Top 10 Facts About Under The Cherry Moon That You Never Knew

Under The Cherry Moon is a 1986 American musical drama film starring and directed by Prince, who was successful with “Purple Rain” beforehand. Unlike Prince's previous movie, “Under The Cherry Moon” was downright flopped at this time, despite its cult followers who consistently claimed that the film has something really worth watching all day. It’s not only a failed product of Prince, but it’s also the end of his budding career. It was not until Prince passed away in 2016, the movie gripped the attention, and somehow, it’s highly appreciated, even regarded as “a strange and lovely meditation of life, love, and death that is shot through with a lot of humor.”
This film now pretty much has massive fans. They do not just enjoy the film and its music but also research more information related to the producers, actors, and also the film. Because this is an underrated movie, there are some hard-to-find truths. In this post, we’ve compiled 10 things that even fans have yet to know about Under The Cherry Moon that will make you completely surprised, Keep scrolling down to check them out.

#10 The Filming Took Place on the French Riviera

Source: IMDb

All directors want their scenes to be perfect. For Prince, French Riviera actually won his heart right when he and his 2 managers set foot on this place. Plus, the director-actor has a soft spot for the country. He shared in 2010: “I love playing in France. I even plan to sing in every single concert hall in Paris. Anyway, I want to live in France.”
Indoor scenes were shot at Victorine Studios in Nice, which has hosted celebrities such as Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, and Robert De Niro throughout the years. Honestly, the scene in a popular holiday destination on the south-eastern coast is “par mal”

#9 The Premiere of the Film Took Place in a Small Town in Wyoming.

Source: The Root

MTV held a contest to choose where Prince's new film would premiere in a unique promotional strategy. The 10,000th caller in the sweepstakes would be treated to the premiere in their community, as well as a date to see the film with Prince at their side.
Lisa Barber, a 20-year-old hotel chambermaid from Wyoming's 12,000-person city of Sheridan, was the winner. Joni Mitchell and Ray Parker Jr. were among those who attended. Barber paid tribute to Prince after his death, saying, “He helped me to open up a little and feel more at ease about myself,” she added “He was kind to me and so natural and down-to-earth. Prince didn’t let fame go to his head.”

#8 The Writer Didn’t Have Screenwriting Experience.

Source: Twitter

Despite his extensive connections and resources, Prince chose a complete unknown to compose the script for Under the Cherry Moon. Becky Johnston was from New York and had never written a screenplay before.
She did, however, write a test screenplay that wowed Prince and the company. Despite the failure of Under the Cherry Moon, Johnston went on to write for Seven Years in Tibet (1997), The Prince of Tides (1991), and House of Gucci (1993). (2021).

#7 Madonna Was Offered the Role of Mary

Source: Twitter

It has long been speculated that Prince and Madonna dated in the 1980s. What we do know is that Prince offered the Queen of Pop the starring role of Mary in Under the Cherry Moon, but she turned it down after learning that Prince was also considering his then-fiancee, Susannah Melvoin, for the role. Finally, the studio felt that singer Melvoin lacked the necessary expertise for the part. Kristin Scott Thomas, on the other hand, landed the job following an audition with Prince in Paris.

#6 It Was Kristin Scott Thomas’ Movie Debut

Source: Pinterest

Kristin Scott Thomas made her cinematic debut in this unique picture. She had previously worked in a department shop and studied acting in London and Paris when she was cast as Mary in Under the Cherry Moon at the age of 25.
Thomas described the experience of being picked for the job as an "out-of-body situation." “I found myself being invited to meet Prince who was my absolute idol,” she recounted later. “The sort of thing that would never ever happen to anyone I ever knew.”

#5 Prince Took Over From the Original Director

Source: Twitter

Jean-Baptiste Mondino, a French music video director, was Prince's original choice to lead the project. When Mondino was unavailable, Prince went to Mary Lambert, who had previously worked on music videos with Janet Jackson and Mick Jagger.
Prince, on the other hand, was dissatisfied with Lambert's work and sacked her early in production. In addition to playing the male lead, Prince agreed to direct the picture. The next year, Lambert made her (full) directing debut with Fiesta, starring Ellen Barkin and Jodie Foster.

#4 Its Soundtrack Album Sold Over 2 Million Copies

Source: Univision

You can hate the film, but you can’t hate its music. Its soundtrack“Parade” boasts many catchy tunes that thrill audiences when listening. It is a psychedelic contrast to Prince’s earlier album Purple Rain, with agreeable funk vibes. That made the album sell like a hot-steam cake with over 1 million copies in the USA and 2 million copies internationally. Better still, The song “Kiss” in the soundtrack made it to the top 100 Billboard. It’s such a great stride for an underrated movie.

#3 Kristin Scott Thomas Doesn't Like the Film

Source: Twitter

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, now a five-time BAFTA winner, is less than impressed by Under the Cherry Moon, in which she plays affluent heiress Mary Sharon. “When I left drama school…I was more afraid of not working at all than of the actual material I was being offered,” she said in 2005. “And if you look at my very first film, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.”
When Prince died in 2016, she paid tribute to him on Twitter, focusing on his musical accomplishments rather than their collaborative film work. “I can’t believe that this person, who has been in my life for 30 years, is no longer there,” she wrote. “But he is immortal by his music.”

#2 It Was Filmed in Colour

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

In order to recreate a dreamy 1930s romance, Prince was adamant that Under the Cherry Moon be shot in black and white. Warner Brothers, on the other hand, had different plans: the studio was concerned that the film's appeal to younger audiences would suffer as a result of its vintage appearance.
As a result, Prince made a concession by shooting the picture on color film stock. During post-production, the film was converted to black-and-white. While some color stills from the film are accessible, the majority of the color footage has never been made public.

#1 The Film Won Five Golden Raspberries

Source: Wattpad

The Golden Raspberry Awards, a spoof ceremony that began in 1981, honors the year's worst films. With eight nominations, Under the Cherry Moon attracted especially fervent interest from this organization.
Under the Cherry Moon won Worst Picture, Worst Actor, Worst Director, Worst Supporting Actor, and Worst Original Song for the song Love of Money. Kristin Scott Thomas was also nominated for Worst Actress, but she just missed out on the prize; instead, Madonna won for Shanghai Surprise.