Prince: Sign O' the Times
Prince: Sign O' the Times
PG-13 | 20 November 1987 (USA)
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In 1987, to capitalize on his growing success in Europe, Prince toured extensively to promote the album of the same name and sales increased accordingly. However, the United States remained resistant to his latest album, and sales began to drop; it was at this point that Prince decided to film a live concert promoting the new material, for eventual distribution to theaters in America. Featuring the band that accompanied Prince on his 1987 Sign o' the Times Tour, including dancer Cat Glover, keyboardist Boni Boyer, bassist Levi Seacer, Jr., guitarist Miko Weaver, drummer Sheila E. and former member of The Revolution keyboardist Dr. Fink, the film sees the group perform live on stage (although "U Got the Look" is represented by its promotional music video).

Reviews
Colibel

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

WasAnnon

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Kidskycom

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

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Maidexpl

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

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denis888

Well, this is what Prince was the best at - making music, playing it and showing his awesome talents on stage. This is what he and his excellent band are doing here. The film is a large live promotion of the then new album, Sing O The Times. Not all best tracks have found their way to this release, but several great cuts are here and they shine, despite some overindulgence on longer solos and too twirly dances. Prince is great in front of the mike, and his pink guitar is his baby, weeping, screaming and singing at his will. The band is very competent, though there is a weaker spot when we are treated to a very nervous, rigid, wooden and terribly unfunky drum solo by usually excellent Sheila E. Well, not this time. The show is very nice, and the band works like a giant precise watch mechanism, displaying traces of true genius here and there. The absolute peak is reached at the very end when Prince starts The Cross - probably, his all-time greatest song with powerful text and mesmerizing melody. The full arrangement is a shiny triumph. 8 out of 10 Why so - there are some great songs being omitted (like, It), and then the film sometimes drags and dangles at places.

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GohiLabrie

I don't see how people could rate this film lowly. I think the "acting" is pretty great and the whole thing is very energetic. Sure Prince lip-syncs, but the performances are all very energetic.The only thing you can rate this movie on is the performance and the music... and I don't see how either of these fail to satisfy. This is one brilliant song after another.The only qualm I have is using the music video for U Got The Look instead of a live performance. Oh, and not including Strange Relationship. But really, it has all of the album's best songs like Housequake, If I Was Ur Girlfriend, Play In The Sunshine, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Oh, man that keys solo in the beginning is amazing). This movie is just fun all-around and perfect to see with a group of friends.(Damn, Shiela's fiiiine in this movie. =d)

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Vigilante-407

This is definitely my favorite Prince film, because I think this film of a concert (with filmed vignettes) really encapsulates the true power of the artist's performances. This is one of his best versions of the Revolution, with Sheila E on drums, and the enigmatic Cat on vocals and dancing. The music is powerful, if not as well known as many of his earlier hits during the 1999/Purple Rain era, and the staging is electric. Sheena Easton provides a highlight with the song "U Got the Look", but it was really kind of dissappointing, as it was the entire extended music video inserting into the concert continuity instead of a new performance.

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lil-pete

This live version of various tracks from arguably Prince's most ingenious work never fails to leave me gasping for air. If this isn't a good reason to give the diminunitive one's music a fair chance, I don't know what is. High points: The chilling title track, exploding into the eversunny Play In The Sunshine; the drop-dead dancing of Housequake; Charlie Parker's Now's the Time, which features fantastic jazz trumpeter Atlanta Bliss, red hot funkmeister Levi Seacer Jr.- with one of the sweetest bass solos this side of Larry Graham- and the PMT-busting Sheila E, wisely exploited here as one of the most exciting jazz and rock drummers around; the epic Forever in My Life with the class vocal-goddess that is the late boni boyer; and the jazztastic It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night featuring the hilarious "Table and the Chair" rap! Low points: pedantic, but the mis-matching film of Dr Fink's organ solo and the freeze-frame shot in Hot Thing really annoy me. but then that guitar sound makes up for it all. Watch this, and prepare to watch it again just to make sure that it really happened!

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