Cinema Unwrapped: Purple Rain (4K)

With recently moving, and having to unpack our entire home media collection over the last few weeks, I decided that in 2025 I wanted to challenge myself to watch more movies that I have left unopened on my shelves over the years for a series entitled Cinema Unwrapped. Admittedly, I am cheating with this first installment as the 4K edition of Purple Rain has barely spent much time on my shelf as I just received it as a Christmas gift. But, when you enjoy one of your all-time favorite films in a new presentation that feels revelatory like this one does, it’s okay to bend a few rules and make this the first entry in this new Cinema Unwrapped series (and frankly, I have always wanted to write about Purple Rain).

Before I dive into the Purple Rain 4K release, I am just going to put this out there: whenever I’m asked to name the five people I consider to be the greatest artists of all-time, regardless of medium, Prince is someone who has always been at the top of my list. I am of a “certain age” so I was lucky to grow up at the time when Prince Rogers Nelson emerged as an innovative and provocative talent in the music industry, and I was raised on albums like Controversy and 1999 (I discovered his other early career albums during my teens).

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Of course, everything changed in 1984 when both the Purple Rain album and film were released during that summer. Almost instantaneously, Prince established himself as one of the greatest artists of all time, a monumental feat just 6 years into his professional career. Unless you were there at the time, it’s hard to even try to explain the impact that Purple Rain, film and album alike, had on the world. And on this writer, too.

I was absolutely obsessed and probably listened to my cassette 2-3 times a day for the entire month that the Purple Rain album was out ahead of the movie which followed just a month later. Thankfully, it wasn’t weird back in the ‘80s for parents to take their kids to R-rated movies and I vividly remember going on opening weekend and seeing Purple Rain on the big screen with my best friend and her parents. Admittedly, there was A LOT about the movie that went over my 6-year-old head, but all I knew during that first viewing was that I was watching something that had a special kind of energy to it that made it an immersive experience that pulled you in time and time again. And this energy is something that many other films of a similar ilk have tried to capture over time, but not one of them ever got close to creating the magic that Purple Rain does.

Which brings me to this 4K viewing. I was so ridiculously excited that Santa left this under my tree last holiday season because I’ve had to suspend buying movies for a myriad of reasons, but I desperately wanted this release. And Santa delivered big time.

Most people who know me know that I can get a bit fixated on movies that I love (one summer, I watched Terror in the Aisles once a day, five days a week — no joke), and Purple Rain is very much part of that club. To say I’ve seen it more than 100 times is not hyperbolic at all. So when I tell you that watching this 4K presentation of Purple Rain felt like I was watching it for the first time all over again, that means something. Because, holy shit.

To me, I feel like this version of Purple Rain is revelatory, as both the visuals popped in new ways and the sound here was just absolutely incredible (We have a decent sound system, so I can only imagine how mindblowing it must be to experience for those who have higher-end systems). I didn’t know when I was watching Purple Rain just how much work went into this presentation, but the efforts of all involved were well worth it because my jaw is still on the floor days later.

Apparently, Warner Bros. completely restored Purple Rain digitally from an 8K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative , and the picture was also conformed to the original theatrical release aspect ratio of 1.85:1 to provide the most authentic theatrical presentation framing ever to be released on home media (YES!). WB also restored Purple Rain’s audio from the original Dolby Stereo archived 35mm magnetic film source elements containing separate dialogue, music, and effects tracks. These restored elements, along with the 20th anniversary's 5.1 multi-channel print master, were used to complete a newly remastered 5.1 audio presentation as well.

Like, that is a lot work — but doing all of this in honor of Purple Rain’s 40th anniversary last year just makes sense because its impact on the worlds of music and film, as well as popular culture as a whole, is undeniable, and it deserves to be celebrated in grand fashion.

