Purple rain

Long before he was the Artist Formally Known As…, Prince’s debut feature is a thinly disguised semi-autobiographical account of the rise of a Minneapolis musician called the Kid. ‘Purple Rain’s‘ threadbare plot mines familiar territory as it recounts The Kids struggle to break away from his destructive family and come into his own musically with his special brand of electronic rock. Throw in the obligatory romance with an aspiring singer (Apollonia Kotero) and a long standing feud with a rival band (Morris Day and The Time), and that pretty much sums it up. Where the film shines however is in its great concert sequences and the brilliant music score (Prince won an Oscar for his efforts) performed and provided by Prince and his band The Revolution. Cast also includes Morris Day, Olga Karlatos, Clarence Williams the third, Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Bobby Z, Matt Fink, Brown Mark and Jerome Benton. (Awards: 1985 Academy Award- Best Music, original Score Song- Prince)