The color purple: It’s a new movie and an old hue that’s rich in meaning and history

By LEANNE ITALIE
AP Lifestyles Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Power, ambition, luxury. Purple, the color, symbolizes them all. It also expresses creativity, dignity, independence, pride, peace, mystery and magic. Now, with the Christmas Day opening of the new film “The Color Purple,” the range of hues between red and blue takes a seat at the box office. It follows the historic popularity of “Barbie” and all things pink. Consider purple worthy of consideration as a cultural counterpart to its frothier cousin. Cleopatra was a fan, and so was Julius Caesar. Prince’s estate had the Pantone Color Institute mix up a shade in his honor after his death. Monet, too, embraced purple.