Graffiti Bridge (1990)

[paultab 225]

I know it's not a Halloween movie, but I can't believe it hasn't been suggested, because Prince's Graffiti Bridge is just fucking bananas.

 

It's the sequel to Purple Rain, but whereas Purple Rain had the benefit of professional filmmakers helming the writing and direction, Graffiti Bridge is an auteur project. Without a doubt it's the weirdest presentation of some of the best music you'll ever hear. Every time Morris and Jerome from the Time interact, it's pure gold. I watched it about a million times when I was a kid, both because it's incredibly compelling musically and because the emotional torrent of it is exactly what going through puberty is like.

 

Even if you don't do an episode on this, you HAVE to see this movie. Cool As Ice wishes it could be this insane.

 

http://www.youtube.com/XjpM46Plwps

 

(ETA: Nominated for FIVE RAZZIES.)

 

(EATA: There is a five-star Amazon review entitled "GREATFITTI BRIDGE.")

[choochoo_the_wonder_slut 740]

Sequel to Purple Rain. Nominated for five Razzies including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Prince), Worst Director (Prince), Worst Screenplay (Prince) and Worst New Star (Ingrid Chavez). The guest suggestion is of course Scott Aukerman, the original Princehead.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIvPmwse0Iw

[choochoo_the_wonder_slut 740]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqNRT6yOaZg

[PhillipMedoc 648]

Why not Purple Rain? It's a better known film, more available, legit good music, but it's also pretty bonkers. I'll never forget Morris Day tossing his girlfriend in a dumpster and then SCENE, like that was totally a cool thing.

[choochoo_the_wonder_slut 740]

Well, Purple Rain is actually considered a good film by a lot of people, whereas this was universally panned. Here's the plot breakdown from wikipedia:

 

The plot re-joins Purple Rain's lead character The Kid (Prince), 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.

 

Anything involving a 1990 music battle to resolve a $10,000 debt has to be funny right?

 

Plus look at Prince in this film:

[PhillipMedoc 648]

I confess I've only seen it maybe 0.5 times, a long time ago. That's the one where he stands around on a literal graffiti bridge a bunch, right? That's the only part of it I remember.

 

Funny off-topic bit: I used to work in a music instrument shop for a number of years. You'd get a lot of interesting stories from customers who were session musicians or whatever down in LA during the 80s. One guy was a guitarist who was in the recording session for Sign O The Times. Anyways, they were outside the studio, playing basketball, waiting for The Artist About To Be Formerly Known As to track some vocals. Prince finished and decided to play a pick-up game with these guys... while wearing his high heels. Because Prince is fucking short, right? And apparently dude was a great b-ball player, in heels. This customer even had a photo to prove it. Puts a smile on my face when I think of it.

[choochoo_the_wonder_slut 740]

I guess I need to ask; were there pancakes?

[paultab 225]

http://forum.earwolf.com/topic/8610-graffiti-bridge

 

I support this suggestion heartily.

[choochoo_the_wonder_slut 740]

Damn, I searched the title before posting, too. But I'm glad someone else agrees this shit is bonkers bad.

[paultab 225]

My favorite thing about this is that there's a 5-Star review for it called "GREATFITTI BRIDGE."

[KcBuoy 1]

I remembered even thinking this was lame as a 10 year old child, I'm glad a forum out there exists for one of the most insane films I've ever seen. I wonder if Prince just wanted a really awful sequel to make Purple Rain look that much better.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

"Glam Slam" sounds more like a place in the universe where THESE guys would be playing...

[WilliamT.Terrance 0]

I just watched Purple Rain and cannot buy that anything but the music makes that movie good, it is a trainwreck...I'm pretty sure Prince is older at the time than the actress playing his mom. Never saw Graffiti Bridge, but I think both aregreat candidates!

[Jillybean 104]

HUGE Prince fan here. I remember seeing "Graffiti Bridge" in the theater on opening day. I was beyond embarrassed for Prince. That super fake ambulance?! The choreography during "Tick, Tick, Bang"?! Oh boy.

 

I used to belong to a bad move group and one of their screenings was of "Purple Rain." Siskel and Ebert listed "Purple Rain" in their top ten movies of 1984. Funny how opinions differ. I don't think "Purple Rain" the movie is great (the soundtrack is), but it isn't terrible. "Graffiti Bridge," however, is absolutely terrible. So is "Under the Cherry Moon." UTCM isn't "Graffiti Bridge" level terrible, but it's pretty close. A vanity project that went terribly awry.

[RyanSz 3140]

After hearing Kevin Smith's story about working with Prince on what were to be Jehova Witness videos and that Prince has a whole archive of unreleased songs and music videos, I have to believe that he has the same for other batshit crazy movies starring himself.

[Blast Hardcheese 636]

I remember seeing this movie ages ago, and feeling really bad for Prince.

 

I seem to recall a scene where Prince rides a motorcycle onto the phoniest of phony-looking movie sets featuring a bridge (a Graffiti Bridge, natch!), fake foliage, runner water, and a painted background that all looked a hair above the quality usually reserved for high school plays.

 

I don't think I waited around to watch the end.

[PhilboRaggins 9]

Looks legit bonkers bro. Do it.

[FrancisRizzo3 212]

Watching this now. It needs the HDTGM treatment. It's so '90s it hurts.

[FrancisRizzo3 212]

Another bump for this beauty of a bad movie. Let's cross this bridge, folks!