I was reading the first few chapters of the "DMSR" book today and I realized that Prince's early days were very interesting.His teen years,when he was in high school and playing in a few bands,could make a fantastic movie.Sorta like a "prequel" to 'Purple Rain'.Of course,Prince couldn't star in this film since he is now too old...lol...but you could gather up a young cast and create a wonderful movie.


***THE CHARACTERS---Prince,Andre Cymone,Sue Ann Carwell (the love interest),Bernadette Anderson (Andre's mother),Pepe Willie,Chris Moon

***THE TIME PERIOD---1973-1978 (the movie concludes with the release of the first Prince album).

***THE STORY---Prince and his best friend Andre are high-schoolers at Central High in Minneapolis.Sue Ann is Andre's girlfriend,but there is a love triangle involving Prince (EVERY Prince film must have a love triangle...lol...).Prince and Andre play in a funk band called Grand Central,in 1976 they change the name to Champagne.The movie deals with their rise to fame.

***THE SOUNDTRACK---These songs could be used...
"39th St. Party" by Grand Central
"Lady Pleasure" by Grand Central
"Machine" by Grand Central
"You're Such A Fox" by Grand Central
"Grand Central" by Grand Central
"Whenever" by Grand Central
"You're Still A Young Man" by Tower of Power
"Wouldn't You Love To Love Me" by Sue Ann Carwell
"If You See Me" by Pepe Willie & 94 East
"Aces" by Prince
"Diamond Eyes" by Prince
"Leaving For New York" by Prince
"Make It Through The Storm" by Prince
"Don't Forget" by Prince
"Soft and Wet" by Prince



***PIVOTAL SCENES IN THE FILM---In one startling scene,Andre catches Prince teaching Sue Ann a new song called "Wouldn't You Love To Love Me".The two of them get into a big fight.In another scene,producer Chris Moon gets frustrated as he tries to produce Prince's first demo (Prince is a control freak even at this early stage...lol...).There are alot of high school scenes,including Grand Central performing at a high school dance.Prince loses his virginity in a car with a girl,as the Tower Of Power song "You're Still A Young Man" plays on the radio.There are scenes of Prince playing on the basketball team at school.The movie concludes at the record release party for the first Prince album.After months of not speaking to each other,Prince and Andre make up and Prince asks him to be his bassist.Sue Ann moves to New York to become a star in her own right.

***CAST SUGGESTIONS---
Prince---?? (who could play a teeenage Prince?!)
Andre---??
Bernadette Anderson---played by Angela Bassett
Pepe Willie---??
Chris Moon---??
Sue Ann Carwell---played by Ashanti

Well if you can come up with a decent production budget (or alternatively manage to steal a DVCAM from somewhere) I say you go make it yourself. "Rise to Fame"? Wasn't Purple Rain also about that theme too? No wait, it was about Apollonia running around in her lingerie!

Just don't forget the number one rule to all sequels: more explosions! Of course if this is a "prequel"...

Novabreaker said:

Actually,I bet Prince could make this movie on a shoestring budget.He could direct and supply the music.Somewhere in the film,he could insert the song "Schoolyard",maybe during the opening credits? That song seems to be about his youth.

Wow... all u need 2 do is pitch this 2 someone involved in the film industry. Greenlight this one!

However, with Prince's popularity somewhat in decline, it would probably end up either straight 2 video, or made 4 television.

Let's see...a title, how about "Purple Pain" or "B4 The Rain", or "Mauve Showers", or "The Kid As A Kid"..LOL

Nice thread DavidEye!

Damn hell, not "Schoolyard"!

June7 said:

Potential titles for this movie...

"B4 The Rain"---I love this one:)

"Pre-Dawn"

"Makin It Through The Storm"

DavidEye looovvveeesss talking about possible Prince movies. I remember a few pretty good script ideas he posted here about a year ago.

Hey David, what do you think about Madonna doing a cameo in the new Bond movie?

DavidEye said:

Hmmm or how about

The Graham Menace

jaypotton said:

LOL...you remember my thread "Should Prince do another movie?"... we tossed around alot of crazy script ideas

Madonna cameo sounds like a cool idea.

KeithyT said:

LOL...that's a good one

Here's a few other suggestions...

***Spike Lee could direct this film
***btw,some of those "pivotal scenes" I listed aren't necessarily what really happened in Prince's life...lol...but,to make the story more interesting,you gotta add a little fiction (the way Prince did in "Purple Rain").

call the movie "skippy" or whatever it is they used to call him when he was small(er).

Wow David ,


You've given this thing a pants load of thought, huh?
Why don't you really try to pitch it. It sounds very interesting.

SUNIO said:

I'm sending the script idea to Paisley Park right now

It sort of sounds like a good idea, but I think 'Purple Rain' was enough. If a prequel is ever done, I think Prince should be highly involved as a producer, director, or writer, so that it can be as accurate as possible.

