I use this page to keep notes about the Prince documentary that Netflix is due to put out (hopefully soon!).
Thanks to Sasha Weiss of The New York Times for the awesome article on the Prince doc including her interview with director Ezra Edelman.
And thanks to my sister Elizabeth Kelly for first pointing out Sasha’s article!
Here is what I know:
Who’s directing the doc?
The director is Ezra Edelman (known for “O.J.: Made in America” (2016), “Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals” (2010) and “Brooklyn Dodgers: The Ghosts of Flatbush” (2007).
What’s the name of the Prince doc?
I have no idea. 🙂
Will it be a documentary or docuseries?
If the rumored 9 hour length is accurate, then the Prince doc will, of course, be a docuseries.
Edelman’s OJ: Made in America was 5 parts at 9 minutes each (7 hours & 47 minutes total).
Though, with Netflix involved, Edelman could choose to make it more like “The Last Dance” (Michael Jordan). That documentary series consists of 10 episodes of 48 to 50 minutes long
My best guess is that it’s going to be 6 to 10 episodes.
This will be awesome!
How to Watch the Prince Documentary?
Netflix will be putting the doc out. They’ve had the rights to it since 2018.
What’s the release date?
It’s being held up right now (see below).
But, if I was a betting man, I’d bet Netflix will release it in 2025.
What’s holding it up?
It appears that Prince’s Estate is holding up the documentary because they’re not happy with some parts of it.
Here’s a press release from Prince’s Estate (that came out shortly after the New York Times article)
“Those with the responsibility of carrying out Prince’s wishes shall honor his creativity and genius…” “We are working to resolve matters concerning the documentary so that his story may be told in a way that is factually correct and does not mischaracterize or sensationalize his life. We look forward to continuing to share Prince’s gifts and celebrate his profound and lasting impact on the world.”
Primary Wave Music and Prince Legacy, two companies with ties to Prince’s assets (source: The Hollywood Reporter on September 9, 2024)
Technically, Netflix and Edelman could put the Prince documentary out any time, according to Puck and other news sources.
But they need one final blessing by Prince’s Estate:
The music.
That’s because according to copyright law the Estate must bless the “sync” of music to any video.
So Prince’s Estate has the leverage here.
How in depth is the new doc?
Obviously, the rumored 9 hour length suggests it’s gonna be deep.
I’m hearing crazy stories about how deep the research is for this doc.
For example, Jon Bream of the Minnesota Star Tribune (a music critic who wrote about Price) reports that Edelman “grilled” him for 6 hours and likely read “hundreds” of articles that Bream wrote about Prince.
What new things about Prince will we learn (from the documentary)?
For now, the NYT interview of Edelman is the best source of what might be in the Prince doc.
Here are the most interesting nuggets I found from the article:
“Why My Guitar Gently Weeps” cover was revenge against Rolling Stone
- Prince’s iconic 2004 “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” solo was an “act of revenge” against Rolling Stone Magazine for being omitted from its 100 Greatest Guitarists list
- He performed it at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, and Dhani Harrison
- The solo moment culminated in Prince tossing his guitar and confidently exiting stage, cementing it as a career highlight
The creation of “When Doves Cry”:
- Prince worked over a two-day marathon session with sound engineer Peggy McCreary.
- Prince filled the studio with layers of sound—guitars, keyboards, harmonizing vocals.
- He eventually made a bold decision to subtract key elements: “He took out the guitar solo; he took out the keyboard. And then his boldest, most heterodox move: He took out the bass.”
- Prince said, “Ain’t nobody gonna believe I did that,” showing his awareness of the impact of this choice.
Prince’s childhood violence and struggles:
- His sister, Tyka Nelson, shared that their father was violent, and his face would change when he hit their mother.
- Their father bestowed his stage name, “Prince,” onto him, both as a gift and a burden.
- Prince would sneak to play the piano, despite the risk of lashings, trying to surpass his father musically.
Violent encounter with Jill Jones:
- Jill Jones recounts a late-night visit in 1984 where Prince kissed her friend, leading to a jealous altercation where Jones slapped Prince.
- Prince responded by punching her in the face repeatedly. His manager later convinced her not to press charges to avoid ruining his career.
Prince’s breakdown before the “Purple Rain” premiere:
- Alan Leeds, his tour manager, described Prince trembling in fear on the way to the movie’s premiere.
- After a brief moment of panic, Prince regained control, his eyes turning hard, ready to face the public.
Performance of “The Beautiful Ones”:
- Wendy Melvoin recalled Prince’s look of “pure torture” when performing the song about love’s pain. The lyrics, “Do you want him, or do you want me? ’Cause I want you!” were described as symbolic of his lifelong struggles.
Prince’s lifelong traumas and relationships with his parents:
- A youth counselor and a childhood friend said Prince’s stepfather locked him in his bedroom for weeks.
- Prince was kicked out by both his mother and father as a teenager, deeply wounding him.
- He idolized his father but was deeply hurt when his father kicked him out for having a girl in his room.
Prince’s struggle with fame and creating a “family”:
- Despite building entourages and bands like the Revolution, Prince struggled with closeness and eventually pushed people away, creating and disbanding groups frequently.
- His bandmates from the Revolution, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, eventually agreed to interviews, offering insight into his tight yet suffocating relationship with them.
Relationship with Mayte Garcia:
- Prince met Garcia when she was 16, idolized her virginity, and they didn’t have sex until she was 19.
- Their son died shortly after birth due to a severe disease, and Prince’s way of coping involved immediate return to work, including shooting a music video days later.
- Garcia recounted how Prince expected her to “keep it together” during an interview with Oprah just days after their child’s death, where they avoided mentioning the tragedy.
Prince’s obsessive control and domination:
- He monitored Susannah Melvoin (Wendy’s twin sister) during their relationship, discouraging her from leaving the house and monitoring her calls.
Struggles with dependency and pain management:
- Throughout his life, Prince had a dependency on pain medication, worsened by decades of intense, physically demanding performances.
Prince’s final solo piano performances:
- In the final months of his life, Prince’s performances were intimate and raw, often leaving the stage to cry. His natural hair and stripped-down concerts were a contrast to his earlier flamboyant style.