"Actor: Billy Sparks"

• Purple Rain | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £7.19   |  Saving you £11.80 (164.12%)   |  RRP £18.99

  While "rock musical" remains a phrase used by sadistic parents to give their offspring nightmares the genre does occasionally throw up the odd gem, Purple Rain being perhaps the shiniest example. Given the theatricality of Prince's stage shows, it was only a matter of time before the diminutive pop potentate found himself a big-screen vehicle but few could have predicted that Purple Rain would become nothing less than a cultural phenomenon. The story, co-written by one-time Starsky & Hutch scripter William Blinn, may be a somewhat hackneyed tale with His Purpleness overcoming a troubled background and musical rival Morris Day to achieve his dreams of rock stardom. However, the cast, which also includes Prince protegée Appollonia, rises above the clichés to hand in a set of performances which, while never likely to trouble the Oscars, prove that all concerned can at least play a rough approximation of themselves with minimal difficulty. What really helped push the film's box-office receipts through the roof, however, was its soundtrack featuring a clutch of hit singles--notably "When Doves Cry"--and which cemented our pint-sized hero's position as one of the globe's premiere performing artists. Sadly, subsequent attempts to re-bottle this particular brand of lightning with Under a Cherry Moon and Graffiti Moon would prove substantially less successful but Purple Rain still looks--and, more importantly sounds--rarely less than funktastic. --Clark Collis

• Purple Rain | Blu Ray | (13/02/2017) from £10.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  While "rock musical" remains a phrase used by sadistic parents to give their offspring nightmares the genre does occasionally throw up the odd gem, Purple Rain being perhaps the shiniest example. Given the theatricality of Prince's stage shows, it was only a matter of time before the diminutive pop potentate found himself a big-screen vehicle but few could have predicted that Purple Rain would become nothing less than a cultural phenomenon. The story, co-written by one-time Starsky & Hutch scripter William Blinn, may be a somewhat hackneyed tale with His Purpleness overcoming a troubled background and musical rival Morris Day to achieve his dreams of rock stardom. However, the cast, which also includes Prince protegée Appollonia, rises above the clichés to hand in a set of performances which, while never likely to trouble the Oscars, prove that all concerned can at least play a rough approximation of themselves with minimal difficulty. What really helped push the film's box-office receipts through the roof, however, was its soundtrack featuring a clutch of hit singles--notably "When Doves Cry"--and which cemented our pint-sized hero's position as one of the globe's premiere performing artists. Sadly, subsequent attempts to re-bottle this particular brand of lightning with Under a Cherry Moon and Graffiti Moon would prove substantially less successful but Purple Rain still looks--and, more importantly sounds--rarely less than funktastic. --Clark Collis

• Purple Rain (Two Disc Special Edition) | DVD | (18/10/2004) from £14.20   |  Saving you £-0.21 (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  While "rock musical" remains a phrase used by sadistic parents to give their offspring nightmares the genre does occasionally throw up the odd gem, Purple Rain being perhaps the shiniest example. Given the theatricality of Prince's stage shows, it was only a matter of time before the diminutive pop potentate found himself a big-screen vehicle but few could have predicted that Purple Rain would become nothing less than a cultural phenomenon. The story, co-written by one-time Starsky & Hutch scripter William Blinn, may be a somewhat hackneyed tale with His Purpleness overcoming a troubled background and musical rival Morris Day to achieve his dreams of rock stardom. However, the cast, which also includes Prince protegée Appollonia, rises above the clichés to hand in a set of performances which, while never likely to trouble the Oscars, prove that all concerned can at least play a rough approximation of themselves with minimal difficulty. What really helped push the film's box-office receipts through the roof, however, was its soundtrack featuring a clutch of hit singles--notably "When Doves Cry"--and which cemented our pint-sized hero's position as one of the globe's premiere performing artists. Sadly, subsequent attempts to re-bottle this particular brand of lightning with Under a Cherry Moon and Graffiti Moon would prove substantially less successful but Purple Rain still looks--and, more importantly sounds--rarely less than funktastic. --Clark Collis

• Prince (Boxset) | DVD | (05/06/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £30.99

  Purple Rain: The Special Edition (Dir. Albert Magnoli, 1984): Winner of Grammy and Academy Awards for its pulsating song score, 'Purple Rain' marks the electrifying movie debut of Prince as the Kid, a Minneapolis club musician as alienated as he is talented. The Kid struggles with a tumultuous homelife and his own smouldering anger while taking refuge in his music and his steamy love for sexy Apollonia Kotero. Under The Cherry Moon (Dir. Prince, 1986): Prince takes on his first...

• Various Artists - 80s Sensation | DVD | (21/03/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Track Listing: 1.Introduction 2.Flash For Fantasy - Billy Idol 3.Drive - The Cars 4.Only When You Leave - Spandau Ballet 5.Ice Cream Castles - The Time 6.People Are People - Depeche Mode 7.The Caterpillar - The Cure 8.Stay Up Late - Talking Heads 9.You Look Good To Me - Cherrelle 10.This World - Dream Academy 11.Reflex - Duran Duran 12.With All My Mights - The Sparks 13.I Send A Message - INXS 14.Some Like It Hot - Power Station 15.Why - Bronski Beat 16.The Edge Of Heaven - Wham 17.Don't Stop The dance - Bryan Ferry 18.Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood 19.Wouldn't It Be Good - Nick Kershaw 20.Mistake No. 3 - Culture Club 21.West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys 22.Roaring Rhythm - 80's Formation

• Chopper Chicks In Zombietown | DVD | (20/11/2000) from £12.98   |  Saving you £-7.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  With a title like Chopper Chicks in Zombietown, you'd be excused from any great expectations here--but you'd also be missing out on one of trash-cinema's great pleasures: catching one of Hollywoood's A-list in their pre-fame days. In this case, the catch is Billy Bob Thornton, in a brief appearance as one of the Chopper Chicks' ex-husbands. It may be a guilty pleasure, but seeing this good 'ol boy playing dumb-as-a-doorknob long before Sling Blade (or A Simple Plan) and paying his dues is still, however strangely, gratifying. As for the film itself, Chopper Chicks is no Hell Comes to Frogtown, but it comes with all of the Troma hallmarks. The requisite beheadings and low-grade effects are all present and correct, along with the so-bad-it's-really-bad dialogue (except for the occasional so-bad-it's-good one-liner). The acting is wooden, the story negligible (cycle sluts come to town, kill zombies, save a schoolbus full of blind kids), and even the appearances by Thornton and original MTV (US) VJ Martha Quinn provide only occasional relief. The DVD extras include a photo gallery of screen-stills and the original trailer. --Randy Silver