Just Got This on VHS

Before seeing this, I pictured the "coming out of the movie" scene differently: I pictured a magic moment with high-tech special effects and dramatic synthesizer music (this is an 80's movie after all)... nope the character just says "I need to see you" and walks out of the screen.

Though people tried to talk him out of it, Woody was right to keep the sad ending. It's a nice conclusion to the movie's theme of the romance of fiction versus the harshness of reality. The fictional character Tom is incapable of deception but the real actor playing him is.

Speaking of the harshness of reality, I really like Danny Aiello's performance. Monk is an A-hole but he truly thinks he's a decent guy. I think deep down he doesn't care about Mia Farrow's character but he thinks he does.

If he gives us a sad ending at least Woody put upbeat music over the closing credits so the audience could leave the theater with pleasant music. Speaking of the closing credits, Beatles fans should note that Mia Farrow's sister is credited as "Art Department Coordinator". Prudence Farrow inspired Lennon to write the White Album hit "Dear Prudence" when she had a meltdown at an Indian spiritual retreat.

Speaking personally, of all the fictional movie characters I've seen, the one I've had the biggest crush on is Lucy Whitman, the brainy cheerleader in the 2001 Comedy "Sugar & Spice" (Like Tom in Purple Rose of Cairo, she's a supporting character). So my version of Purple Rose of Cairo would be having Lucy Whitman come out of Sugar & Spice.