Ahead of April showers, Dolby and Warner Bros. Discovery is making it rain with a one-night only theatrical re-release of the iconic musical “Purple Rain.”
The legendary 1984 rock drama starred Prince in his film acting debut. Now, 40 years later, the feature will be back in theaters with a one-night only event March 5, exclusively at Dolby Cinema.
Prince stars as The Kid in “Purple Rain,” a young singer who is competing with a rival performer. In addition to leading the film, the late musician also composed and produced the score and original songs. Albert Magnolia directed the film; the soundtrack spent 24 consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard album chart and includes the song “When Doves Cry.”
“Purple Rain” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and the Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special. The film was re-released in AMC Theatres after Prince died in 2016.
Now, “Purple Rain” returns to the big screen with a re-release in Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. The film will be screened at Dolby Cinema at AMC Theatres locations in the U.S. and Dolby Cinema at ODEON locations in the U.K. for one night only on March 5.
“’Purple Rain’ reimagined in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for Dolby Cinema is a celebration of Prince’s genius and enduring legacy,” Jed Harmsen, Head of Cinema and Group Entertainment at Dolby, said in an official statement. “Devoted and new fans alike prepare to be exhilarated by an unforgettable and unparalleled performance from one of music’s greatest of all time.”
For the re-release, “Purple Rain” was completely restored digitally from an 8K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative (OCN). The digitally restored picture was color graded specifically for Dolby Vision. The film’s audio was also restored from the original Dolby Stereo tracks from over 40 years ago and, in conjunction with the 20th anniversary’s 5.1 multi-channel mix master, used to complete a faithfully remastered Dolby Atmos audio presentation.
As the release teases, “Fans will have the opportunity to fall in love with his royal badness all over again, while new generations can be introduced to his lasting influence in a stunning restoration that offers elevated visuals and transcendent audio.”
Moviegoers in the U.S. can purchase tickets here to see the film at Dolby Cinema at AMC locations.
SOURCE: Indie Wire
