Prince

Under the Cherry Moon featured the debut of Kristin Scott Thomas and lush black and white cinematography. That -- and a great score by Prince -- were the only good things about a movie that was such a bomb its soundtrack had a different name. But forget the movie; with the amazing rave-up "Kiss" and the gentle closer "Sometimes It Snows In April," this ranks alongside Prince's best works.

Musically, this anything but retro fusion of Fresh's foundation and Sgt. Pepper's filigrees is nothing short of amazing. Only the tin-eared will overlook the unkiltered wit of its pop-baroque inventions, only the lead-assed deny its lean, quirky grooves, both of which are so arresting that at first you don't take in the equally spectacular assurance with which the singer skips from mood to mood and register to register. I just wish the thing weren't such a damn kaleidoscope: far from unifying its multifarious parts, its soundtrack function destroys what little chance the lyrics have of bringing it together. Christopher is Prince, I guess, but nothing here tempts me to make sure. I'd much rather find out whether the former Rogers Nelson really takes all this trouble just so he can die and/or make love underneath whatever kind of moon, or if he has something less banal in mind. (Grade - A-)