How could one describe the timeless story of The Color Purple? A story about struggles, adversities, power, love and, ultimately, forgiveness? A story about a marginalized and abused woman gaining her voice and learning to enjoy life? Three women sharing an unbreakable bond of friendships as they each embark on their journeys of self-love? The correct answer is all of the above. The more important question is how do you turn a depressing yet powerful story like The Color Purple into a musical film? Taking inspiration from Alice Walker’s original novel, Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation, and the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical itself, director Blitz Bazawule (co-director of Beyoncé’s Black is King) finds a way. Coming home on 4K UHD and Digital, Bazawule’s vision, billed as a “bold new take on the beloved classic,” is a stirring, rhythmic adaptation with great performances and a terrific soundtrack.

For a spoiler-free exploration of The Color Purple, head over to EoM Contributor Gabe Lapalombella’s theatrical release review. Moving forward, there will be no hesitation to discuss specific elements of the film.

L-R: Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young Celie and Halle Bailey as Young Nettie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ bold new take on a classic, THE COLOR PURPLE, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

When comparing this musical vision with the original, there is much improved upon Spielberg’s original masterpiece with casting alone. Fantasia Barrino (American Idol) is a natural talent as Celie (Barrino in his first big screen debut), carrying a nuance of vulnerability and shyness that mirrors Whoopie Goldberg’s (The Color Purple; Jumpin’ Jack Flash) original revelatory performance scene-by-scene. Danielle Brooks (Clemency) takes the classic role of Ms. Sofia and makes it her own, taking the baton from Oprah Winfrey’s (The Color Purple; Selma) groundbreaking turn and churning out the best performance in the film. Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures; Four Brothers), however, reveals herself to be the film’s secret weapon; her charismatic performance as the sultry Shug Avery (taking the baton from Margaret Avery (The Color Purple; Is That Black Enough for You?!?)) is the perfect bow on this primary trifecta. Colman Domingo (Rustin), who is usually a fine actor, seems a bit out of place as the would-be tyrannical Albert “Mister” Johnson. Instead of exhibiting a terrifying presence akin to Danny Glover’s (The Color Purple; Lethal Weapon series) original performance, Domingo portrays Mister as a pathetic, wife-beating schmuck. If anything, this is the film’s only misstep with casting. Corey Hawkins (Kong: Skull Island), Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid), Louis Gossett Jr. (Iron Eagle), as well as other great talent round out the supporting cast. Casting aside, the flow of Bazawule’s film can be jarring at first. Important and memorable plot points (Mister splitting up Celie and Nettie, Sofia and Harpo’s fallout) seem to rush through at breakneck pace. With a runtime of 141 minutes, this is all by design. Bazawule leaves room for the musical numbers, lining up each tune with each major plot point up until the moment we are at the film’s final musical number and we relive the beautiful reunion between Celie and Nettie and everything feels dynamically cyclical. It’s a sad, depressing world with a somewhat happy ending, largely in part to the great songs that mold this film’s soundtrack.

L-R: Director Blitz Bazawule and Colman Domingo on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ bold new take on a classic, THE COLOR PURPLE, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Eli Ade. © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

As the film itself may be a great bold vision and the sunlight, natural or artificial, is beautiful in the film’s updated 4K release, there is much to be desired in other places of the film’s 4K presentation. Specifically, the colors seem oddly drenched in most scenes, the details are there but the color somewhat isn’t. While the contrast is visible with the elegant and vibrant costume design, the colors don’t pop as much as they should. Whether this is a result of how the viewer chooses to watch the feature (I viewed this feature on both Google Play and the Movies Anywhere platforms) or if it’s like this on both physical and digital, it’s hard to say. On the supplemental side, there are a few great featurettes dissecting the making of the film, but there’s not much else. One would hope for an audio commentary, theatrical trailers, or deleted scenes/bloopers — this release has none.

L-R: Fantasia Barrino as Celie and Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery in Warner Bros. Pictures’ bold new take on a classic, THE COLOR PURPLE, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Ser Baffo. © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

That doesn’t mean that the short featurettes aren’t a joy to watch. In the featurette “Creating the Color Purple,” we look into the journey of Blitz Bazawule combining the worlds of “Color Purple: The Film” and “Color Purple: The Musical” for the big screen. Steven Spielberg appears and speaks with Oprah about the choice to let his vision go and pass the baton to Bazawule to bring his vibrant reimagining to a new audience. In “Hell Yes!,” we take a look into Bazawule’s casting process and why he chose each actor to play their respective roles. While discussing the role of Mister, Colman Domingo mentions how he and Bazawule discussed the possibility of humanizing Mister as a pathetic product of his oppressive environment (a decision that shamelessly made me shake my fist at the TV). There’s also a cute moment where we see a zoom call between Oprah and Danielle Brooks in which Oprah lovingly gives Danielle praise on her original screen test for the role of Sofia. The featurette “In the Flow” shares the process behind the music of the film and “A Story for Me” reflects on the legacy of the original film and how the film’s themes of racism, oppression, and feminism still resonate with audiences today. Even Alice Walker herself makes an appearance and speaks on the continuing power that her original story still has. While the 4K presentation may leave film purists wanting more, these featurettes may prove as satisfactory supplemental material for this updated contemporary vision.

The Color Purple Special Features:

• Creating The Color Purple: A Bold New Take on the Beloved Classic – Join the director, Blitz Bazawule, filmmakers and cast on their high-stakes, high intensity, heart-stopping, and awe-inspiring odyssey to bring Alice Walker’s beloved novel to life.
• Hell Yes! The Iconic Characters of The Color Purple – The cast, producer Oprah Winfrey, and director Blitz Bazawule explore the characters – their personalities and intricate interpersonal dynamics, as well as their relatability and lasting impact – and how the actors connected and grew as performers.
• In The Flow: Creating The Color Purple’s Biggest Musical Moments – Rehearsal footage reveals what it took director Blitz Bazawule, producer Scott Sanders, Quincy Jones, the cast, and the music team to push through the stumbles and missteps and hone all the rough edges to get each musical number exactly right.
• A Story For Me: The Legacy of The Color Purple – The cast and filmmakers discuss the importance of Alice Walker’s novel – its timelessness and how it has touched so many, from book to landmark 1985 film to 2005 Broadway musical – and what it means for them to be a part of this bold new film.

Available on digital January 16^th, 2024.
Available on Max February 16^th, 2024.
Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD March 12^th, 2024.

For more information, head to the official Warner Bros. Pictures The Color Purple webpage.

Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Recommendation

Tags: adaptation, Alice Walker, Allee Willis, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Blitz Bazawule, Brenda Russell, Ciara, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Danielle Brooks, David Alan Grier, Deon Cole, drama, family, Fantasia Barrino, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, home release, home video, Jon Batiste, Louis Gossett Jr., Marcus Gardley, Marsha Norman, musical, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Stephen Bray, streaming, Taraji P. Henson, The Color Purple, Warner Bros. Pictures