I also think that any movie based on Prince's life and music should, and will probably have, many chapters, many prequels (and sequels), to it also.
[This message was edited Thu Aug 8 11:14:14 PDT 2002 by Starmist7]

how about a reshoot of Purple Rain, but with real actors this time?

DavidEye said:

Great ideas you presented for a prequel, but remember, if you post your ideas in a public forum or send anything to Paisley, you are essentially *giving* your ideas away. You've put it out there in the public domain. Even if your idea one day becomes a reality, you will not be credited or acknowledged in any way.

I actually think he could play himself, as he really hasn't aged much since the old days(neither has Morris for that matter). Look at Howard Stern's movie, he did a great job playing his old self.

...BTW, IF Prince LET someone else direct it(a real director, not one of his cronies)...and only IF he used real nightclubs for the music scenes(live First Ave)- i think it would be a great idea.
Hey, he could even do a new soundtrack using older sounding songs like 'Rebirth of the flesh' for example, making use of his varied back catalog of unreleased songs, etc.
'Rebirth' and the whole 'Movie Star' soundtrack would sound great as a pre-Purple Rain song, IMO.

He's got the $, why not release it to independent theatres or distributors and let them decide. Shit, get Spike Lee involved behind the scenes or editing the film, i can't see Spike objecting to that.

"Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?" -- .

DavidEye said:

Seriously, David DO THIS!!.

DO NOT USE EMAIL or regular SNAIL_MAIL. Use the "Transom" method.
If you don't know, hit me via ORG NOTE and I'll clue you in.

Very creative idea...one question..."Aces" and "Machine" these
were his first demos '77---are they available somewhere???

Purple Rain: Episode I
The Purple Menace

Potential titles:

Linn Drummer Boy
Hoop Earring Dreams

No! Stop! Put down the rotten cabbage and tomatoes!

Seriously, it would make a great movie! Especially with use of the suggestions listed on this thread.

Lil' Bow Wow as Pre-Pube Prince.

Actually some boys from Brooklyn could very well play Prince and Andre. I think Spike Lee could find the right guys. Also,these guys could be from the Rap community somehow. And I picture Prince and Andre with Afros. The real Early School Days. Playing Basketball,Basketball.

I hate 2 say this...but if Spike Lee were 2 direct this, it would have a short life span. He is box office poison. He may b one of the most talented brothers directing, but his rep is not good...and his movies don't sell tickets.

I say get someone who can actually get the movie on the screen with a good track record.

John Singleton anybody?

The Hughes Brothers?

Francis Ford Coppola?

(it could happen!)

Na, Spike Lee is very good and he isn't box-office poison. Where did you get that june 7? Untrue. The other directors are good too ,but I say it's Spike all the way!

Vagina said:

Let's see...

Mo' Better Blues
Malcom X
Jungle Fever
Girl 6
Son Of Sam
Bamboozled

Just 2 name a few...

I'm not saying that they were bad films, or that he is a bad director...quite the contrary. He has directed some fine films! He just can't sustain an audience.

The proof is in the pudding.

Check the receipts.

RavedIn2 said:

Oh,I was joking about sending this to Paisley Park!

Hmmm... I have had the following ideas regarding Prince in another Movie or TV show

Prince and another lovely in a remake of "A Star Is Born"

this time instead of the man being involved in drugs or alcohol his road to decline would be some kind of insanity or perhaps even an obsessive desire to control his music u know he walks around with slave on his face tries to write 1 million songs a day but no one will release them cuz he has pissed off the labels or something... this way u could really show how shitty the biz can be


eventually he will die from some type of suicide (because he has too LOL) except unlike "under the cherry moon" we wont laugh




Prince on allie mcbeal (too late for this)

taken from a real happening. prince walks into allie office needing representation... can u imagine all the funny shit that could have happened as far as female reaction... anyway Prince was arrested for (on purpose) going into a bootleg shop, taking about 50 of HIS cds and walking out without paying for them

the case... should an artist have to pay for his OWN unauthorized bootlegs???

i see a love thang going on with lucy lui or whoever she was on that show... hey, maybe she could have been the judge

lastly a nice little show in that club she goes to all the time one piano solo, then a close out on something superfunky... splits and mic kicks and everythang



Prince on any thing Star Trek hmmm i always wondered with the holodeck why no one came up and said


Finally... prince actually wanted to do a movie about little richard then that awful tv movie came out


thank for listening

donnie

June7 said:

Somewhat??? Dude I like Prince as much as the next fan but somewhat is bit of an understatement

origmnd said:

Actually,those songs are from 1976 or earlier,I believe.I don't know if they're circulating.It would be interesting to hear all the Grand Central (aka "Champagne") demos.