| The Color Purple | | Cast : | Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey | | Director : | Steven Spielberg | | Studio : | Warner Studios | | Format : | Color, Widescreen, Closed-captioned, Dolby | | Released Date : | December 18, 1985 | | DVD Released Date : | September 14, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 02, 2005 | | Summary | Amazing; Simply Amazing | Content
 | The Color Purple was the greatest movie I have ever seen. The actors were stunningly real; the script was well-writing; and Whoopi Goldberg played her ASS off that part. I recommend it to anybody. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 24, 2005 | | Summary | Great movie for a book adaptation | Content
| Having read the book, I must say that the movie is pretty closely aligned to the story written by Alice Walker. Realizing that it is impossible to completely portray a book as a film (you can't show the character's thoughts, for example) this movie has grown to be one of my favorites since it was first released, and I was in junior high school.
The actors do an outstanding job depicting the characters with all their flaws, weaknesses and beauty. Even the more prominent men in the movie (Harpo, Mister) have another side--both seek the affection and approval of a father who withholds it.
Those who dislike the movie because of its portrayal of men, particulary African-American men, overlook the minor roles of Rev. Samuel, the missionary who adopts Celie's children; Buster,the boxer who dates and doesn't try to overrule the strong-willed Sophia; and even, Shug's husband,Grady, who (in the movie version) accepts Shug for who she is, knowing her past.
While I agree that Hollywood needs to promote many movies that depict African-American men in a positive light, that was not the purpose of this movie (or book). The story is about the women, who overcome disappointment, shame, low-self esteem and abuse to accept and love who they are, just as they are.
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| Rating | | | Date | May 20, 2005 | | Summary | Hindsight is 20/20...... | Content
| but all the controversy from the mid-1980s was undeserved. This is a great film.
Some critics said the movie is not lesboerotic enough. I finally read Alice Walker's book and while Celie clearly does not like men and only likes women, the book is not filled with lesbian activity. Thus, in the film when Margaret Avery and Whoopi Goldberg kiss while listening to jazz with a windchime in the air, I thought it was powerful and appropriate.
Can you believe that heterosexist naysayers played a role in preventing Oprah, Whoopi, Steven and many others from losing Oscars!?
Do see this film. It is just as powerful for women of color as "Joy Luck Club" or "Frida" is.
postscript:
Martin: Gina, I rented yo' favorite movie "Purple Rain"!
Gina: Martin! I said my favorite movie is "The Color Purple"! |
| Rating | | | Date | April 10, 2005 | | Summary | PLZ STOP THE WHINING THAT THIS FILM BASHES MEN (yawwwnnn) | Content
| This movie is completely flawless and one of the most moving films of all time.
I'm truly exhausted with the trite, insipid statements that this movie is man bashing, or even worse bashing on white people. Are you paying attention? Acknowledging the social realties the characters are living in? So what if YOU personally cannot find a "positive" man in the movie - also, what exactly does that mean? This film is about redemption and even forgiveness. The story is written by a woman and told by the point of view of a woman - it should be respected as being a REAL movie. One cannot be concerned with how a GROUP of people are being represented - a true artist must do what comes from the soul not being worried about positive representation for black men or white people. Anyone who thinks this film is bashing anyone is simply not paying attention.
This is a story about women, or more specifically, poor black women who do not have freedom. White women are able to fall back on their whiteness. Black men are able to fall back on their maleness. Black women suffer a double oppression especially in the days and times of the Color Purple.
Steven Spielberg did a magnificent job along with strikingly good performances from all of the actors - it all seemed they were born to play those roles. Every scene, image, line and sound was immaculate. In addition, the DVD is incredible explaining the making of the Color Purple with important interviews from the iconic Alice Walker. Everytime I watch this movie I see something new ........ and the best line from the movie is, "I'm poor, I'm black and I may even be ugly, BUT dear God .. i'm here, i'm here." |
| Rating | | | Date | April 01, 2005 | | Summary | Still my favorite movie of all time..... | Content
| I have watched this movie probably 25 times. It never ceases to move me. Move me to the point of tears. It is sad and beautiful. The acting is incredible. The art direction is flawless. Steven Spielberg translated Alice Walker's novel in a tender and respectful manner. It is difficult to watch. Absolutely. But this is written about black women from a different era than our own. This is written from the perspective of our lead character, Celie. Celie did not have a good life. Should Alice Walker have censored herself when she created the unsympathetic black male characters? She is a genius. I certainly wouldn't presume to dictate what a literary genius should and shouldn't write about. If you watch the movie from a perspective of wanting to better understand how life was experienced for some (ok, not all, but this is Celie's life) black women during that time period then watch it. Cry. Empathize. Understand. Grow. Are all German's Nazi's? Are all Native Americans drunks? Are all Polish people stupid? Insert ethnicity here..... No. Were all black men of that era bad? Of course not! One must assume a certain amount of intelligence on the part of the viewer to understand that this was an interpretation of a brilliant novel. Do you have to like every black character that is protrayed on screen? Why? Life for Celie wasn't rosy. This was HER life. Creativity springs from the artist's imagination and inspiration I believe at times, from God. The artists here, Alice Walker, Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey (I could go on to name the entire cast because they are all wonderful in this) do their finest work. Who am I to criticize the work of these artists? Who is anyone to do so? Writing a book, creating a movie, is personal. I suppose by its very creation it puts itself out there to be criticized but think hard before you do. If the movie does not move you maybe the artist's point is being missed. The blind eye sees only the stereotypes and condemns them and the movie with it. That is rather sad. This movie/book is deeper than a stereotype. Even though the characters are fictional, it felt as if I were being allowed to share something very private and personal. The movie changed me and brought me a deeper insight into so many issues. This was what life was like for the character Celie. These are the men she experienced in her life. Many of the characters are flawed. They are HUMAN. There is redemption for many of the characters. Celie's husband,"Mister", grows incredibly by the end of the film as does Shug's father. That is the beautiful part. Yes, this is a film about a black experience. But jerks, drunks, loose women, etc. come in every color unfortunately and there is usually a history that brings a person to turn out less-than-stellar. And the white characters?? Why, there is hardly a sympathetic one in the lot!!Why shy away from this when there is a deeper more uplifting story to tell? I thank Alice Walker for writing this book. I thank Steven Spielberg for making this movie. It changed me, I think for the better, by having been created. |
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