‘Purple Rain’ With Bill Simmons and Wesley Morris
August 27, 2024 · Purple Rain (1984) · Drama · Music · Romance · 2:00:53 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsPurple Rain — Purple (the color) because of how Apex Mountain-y Prince was in Purple Rain▶ 13:37
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsThe first 11 minutes of this movie - the opening sequence with 'Let's Go Crazy' and 'Jungle Love' performances▶ 30:31
Wesley MorrisThe moment during 'Jungle Love' where the dancers in the balcony start synchronized dancing - one guy starts, then the guy to his left, doing the arm thing▶ 35:45
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJohn Travolta — Discusses Warner Brothers wanting John Travolta instead of Prince, Prince wanting Gina Gershon for the girlfriend role, and the casting journey from Vanity to Gershon to Jennifer Beals to finally Apollonia▶ 1:32:10
Wesley MorrisLiza Minnelli — Explores how the movie would be different if Apollonia could actually act, suggests giving the role to a real actress like Liza Minnelli instead of 'just some beautiful woman'▶ 1:34:44
Hanks or Cruise
Bill SimmonsTom Cruise — Tom Cruise - says Cruise could at least give it a whirl, acknowledges Hanks as the kid would be weird▶ 1:41:33
Wesley MorrisTom Cruise — Reluctantly agrees with Cruise but emphasizes how inappropriate it would be to recast this role given the original performance▶ 1:41:54
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsSamuel L. Jackson — Sam Jackson as Billy the Club, could also work as Jerome or in multiple parts▶ 1:47:16
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsJerome is a valet; the kid and Jill the waitress had a thing; you'd get removed for masturbating in a hotel lobby; he'd keep the Modern Airs over Apollonia 6; Yankee Doodle Dandy was the first diss track▶ 1:47:57
Wesley MorrisJerome is classically a valet; the kid and Jill definitely had a relationship 100%; depends on the hotel for the masturbation question▶ 1:47:59
Best Double Feature
Wesley Morris8 Mile — Would go Graffiti Bridge for fun, 8 Mile for accuracy, but agrees 8 Mile must go first in the double feature▶ 1:51:10
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Bill SimmonsNever Get Married - the scene where the character delivers this advice instead of something profound▶ 1:53:43
Movies Referenced (27)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mile (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:51:07 |
| Moon (2009) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | ▶ 20:10 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 59:29 |
| King Kong (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris | ▶ 57:27 |
| Nope (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | ▶ 38:54 | |
| Smile (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 37:41 |
| Grease (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:41 |
| Shooter (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Wesley Morris | ▶ 1:09:00 |
| Sing (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Wesley Morris | ▶ 1:28:58 |
| Walk the Line (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:53 |
| A Hard Day's Night (1964) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:03 |
| A Star Is Born (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:55 |
Directors Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Lewis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:21 | |
| Albert Magnoli | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Purple Rain | ▶ 28:20 |
| Eric Covello | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Oblivion | ▶ 27:52 |
| Richard Lester | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Wesley Morris | A Hard Day's Night | ▶ 10:13 |
Actors Referenced (60)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Jackson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 23 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:23 | |
| Billy Sparks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris | Purple Rain | ▶ 48:33 |
| Jerome Benton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | Purple Rain, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | ▶ 34:16 |
| Jill Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris | Purple Rain | ▶ 32:59 |
| Morris Day | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | Purple Rain, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | ▶ 9:03 |
| The Beatles | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | ▶ 7:44 | |
| Eddie Murphy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris | The Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 3:21 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 1:41:24 |
| James Brown | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | The Blues Brothers, Django Unchained | ▶ 16:34 |
| Tony Romo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris | ▶ 1:36:32 | |
| Whitney Houston | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | The Bodyguard | ▶ 5:43 |
| Bill Cosby | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:50 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Gore | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:38:00 | |
| Andrew Cosby | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:50 | |
| William Blinn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Purple Rain | ▶ 28:03 |
| Ama Quao | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 43:55 | |
| Johnny Cash | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Walk the Line | ▶ 8:53 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Other Guys | ▶ 19:36 |