“The Color Purple” Hair Department Head Lawrence Davis on Capturing Iconic Characters in Flux
Director Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple, which builds on the legacy of Alice Walker’s original 1982 novel, Steven Spielberg’s 1985 drama, and the more recent Broadway musical, had the second-highest domestic opening of all time for a film released on Christmas day. Celebrating resilience in the face of trauma, racism, and tragedy, The Color Purple follows Celie Harris ...
“The Color Purple” Composer Kris Bowers on Creating a Melodic Symphony Fit for Celie’s Journey
Composer Kris Bowers didn’t have to read the script before saying yes to Blitz Bazawule’s emotionally captivating version of The Color Purple. He was already a fan of his work, particularly the director’s debut, The Burial of Kojo, and Beyoncé’s visual album Black is King. For this collaboration, early discussions focused on “being innovative musically” ...
“The Color Purple” Makeup Department Head Carol Rasheed Finds Music in Many Shades
Like its heroine, Celie (Fantasia Barrino), The Color Purple is a story that continually grows in boldness and beauty over time. Director Blitz Bazawule’s musical version of Alice Walker’s classic tale of hope and sisterhood is a vivid interpretation for a new generation. Makeup department head Carol Rasheed approached the film with a clear intention ...
Creating the World of “The Color Purple” With Production Designer Paul D. Austerberry & Set Decorator Larry Dias
For production designer Paul D. Austerberry and set decorator Larry Dias, The Color Purple was a challenge in grounding post-Antebellum South aesthetics with whimsical musical environments. Scouring every nook and cranny of Georgia, the town of Grantville provided seven shooting locations for director Blitz Bazawule’s retelling of the beloved story that follows Celie (Fantasia Barrino), ...
“The Color Purple” Editor Jon Poll on Finding the Rhythm of This Moving Adaptation
Editor Jon Poll knows comedy structure forward and backward, having worked on such classics as Meet the Parents, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. So, how did he wind up editing The Color Purple? The deeply dramatic musical, directed by Ghanian-born rapper-turned-Beyonce collaborator (Black is King) turned filmmaker Blitz Bazawule, ...
Best of 2023: How “The Color Purple” DP Dan Laustsen Made Visual Music
*It’s our annual “Best of the Year” look back at some of our favorite interviews from the year. This interview with “The Color Purple” cinematographer Dan Laustsen more than qualifies, and, with the film opening wide in theaters today, it feels like a fitting Christmas Day post. Happy Holidays! Danish cinematographer Dan Laustsen has been ...
Best of 2023: “The Color Purple” Costume Designer Francine Jamison-Tanchuck’s Stunning Creations
*It’s our annual “Best of the Year” look back at some of our favorite interviews from the year. This interview works doubly well as “The Color Purple” is in theaters today. Merry Christmas! There’s a famous line in Alice Walker’s 1982 novel The Color Purple that goes: “I think it pisses God off if you ...
“The Color Purple” Costume Designer Francine Jamison-Tanchuck’s Stunning Creations
There’s a famous line in Alice Walker’s 1982 novel The Color Purple that goes: “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.” It’s a message that even God can become annoyed when people overlook the wonderful things he creates. One such creation ...
How “The Color Purple” DP Dan Laustsen Made Visual Music
Danish cinematographer Dan Laustsen has been shooting movies for forty years, earning two Oscar nominations along the way for his contributions to Guillermo del Toro’s films The Shape of Water and Nightmare Alley. Director Blitz Bazawule, on the other hand, had never made a major Hollywood motion picture before helming The Color Purple (opening Dec. ...
Oprah Winfrey and Cast Present “The Color Purple” in First Public Screening
Oprah Winfrey, one of the power producers behind The Color Purple, joined stars Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and more as they presented the film in its first public screening at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on Thursday night. Winfrey and The Color Purple cast were emotional as they spoke about the ...
A New “The Color Purple” Trailer Unlocks an Unbreakable Bond Between Sisters
A brand new trailer for director Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple has arrived, the musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning 1982 novel which boasts a trio of super-producers—Oprah Winfrey, Quincey Jones, and Steven Spielberg. Spielberg directed the original The Color Purple adaptation back in 1985, which co-starred Winfrey. Bazawule’s musical adaptation is centered on Celie—played in her ...
