid's club, Glam Slam, as well as several others in the area, including his mainstay, Pandemonium. The Kid is forced into paying Morris $10,000 so Morris can pay off the mayor; The Kid in turn can keep co-ownership of his club. Losing clientele, The Kid challenges Morris to a music battle for ownership of Glam Slam.
Cast
- Prince as The Kid
- Ingrid Chavez as Aura
- Morris Day as Himself
- Jerome Benton as Jerome
- George Clinton as Himself
- Tevin Campbell as Tevin
- Mavis Staples as Melody Cool
- The Time as themselves
- Elisa Fiorillo as Aura's singing voice (uncredited)
Production
According to Terry Lewis, the film was originally a vehicle for The Time, but "in the end the story got lost and it became a Prince picture. But that was cool. I think our rapport with Prince is better now than it's ever been, because there's a mutual respect in the air… Plus we got to hang out for six months on somebody else's budget." Morris Day explained: "A sequel to Purple Rain is what it ended up being. And the role that The Time plays is, well, crooks. In Purple Rain we were small time crooks and now we've graduated to the big time. We own and control this area called Seven Corners – which is really four corners and four clubs – and everyone answers to us. It's really about the rivalry between us and The Kid (Prince), who is the picked-on, felt-sorry-for hero. But in the end he gets the girl and he beats us with a ballad. He changes our hearts and minds and makes us into good, church-going individuals with a song [laughs]."[3]
Soundtrack
Reception
The film was nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Prince), Worst Director (Prince), Worst Screenplay (Prince), and Worst New Star (Ingrid Chavez).
Despite media hype of it being the sequel to the massively successful Purple Rain, it was a commercial and critical failure and was included on several Worst-of-1990 movie lists. Graffiti Bridge currently holds a 13% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 23 reviews.
The corresponding original soundtrack on the other hand, received modest reviews.
The title "Graffiti Bridge" comes from a now torn-down bridge located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The bridge was torn down in the early 1990s to make way for new construction,[4] but to this day remains a local legend.
References
- ↑ "GRAFFITI BRIDGE (15)". British Board of Film Classification. December 10, 1990. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- ↑ The Washington Post
- ↑ Select, December 1990
- ↑ The New York Times, Lovers of Graffiti Rally To Save an Old Bridge, The New York Times, February 25, 1990.
External links
- Graffiti Bridge at the Internet Movie Database
- Graffiti Bridge at Rotten Tomatoes
- Graffiti Bridge at Box Office Mojo
