As the calendar rolls into the festive season of 2023, movie enthusiasts and fans of the original book anticipate the arrival of a cinematic gem – the new movie adaptation of the beloved musical The Color Purple.
The highly anticipated release promises to captivate audiences with its powerful storytelling, exceptional cast, and a vibrant celebration of the human spirit.
The Color Purple started as an incredibly important book, and back in the ’80s, it was turned into an equally-as-meaningful movie. Years later, it found its way to Broadway as a musical (winning a Tony during its revival). Now, the musical version of the story is a movie once again.
Some will be unhappy to see that a large portion of the lesbian love story — which made this tale of particular interest to the LGBTQ community — has been removed from this version, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth seeing. For more of that, check out the other version of The Color Purple.
Before you head to theaters to see the film, let’s delve into everything you need to know.
What Is The Color Purple About?
The Color Purple is a poignant and emotionally charged tale that focuses on the life of Celie, an African American woman in the early twentieth century who has to endure incredible suffering, but who also finds love and happiness in unexpected places and ways.
Adapted from Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the story unfolds against a backdrop of racial and gender inequality, chronicling Celie’s journey from oppression to empowerment. With themes of sisterhood, love, and the enduring strength of the human spirit, The Color Purple is a timeless narrative that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide — and even find new people to reach as it continues to be adapted in new ways.
Leading the ensemble is the incomparable Fantasia Barrino, one of the former winners of American Idol. The Grammy-winning singer takes on the main role of Celie, and she does so beautifully. Alongside Barrino, the film also stars Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., and even the Little Mermaid herself, Halle Bailey.
When Is The Color Purple’s Release Date?
The musical film The Color Purple will officially be released to theaters nationwide on Christmas Day — December 25, 2023.
Where Is The Color Purple Streaming?
Since The Color Purple hasn’t even been released to theaters just yet, it doesn’t have a home on any streaming platform. Warner Bros. is the distributor, so chances are good it will land on HBO and Max.
Steven Spielberg’s 1985 movie is currently streaming on Max, and is available for purchase or rental through Vudu, iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon.
Who Worked On The Color Purple?
The Color Purple was directed by the brilliant Blitz Bazawule, a Ghanaian talent who is very much on the rise in Hollywood. He is perhaps best known for directing Beyoncé’s Black Is King, for which he earned a Grammy nomination.
The movie was produced by some of the top heavyweights in the entertainment industry, including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones — many of whom were involved in the original film as well. The movie’s screenplay was penned by Marcus Gardley.
Taste the wine, hear the band, and start celebrating. Cabaret is back on Broadway with unbridled decadence and immersive glory. Certain musicals are constructed so well that, even if they are cast with mediocre performances or if the production value is low, they still hold.
Cabaret stands as one of the indestructible.
This might explain why the original sixties production has been revived and reinvented so many times on both sides of the Atlantic. Those lucky enough to see it will likely recall Sam Mendes' stunning revival, first premiering at London's Donmar Warehouse in 1993 and later transferring in 1998 to the New York City landmark which was once the home of Studio 54. Both starred Alan Cumming.
Remember The Outsiders? Most gay men and straight women over forty will. This is partly because Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 movie featured all of the matinee hunks of the eighties: Rob Lowe, C. Thomas Howell, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, and Patrick Swayze.
Another reason? S.E. Hinton's young adult novel of the same name has been required reading in high schools around the country since it was released in 1967. Its popularity has soared over the last few years. BBC News has classified it as one of the top 100 most influential novels of all time.
If you wait long enough, your favorite recording artist will have a musical based on their catalog of songs. Neil Diamond, Huey Lewis, Michael Jackson, and The Who are currently represented on Broadway. Clearly theatrical pop is cash in the bank.
So it stands to reason that Alicia Keys would jump on the bandwagon for the semi-autobiographical musical Hell's Kitchen. Reviews were fairly solid, and plenty of buzz was generated when the jukebox tuner premiered at the end of last year at New York's Public Theater.
It didn't even complete its run in January before Keys, along with producers, announced a transfer to Broadway, where it opened in April.
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