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Not rated. () |
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(742) |
241 |
2822 |
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(428) |
139 |
1630 |
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(314) |
102 |
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| Prince - Sign 'O' the Times (100%) |
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| Purple Rain (100%) |
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| Graffiti Bridge (100%) |
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Plot:
Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient) made her film debut swapping spit with Prince in this vanity piece directed by the rock legend himself. Prince plays a self-styled gigolo and musicia...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:August 6, 2008Although the movie is filmed in black and white and Prince's 1st attempt at such, I found this movie to be very entertaining and the script although somewhat "silly" still very enlightening. The life of a male call boy- I will be honest- If he was really a call boy - I am sure he wouldnt have to SCOUT for clients! Loved that Prince talked in this one ! A must see for all Prince Fans!!!!!!! Jerome was charming and added abit of 'Flair to the entire movie.
Kristin Scott Thomas was a sweetheart and alittle overwhelmed with playing oppisite of a star like Prince it seemed. All and all- a good movie to curl up and watch on a rainy night with your lover. -
MCT:January 25, 2008
Sandwiched between the massive hit Purple Rain in 1984 and the ho-hum sequel Graffiti Bridge in 1990 is Prince's "other film"--Under the Cherry Moon. I'm not completely convinced, but I'm pretty sure this film is the most derided of all three--with Purple Rain usually appreciated for the music, on a camp level and on a grudging acceptance of its pseudo-biopic nature and Graffiti Bridge often treated as a collection of performances again.
Honestly, after Graffiti Bridge, I was very, very wary of trying this one on for size. I thought I should space out my Prince-watching a bit further so as to avoid being annoyed simply by the oversaturation of films with his name that bore such middling (acting) performances and writing. I shrugged tonight, though, and stuck the disc in anyway. We're immediately greeted by a voiceover telling us this is Christopher Tracy (Prince himself) playing the piano in front of us at a club, and that he is quite a ladies man (a gigolo, really, and he's called just that a few times during the movie) and cares for only money, and that he would do many things for many women, but for one he would die (I'd thought I'd ruined the movie a while ago reading about it, but apparently this is one of those sort of films that "ruins" itself, thereby implying this isn't ruination in the first place--unless you manage to forget it before the end). We then see him seducing a wealthy woman in white from his piano, overplaying the part to an effect that, combined with the voiceover, hopefully makes the viewer realize where Prince is coming from with this film, which I'll get to after I sort of lay out the essence of the plot for you here. We find out that Christopher lives with his friend Tricky (Jerome Benton, who has occasionally been a member of The Time) and the two of them work over bored or distracted widows, wives and divorcees to get money, which they plan on using to get back to Miami--because this film is set in France. The appearance of one Mary Sharon (Kristin Scott Thomas, in a very early role before ones in things like The English Patient or Altman's Gosford Park or Four Weddings and a Funeral) brings something new to the whole proceeding though, with the two of them competing to gain her affection, splitting their own partnership apart even as they both attempt to start a more permanent one (read: marriage) with her. As you might expect, after a clashing of mindsets from the "peasant" Christopher and the thoroughly wealthy and spoiled Mary, the two find themselves falling for each other, against the wishes of her father Isaac (Steven Berkoff, always good as a villain with those cold, arched eyes and that steely, thin-lipped countenance--perhaps most memorable as Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop).
So, I referenced the idea that at the beginning we are told what kind of film this is. I established that, despite my affection for Prince's music, I do not fall easily into the trap of automatically liking his movies. However, once the film told me what was going on--this film is going to be a reference to silent and early film, and have a style melding that with modern sensibilities and dialects and Prince music, and it's going to be a comedy--I fell into it pretty throughly. The friendly chemistry between Prince and Benton is very engaging and entertaining, the two playing off each other wonderfully, and both playing off their victims--and Mary, their would-be victim--spectacularly. The timing is spot-on for all the comedy. If a joke falls flat, it's not too flat, and it's just not got that spark of complete surprise necessary for a true, full laugh (and I'm known to be quite picky about humour, so they may be just fine for you). Understanding all of that is important to watching this film. Every negative review I skimmed or read just before writing this sounded like they just wanted to beat up on Prince for being an egomaniac. OK, yes, he's an egomaniac. Maybe he's got a Napoleon complex (if you never realized he's about five foot nothing, bear in mind he's almost always wearing heels of some variety). Regardless, the man is talented. Sorry to all you pissy reviewers, but in fact that talent includes directing. Mary Lambert (she of the Pet Sematarys) was originally slated to helm this film, but Prince fired her, which he could do because it was filmed in France (aha! I knew that was important!) and kept her on only as "creative consultant." Strangely, I hear her name and think of the highly talented female director Mary Harron almost every time (sorry, Lambert is NOT highly talented from what I've seen)--which only became weirder when the lead female character is named "Mary Sharon." But I'm getting way off topic here.
