On this day in 1984, Prince’s iconic film Purple Rain debuted in theaters

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Rock singer Prince performs at the Orange Bowl during his Purple Rain tour in Miami, Fla., April 7, 1985. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)
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On this day in 1984, Prince’s iconic film Purple Rain debuted in theaters. The movie centers on a young Minneapolis native named The Kid, whose talented skills are rivaled only by a growing arrogance. As he spirals to fame, the singer deals with an abusive father and a love interest played by Apollonia Kotero. Musical duo Wendy & Lisa and The Time are also featured in the film.

Purple Rain grossed more than $80 million and garnered a huge cult following. Prince’s musical talents were also showcased throughout the movie in a number of prolonged concert scenes.

In addition to breaking the mold cinematically with its non-commercial aesthetics, Purple Rain also spawned several monster chart hits, including “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain” and “Let’s Go Crazy.” Both critics and audiences heralded the unique soundtrack, which sold more than 20 million worldwide.


Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.

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