Music Legend Prince Will Be Remembered for His Movies Too

Although you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who'll argue with you if you say that Prince was one of the best musical artists of the 20th century, not very many would put him on a list of the century's best filmmakers or actors. Yet his debut as a leading man at the movies, 1984's Purple Rain, stands as one of most memorable music films of all time.

Prince was already a very popular pop star even before the release of Purple Rain and its soundtrack album, but the songs from the film - including the exuberant "Let's Go Crazy" and the moody title track - took his career into the stratosphere. The visual style of the film captured the flashy fantasy of Prince's world, and the movie's metaphoric fairy tale of a story only loosely resembled Prince's own life and his real hometown, the city of Minneapolis. Instead, the story and the setting were a backdrop for his music and showmanship, and they worked beautifully together.

Prince tried to follow up the success of Purple Rain - with 1986's Under the Cherry Moon and 1990's Graffiti Bridge - but he never managed to get the lightning back in the bottle. No matter, Purple Rain had made its mark, and Prince's legend was assured.

Prince died on Thursday at his home in suburban Minneapolis. He was 57 years old.