Musicals are especially rich in American culture with a long tradition of making everyone feel good walking out of the theater. In that tradition, The Color Purple (2023) excels with robust songs and dance by its African-American cast and plentiful Black cultural history. In addition to reprising several bits from Steven Spielberg's memorable 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker's acclaimed novel, this version crackles with new talent while not slavishly imitating the original.
Not only do the women take center stage, in both benign and painful ways, but also the men are close to being stereotypes of the troublesome males whites have mistakenly generalized even to this day. The best examples of good v bad are in the characters of Celie (Fantasia Barrino) and Mister (Colman Domingo).
He has abused her, especially separating her from her beloved sister Nettie (Halle Bailey and Ciara) and enslaving her to everything in his house, reminiscent of the full-bore slavery only a few years before the 1910's. In the musical tradition, he may be rehabbed, but Domingo is such a fine actor (see him streaming in Rustin) that he will always be that abusive Mister. This film version of Marsha Norman's stage musical (2005) is starker than most in the musical genre but just as lyrical, maybe even more so.
The film's color is richly saturated, reminiscent of the startling brilliance of mid-20th century Hollywood's technicolor. However, director Blitz Bazawule and writer Marcus Gardley make sure we are not fooled because the frame is filled with bad guys until the denouement when the good guys dominate. Additionally, the bad ones are worse than most stock villains in the genre.
In a sense, the newest Purple reflects the world created by Steven Spielberg and Oprah with an uplifting outlook-the sisterhood is strong, for it can change Celie's future, and the men are maybe worse than the original's stock but redeemable. This iteration could be celebrated if for only the singing and dancing of Danielle Brown, Taraji P. Henson, and most of all, Fantasia Barrino.
Musicals this enjoyable should be seen on the big screen especially during the holiday seasons. Or whenever the musical genre offers superior adaptation.
Not only do the women take center stage, in both benign and painful ways, but also the men are close to being stereotypes of the troublesome males whites have mistakenly generalized even to this day. The best examples of good v bad are in the characters of Celie (Fantasia Barrino) and Mister (Colman Domingo).
He has abused her, especially separating her from her beloved sister Nettie (Halle Bailey and Ciara) and enslaving her to everything in his house, reminiscent of the full-bore slavery only a few years before the 1910's. In the musical tradition, he may be rehabbed, but Domingo is such a fine actor (see him streaming in Rustin) that he will always be that abusive Mister. This film version of Marsha Norman's stage musical (2005) is starker than most in the musical genre but just as lyrical, maybe even more so.
The film's color is richly saturated, reminiscent of the startling brilliance of mid-20th century Hollywood's technicolor. However, director Blitz Bazawule and writer Marcus Gardley make sure we are not fooled because the frame is filled with bad guys until the denouement when the good guys dominate. Additionally, the bad ones are worse than most stock villains in the genre.
In a sense, the newest Purple reflects the world created by Steven Spielberg and Oprah with an uplifting outlook-the sisterhood is strong, for it can change Celie's future, and the men are maybe worse than the original's stock but redeemable. This iteration could be celebrated if for only the singing and dancing of Danielle Brown, Taraji P. Henson, and most of all, Fantasia Barrino.
Musicals this enjoyable should be seen on the big screen especially during the holiday seasons. Or whenever the musical genre offers superior adaptation.