What does it take to reboot a classic ‘80s film? You can follow in the footsteps of Creed and Fury Road and give the original formula a modern remix — or you can simply port the story over to West Africa and go from there. That’s the thinking behind Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai, a Purple Rain remake that brings the story of Prince’s semi-autobiographical 1984 film to Niger, with the country’s rollicking guitar scene standing in for the original’s Minneapolis R&B. (According to NPR, the title translates to “rain the color of blue with a little red in it†as the Tuareg language has no word for purple.) Directed by American ethnomusicologist and label executive Christopher Kirkley, the film stars Tuareg musician Mdou Moctar in the Prince role, and was funded partly through the help of Kickstarter donations; it’s currently touring film festivals in America and Europe. Despite the Purple One’s notoriously strict stance on copyright, Kirkley says that he’s managed to avoid any legal action so far. “We haven’t heard from Prince yet,†he tells NPR. “I’m hoping that if and when we do, it’s a positive experience.â€
Who Needs a Word for Purple?! The Nigerien Remake of Purple Rain Looks Great
