Remembering Prince’s Lackluster Film ‘Under The Cherry Moon’
The late Prince Rogers Nelson, better known as Prince, is popular for the legacy he left behind in the form of iconic songs that prove just how talented he was and the films he starred in, box-office hits or not. He made his mark in the industry by making sure people didn’t just hear him sing but also appreciated his love for performance arts.
Legacy
There are countless songs by Prince that are still popular worldwide, some of which include Take Me With U, Baby I’m A Star, Thieves in the Temples, I Wanna Be Your Lover and Nothing Compares 2 U – the list can go on and on. Most of his fans would agree that Prince was born to be a singer, proven by his impressive collections of accolades. Judging from the numerous awards under his belt, there is no doubt that award-giving bodies hailed him one of the best among his contemporaries.
But that’s not all. He is also regarded as a legend in this industry after having sold more than 100 million copies of his albums, certainly not an easy feat for singers in their lifetime. In 2004, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. All in all, he was nothing short of a musical genius.
Taking On The Film Industry
On the film industry, meanwhile, Prince showed his acting prowess at his first starrer, “Purple Rain,” a romance drama film that was released in 1984. It is safe to say it was a huge success after it gained $68 million, well more than the movie’s budget of just $7 million. It was loosely based on his life and along with it was an album of the same title.
The same can’t be said of his second starrer, romance musical drama “Under the Cherry Moon,” Prince’s directorial debut. It proved to be a lackluster movie that tells the story of a piano artist who fell in love with an heiress on the French Riviera. It flopped, to say the least, with critics poking fun at the film and audience generally snubbing the handicraft.
Underwhelming Film
What his two films have in common is that, both had won him awards. However, “Under the Cherry Moon” garnered not-so-prestigious acclamations, ones that you don’t want to receive as a thespian. It gained a meek $10 million in the box office and received Razzie awards like Worst Actor, Worst Director, Worst Picture, and Worst Original Song.
Others say that the film had a cliche storyline and that Prince and on-screen partner Kristin Scott Thomas had a hard time making people believe of their characters’ supposed chemistry. Others simply found the singer’s character in the film, a gigolo named Christopher who prey on rich women, insufferable.
While others appreciate how the film tried its best in exuding first-class, upscale feels, it simply lacked deeper meaning. The film was black and white, supposedly emitting classic vibe, but eagle-eyed fans were quick to point some missed details in the “Under the Cherry Moon” that totally set the whole story back.
There were some eyebrow-raising, inconsistent details – for instance, it was set in the 1930s if it were the costume and the set are to be considered, but the mention of Sam Cooke confused the timeline altogether because the King of Soul peaked his career in the ‘50s through the ‘60s. In one scene, Christopher and his trusty pal Tricky, played by Jerome Benton, even brought out a boom box that was not popular until the ‘80s.
Praises
If there’s something good that came about this movie is that this paved the way for the leading lady to be noticed in show business. Thomas would later on star in another romantic film called “The English Patient,” where she was paired with Ralph Fiennes.
Still, fans of Prince praised the film’s musical performances, there’s no doubt the singer could sing the songs well, after all, he’s a singer first before trying his luck in acting. Others commend the comic acts between the two brothers in the movie.
One thing is for sure, his downfall didn’t stop the influential man from pursuing a career in this field as he starred in “Sign O’ The Times” and what was believed to be the sequel of “Purple Rain,” “Graffiti Bridge.”
More in Pop Culture
-
`
From School Labs to Chalkboards, 90’s Experiences That Don’t Exist in Schools Anymore
For someone who attended high school in the 90s or the early 2000s, the idea of stepping into today’s modern day...
November 30, 2024 -
`
History Of Furby, The Ultimate Electronic Pet
Furby, every 90’s child favorite robotic toy. Whether it was a hamster or an owl we still don’t know, but what...
November 30, 2024 -
`
Best Old-School Nintendo Games of All Times, Because Nostalgia Exists
Thirty-five years ago, Japanese brand Nintendo released a console which came to be a household necessity for gaming families – hence,...
November 30, 2024 -
`
Paul McCartney Returns to Abbey Road Studio 49 Years Later to Record a New Album
The Beatles are one of the most iconic bands of the century, and even those who aren’t fans of the musical group...
November 30, 2024 -
`
9th Year Anniversary of Paul Walker’s Death Celebrated With A Documentary
It has been 21 years now when the very first The Fast and the Furious film was actually released. Starring Vin Diesel,...
November 29, 2024 -
`
Sonic the Hedgehog and Space Invaders Enter World Video Game Hall of Fame!
When it comes to making a mark in the gaming world, there’s nothing better than joining the roster of classics in...
November 29, 2024 -
`
Check Out These Fast Food Chains’ Humble Beginnings
For so many decades now, United States has been known for having some of the most famous fast food chains in...
November 29, 2024 -
`
Female Artists Who Made a Mark in The Music Industry
Women empowerment has come a long way – especially in today’s music industry, where female musicians like Beyonce, Taylor Swift and...
November 29, 2024 -
`
These 80’s Inventions Changed the World Forever – No.5 Was Discovered Accidentally!
Can you imagine living in an era which does not have inventions like DNA fingerprinting, Microsoft Windows and Apple computers? That’s...
November 28, 2024
You must be logged in to post a comment Login