Prince's 'Purple Rain' Reigns Supreme At The Box Office
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Fans paid tribute to Prince on Saturday by flocking to the theater to watch the 1984 film "Purple Rain."
CBS2's Greg Mills spoke to fans at one theater in Monterey Park.
It appears some places were also charging a 1984 admission. And the theater Mills spoke to fans, a ticket cost only $6.49. The 7:35 p.m. show, in their biggest theater, was 60 percent sold out three hours in advance.
Prince's reign clearly continues.
"Prince! Purple rain!," said Armando Elisario.
"Prince is at his best in that movie," said Heidi Hisha.
RELATED LINK: Theaters Around Southland Playing 'Purple Rain' As Homage To Prince
Eighty-seven AMC Theatres across the country are showing "Purple Rain." Other chains have announced similar plans.
"Went to Santa Monica looked for them there. They weren't there came over here, got them," said Elisario.
The AMC Theatre in Monterrey park is one of eight theaters in the southland showing the movie that helped launch Prince into superstardom.
"I tried other theaters and they were sold out," said Becky Chavez.
So Chavez of Pico Rivera, came to Monterey Park to buy five tickets for the 7:35 p.m. showing.
"We tried calling and couldn't get through because the call volume was too high. So we said let's go, were gonna go find these tickets" Chavez said.
She told Mills that she spent that money on a movie she already owns and has seen countless times.
"I've had it on VHS," she laughs, "I've had it on DVD."
But, fans say there is something special about Prince being seen again on a king-sized screen.
"I wanna feel the energy of the fans," said Hisha.
Not only were fans paying tribute to Prince by seeing the movie -- for one woman, she estimated for the 30th time -- others came and paid tribute to Prince wearing the color they know he loved.
Devonnee Wesley perhaps was more understated than most.
"I told my mom this morning I'm wearing all of my purple makeup until it runs out and then I'm gonna go buy some more," she said.
Her parents shared their love of Prince with her and when she was 13 shared this movie with her.
"It is my favorite movie of all time," she said.
But, unlike most these theatergoers, she is seeing it on the big screen for the first time -- no surprise since the year of her birth is closer to 1999 than 1984 when the movie debuted.
Prince won the Oscar for best original score. "Let's Go Crazy" and "When Doves Cry" -- both featured in the film -- became two of his most popular and successful songs, both going to number one. ("When Doves Cry" was the biggest hit of 1984.)
All of the fans agreed Prince left us all too soon.
It's a reminder said Hisha: "Life is short so you need to party like its 1999."