What really stood out to me during this viewing was how contemporary this 4K version of Purple Rain felt; sure, the clothing and aesthetics all scream “Early Eighties” and yet, the visuals look so crisp here, the film somehow feels contemporary despite all the earmarks of the era in which it was made. All the concert sequences practically pop off the screen in 4K and I loved how rich all the daytime outdoor scenes felt, too. Also, I know I’m not about to say something that probably hasn’t been discussed before, but this viewing made the visuals whenever “The Kid” is away from the trappings of First Avenue or his home life stand out even more this time around.

To me, these moments perfectly showcase the dual nature of the character of “The Kid.” Prince’s character is this stylish guy who commands any audience with an effortless sense of swagger, but he’s also someone who is constantly at odds with himself and the world around him. So, seeing this man who just oozes coolness and boundless charisma only being able to recenter himself when he can escape to nature makes for a really intriguing visual juxtaposition. And those moments are so gorgeous in 4K (especially the “When Doves Cry” montage).

Look, I could probably write another 3,000 words about how great Purple Rain is and why it still remains a singular pop culture sensation even after four decades, but instead, I’m going to highlight five things that I genuinely love and appreciate about the film.

1. It dared to take on the issue of men’s mental health at a time when the world just didn’t discuss the harmful effects of trauma. Considering this was less than 10 years after the official end of the Vietnam War, I think there’s something very profound about the way Purple Rain takes this issue straight-on, and never tries to romanticize the awful actions of some of the male characters here. Even when “The Kid” starts to follow the path of violence that his dad has been traveling in the film, Purple Rain doesn’t romanticize those moments at all, and we have to see Prince’s character come through that darkness and learn how to be a better person in the end, without ever dismissing the severity of his behavior either.
2. Morris Day. Morris Freaking Day. From the moment you see him, vacuuming his apartment in his boxers and hair wrap to the very end when he’s celebrating “The Kid’s” breakout moment, he’s really damn good and I think he should have been a bigger star (not to dismiss all he has done throughout his career). What I think is remarkable is that Morris does some truly despicable things in Purple Rain, and yet, you cannot help but still love his character anyway, which demonstrates Day’s undeniable star power. One day I’ll share my ridiculously weird Morris Day story about when we went to see him in 2016. It was wild but it was amazing in the end.
3. Speaking of standout performances, let’s talk about Clarence Williams III. When I watched Purple Rain throughout my childhood, I found his character to be downright terrifying. As an adult, there’s an inherent sadness to the character of “Father” (aka Francis L.) that really sticks with me and Williams III does a brilliant job of creating these dramatic layers for his deeply troubled character where he’s not just a villain in Purple Rain. There’s no excusing “Father’s” actions in the film, but its the sense of pathos that Clarence creates, especially later on in the film, that makes you understand that he’s flawed and struggling and he’s driven to do horrible things because he lacks a strong support system hits me so hard.
4. Prince’s sense of humor. What’s funny to me is that Prince very much feels like an artist who takes things very seriously — you can see this in the shared dynamic between his character in Purple Rain and the members of his band “The Revolution.” But in the film, Prince has some pretty funny bits too. Of course, the Lake Minnetonka scene is a standout moment but I also love these smaller moments where he often gives Apollonia the business (“Don’t get my seat wet”) and I also still find the scene with his tiny vampire puppet (that has one tiny tear on its face — is it a sad vampire?) where he uses the object as a shield against criticism from Wendy and Lisa to be so wonderfully offbeat.
5. The finale. Yeah, I’m not exactly offering up a moment of profundity here by highlighting the final concert sequence because it’s absolutely incredible, but the 4K presentation of Purple Rain somehow breathed new life into these scenes that truly made them feel like the electricity rippling throughout these final 12 minutes were almost tangible in a way. I still tear up every time “Purple Rain” starts but I love just how much of a celebration “I Would Die 4 U” and “Baby I’m a Star” both feel like, so much so that even when you’re sitting at home watching this, you want to get up and dance. It’s such a perfect way to end this story about this profound artist who is struggling to gain acceptance in a music climate that was more accepting of “formulaic entertainment,” and the energy showcased during these moments feels like the ultimate win, for Prince & The Revolution, and for us as viewers. That final shot of Prince looking back as the Purple Rain title fills the frame is just perfect.

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