People also criticize the strange pseudo-homoerotic element of Christopher and Tricky's relationship. Um, and...? So what? I really don't understand the fuss. Then again, I don't really understand the fuss over that in most contexts, so maybe I'm the wrong person to ask. It doesn't seem accidental, so the haughty, snotty reviewers acting like it's "slipping out" are just pushing even harder against my belief that they really didn't understand this movie. And really, it's not some massive amazing work of art, so that's not so much a pretentious cop-out rebuttal as an outright insult. You'd have to be pretty uncultured or stupid not to get this movie. You can like it or not like it, that's jim-dandy. But if you sit there and say that he's overacting and it's hilarious that it seems like there's "something going on"--you didn't get it. We're set up with a voiceover to tell us this is a fairy tale of sorts. That's the whole point. It's not reality, it's film, and it's not even supposed to be "realistic" (let alone cinema verité), so sneeringly pointing these things out makes you look like an idiot, like you think you uncovered a dirty secret that wasn't even a secret, nevermind dirty. I've seen an almost reverse appear--with Ebert talking about the "hidden satire" of Evil Dead 2. It's not hidden. It's the entire point.
This film is fun. It's in black and white not to "pompously" associate itself with Scorsese and Lynch as some fool said (what, they have a monopoly on choosing black and white now?!) but rather a way of further bringing it into the timeframe and setting it is intended to relate to. The cars and much of the dress furthers this, but naturally there are complete violations, usually perpetrated by Christopher and Tricky. But that's also intentional--they are a violation of the mandates and customs of the world we're seeing them barge into. Yeah, ok, Prince just has a weird sense of fashion, too, and yes, again, he's an egomaniac, but he's got something to back it up, unlike the goofball reviewers.
Ahem. Sorry. I've completely derailed myself here, but it really irritates me when criticism of a movie is so blatantly, ridiculously ignorant. And this one doesn't even take much. If it took a lot of background knowledge to understand what was going on here, I'd understand, but this is really very simple and it's all right out there. If you get your jollies poking holes in Prince's ego (he shuts down his own fansites, do you really think he gives a crap what some stupid reviewer says?) then--hey, have fun, but please try to have some ground to stand on. Sheesh. -
MCT:October 24, 2007Even though there are a few goofs involving the time period, UTCM is a forgotten classic. The humor is great, Prince gets to show off his decent acting skills and his cool costumes. And the music is fun too!
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MCT:October 10, 2007
In Prince's sophomore effort, he plays a gigolo on the French Riviera who falls for Kristen Scott Thomas(in her debut)and trades wits with his pal Jerome Benton(of The Time, but without the mirror).Although I loved the music, the movie is so so. directed by Prince himself.
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MCT:September 21, 2007
Not the best movie (a lot less enjoyable than Purple Rain), but Parade is a great album, Kiss is a great single and Sometimes it Snows in April is my favorite slower Prince song.
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MCT:September 8, 2007
Another not-so-hot attempt by Prince...but the Soundtrack is hot. The Soundtrack alone gets it an extra star.
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MCT:September 8, 2007
One of the most Awesome Movies Ever. Totally underrated and overlooked. This movie is funny, incredibly entertaining, and sexy. The clothes are killer and the soundtrack is second to none.
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MCT:August 22, 2007
Really captured that old black and white noir feel, while managing to be fresh (and hilarious) at the same time.
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MCT:August 7, 2007
oh my god one of my fav films cant remeber how many times ive seen it but wow tricky and prince are so goodddddddd
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MCT:May 1, 2007Prince being my favorite celebrity probably makes this my favorite movie. The black and white made it way unique for me when I first saw it in '87. Christopher T. is cool in his gigoloin'.
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MCT:April 28, 2007
One of Prince's best works. Love the movie, love the Soundtrack, adore the story. Wonderfully done!!
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MCT:April 26, 2007
I have always loved everything that Prince has ever done...he is truly a diamond that survived out of the dirt...
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MCT:April 25, 2007
As a standout moment I recall that the girl walking up the stairs whom Prince follows has an absolute peach of a bottom. Jerome is as usual class too.
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MCT:March 25, 2007
Almost got to watch it on vacation. If only he knew what it did to me, he wouldn't have asked me to change the channel. *sigh*
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MCT:December 16, 2006Prince's 2nd film, which is not as great as Purple Rain but still really cool with awesome songs and sexy Prince.
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MCT:October 18, 2006
This is actually a good film...If you like Prince and his music the soundtrack is amazing as well. The best bit tho has to be "wrek o stow" lol
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MCT:June 26, 2006
Great movie...made me cry! Christopher Tracy is a stud :)! Even a black and white movie grabs my attention.
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ravensnangelposted 443 days ago
