Rock star Prince makes a spectacular feature film debut in this highly autobiographical blockbuster that won both an Oscar® and a Grammy®. Headstrong, vulnerable young musician The Kid (Prince) struggles with his own inner demons and with his alcoholic father who beats his mother. But the madness infects his music, fueling a sound that transforms the struggling young rocker into a star.

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Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Purple Rain offers a tremendous presentation that easily bests anything that came before it. The film was last released on Blu-Ray in 2016 with an upgraded disc that improved upon the older 2007 Blu-Ray disc from the early days of the format. It is worth noting that this release only comes with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray, so impressions on the level of improvement are based on previous releases. This new transfer is derived from a master restored digitally from an 8K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The picture has also been conformed to the original theatrical release aspect ratio of 1.85:1 to provide the most accurate theatrical presentation framing ever on home entertainment.

This transfer retains the vital natural film grain that resolves impeccably without being clumpy or unnatural. There does not appear to be any major digital tinkering on this transfer, so this disc is free of unsightly DNR, compression artifacts, and other encoding issues. There are a few scenes where the negative was missing and alternate footage needed to be used, resulting in a stumble in quality. This has always been an issue, and this 4K UHD release blends things the best even with some downturns. The ornate clothing, production design, and the environment are replete with awesome textural details that render without any issues. The production design such as the areas of the club and The Kid’s apartment with his parents is presented with a favorable amount of dimension and perfect clarity. Nearly every stop along the journey contains a wide array of subtle details that are visible for the first time ever on disc.

The implementation of HDR is one of the most fabulous aspects of this 4K presentation. This disc has more dazzling natural colors that bring out a great vibrancy in every environment. The HDR10 really gets the most out of the club environments with its lighting setups and distinct elements of the production. Black levels are fantastic, staying deep and inky with impeccable detail in corners of the club. The highlights are firmly defined with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Skin tones appear natural with terrific detail apparent on faces such as pores, makeup, and facial hair. Warner Bros. has finally released a transfer worthy of this classic on physical media.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and the original theatrical DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio that offers an unbelievable sonic experience. Similar to the video, the audio has been restored from the original Dolby Stereo (LCRS) archived 35mm magnetic film source elements containing the separate dialogue, music, and effects (DME) tracks. These restored elements along with the 20th anniversary’s 5.1 multi-channel print master were used to complete a newly remastered 5.1 presentation for the film.

The reason to tune in is for the iconic music, and no one will be disappointed by the new life injected into these tracks. Every banger flows through the room with unwavering fidelity. The dialogue is also emboldened by the refresh as it resonates with perfect clarity. The environmental flourishes and sound effects such as the motorcycle add a lot of great texture to this journey. The track does not go overboard with the low end activity, but it is tastefully applied enough to remind you it exists. Warner Bros. has done a standout job with the audio by appeasing purists and those who want immersive audio. A deep array of optional subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Albert Magnoli, producer Bob Cavallo, and cinematographer Don Thorin provide a commentary track in which the participants reminisce about their experiences on set, point out different small facets of the movie, provide behind-the-scenes details, and much more.

First Avenue – The Road Trip To Pop Royalty: A 12-minute featurette in which various musicians and creative figures delve into the history of the First Avenue club that helped launch Prince.

Music Videos

- “Let’s Go Crazy” (4:04)

- “Take Me With U” (4:52)

- “When Doves Cry” (5:57)

- “I Would Die 4 U/Baby I’m A Star” (17:55)

- “Purple Rain” (7:04)

- “Jungle Love” (3:26)

- “The Bird” (3:48)

- “Sex Shooter” (4:39)

Final Thoughts

Purple Rain is a musical classic that may not stand up as peerless storytelling, but it provides a serviceable enough narrative framework to get these timeless songs in your ears. Prince as our hero playing someone physically abusive does not completely work for us, but there is enough going on outside of these minor hiccups that we can overlook these small moments. We especially like the personality brought by Apollonia that lends some heart to a tonally confused endeavor. If you are a Prince fan, we cannot see you leaving disappointed. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has dropped a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a top-notch A/V presentation. Where it loses some points is in the decision to drop the Blu-Ray from the package, removing some nifty supplements that were previously included. It is great to have the film looking and sounding so good, but we wish this really was the “ultimate” presentation of the film. Highly Recommended

Purple Rain is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.