Review of Under the Cherry Moon (1986) by Aaron B — 23 Sep 2009

Sorry folks, I do dare to dredge this up from the 80's. I think I'd heard that this movie and David Bowie's "Absolute Beginners" were the two flicks that did in the musical genre in Hollywood. Heee! I unabashedly admit that I am a fan of both. A Big Fan. I'd like to think that I singlehandedly ruined an entire category in the movie industry, but the fact is I was simply singlehandedly supporting those two artists through what was apparently their least successful periods!

There's a dorky appeal to Prince's fey gigolo ways in this story, and I know that poor Kristin Scott Thomas had to endure his hammy overacting (she's since become such a respectably established star), but I really do get a kick out of watching Prince's and Jerome Benton's antics. It helps that it's not the testosterone-poisoned guy-BS that Prince has been wearing for the past few years. I just find this fun with a geeky little message in the middle.

Do not believe Prince when he says that "Graffiti Bridge" is "the purest thing I've done" or whatever crap he's plugged about his subsequent work. He got canned for "Under the Cherry Moon", but he showed he could laugh at himself here, and the style and orchestral arrangements really popped in this.