Dreamgirls
Product Description
Director Bill Condon brings Tom Eyen’s Tony award-winning Broadway musical to the big screen in a tale of dreams, stardom, and the high cost of success in the cutthroat recording industry. The time is the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it’s like to have their wildest dreams come true. Discovered at a local talent show by ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the trio known as “the Dreamettes” is soon offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of opening for popular singer James “Thunder” Early (Eddie Murphy). Subsequently molded into an unstoppable hit machine by Taylor and propelled into the spotlight as “the Dreams,” the girls quickly find their bid for the big time taking priority over personal friendship as Taylor edges out the ultra-talented Effie so that the more beautiful Deena can become the face of the group. Now, as the crossover act continues to dominate the airwaves, the small-town girls with big-city dreams slowly begin to realize that the true cost of fame may be higher than any of them ever anticipated.Amazon.com
The spirit of Motown runs through the long-awaited film adaption of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, which centers around a young female singing trio who burst upon the music scene in the ’60s, complete with bouffant hairdos, glitzy gowns, and a soul sound new to the white-bread American music charts. Sound familiar? You aren’t the first one to draw comparisons to the meteoric rise of the Supremes, and despite any protests to the contrary, this is most definitely a thinly veiled reinterpretation of that success story. The Dreamettes–statuesque Deena (Beyonce Knowles), daffy Lorell (Anika Noni Rose) and brassy Effie (Jennifer Hudson)–are a girl group making the talent-show rounds when they’re discovered by car salesman and aspiring music manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx). Sensing greatness (as well as a new marketing opportunity) Curtis signs the Dreamettes as backup singers for R&B star James “Thunder” Early (Eddie Murphy). But when Early’s mercurial ways and singing style don’t mesh with primarily white audiences, Curtis moves the newly-renamed Dreams to center stage–with Deena as lead singer in place of Effie. And that’s not the only arena in which Effie is replaced, as Curtis abandons their love affair for a relationship with star-in-the-making Deena.
Besides the Supremes comparison, one can’t talk about Dreamgirls now without revisiting its notorious Oscar snub; though it received eight nominations, the most for any film from 2006, it was shut out of the Best Picture and Director races entirely. Was the oversight justified? While Dreamgirls is certainly a handsomely mounted, lovingly executed and often vibrant film adaptation, it inspires more respect than passion, only getting under your skin during the musical numbers, which become more sporadic as the film goes on. Writer-director Bill Condon is definitely focused on recreating the Motown milieu (down to uncanny photographs of Knowles in full Diana Ross mode), he often forgets to flesh out his characters, who even on the Broadway stage were underwritten and relied on powerhouse performances to sell them to audiences. (Stage fans will also note that numerous songs are either truncated or dropped entirely from the film.) Condon has assembled a game cast, as Knowles does a canny riff on the essence of Diana Ross’ glamour (as opposed to an all-out impersonation) and Rose makes a peripheral character surprisingly vibrant; only Foxx, who never gets to pour on the charisma, is miscast. Still, there are two things even the most cranky viewers will warm to in Dreamgirls: the performances of veteran Eddie Murphy and newcomer Jennifer Hudson. Murphy is all sly charm and dazzling energy as the devilish Early, who’s part James Brown, part Little Richard, and all showman. And Hudson, an American Idol contestant who didn’t even make the top three, makes an impressive debut as the larger-than-life Effie, whose voice matches her passions and stubbornness. Though she sometimes may seem too young for the role, Hudson nails the movie’s signature song, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” with a breathtaking power that must be seen and heard to believe. And for those five minutes, if not more, you will be in Dreamgirls‘ thrall. –Mark Englehart
On the DVD
The two-disc edition of Dreamgirls includes videos, documentaries and other behind-the-scenes features. Diehard fans will love the almost two-hour “Building the Dream” documentary, which goes into loving detail about how the film got to be made. But it’s the shorter segments that really capture the viewer’s attention. The two auditions included in the set are a contrast in style. Pop singer Beyonce Knowles sells herself in full hair, makeup and costume; that she is a tad pitchy at times is almost beside the point. Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose’s audition is a tour de force; singing strong and with conviction and passion, Rose is fully in character regardless of the fact that she isn’t dressed for the role. Oddly enough, the audition tape of Jennifer Hudson, who won an Academy Award for her breakthrough role as Effie, is nowhere to be seen. Sure, we all know what a powerhouse she is today. But it would’ve been nice to see what the filmmakers saw in her back then, when her competition included her American Idol castmate (and that season’s winner) Fantasia Barrino. Hudson’s performance of “Effie, Sing My Song”–which was not seen in the theatrical release–is included in this set, as are 12 extended musical numbers. Another nice touch is the inclusion of a dance rehearsal choreographed by Fatima Robinson (who has worked with the Backstreet Boys, Mary J. Blige, and Michael Jackson). Watching the rudimentary piece (with stand-ins subbing for the stars) come together gives the viewer appreciation for the intricate work that goes into each 3-minute musical number in the 130-minute film. Also included are a sequence of enhanced storyboards, a look at how the film’s editor went about editing the picture, and a look at how the costumes played a part in the film. –Jae-Ha Kim
Beyond Dreamgirls
 Other Musicals on DVD |
 More Motown on DVD |
 The Soundtrack |
Stills from Dreamgirls (click for larger image)
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Posted: Saturday, November 7th, 2009 @ 7:32 am
Categories: Beyoncé.
Tags: Dreamgirls.
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November 7th, 2009 at 9:40 am
A few notes on this film and the DVD release to help you make your purchase:
THE PERFORMANCES:
1. Beyonce Knowles : Obviously modelled on Diana Ross, Beyonce flits in and out of this movie, holding us only with her beauty. This woman has no acting ability, lets face it, and her singing is only barely tolerable.
2. Jennifer Hudson : A very overrated performance, in my opinion. She sings her heart out, but to me it seemed like a whole lot of nothing. At the most, it seemed like a young woman who wanted people to notice her performance and therefore went over-the-top. I didn’t like this performance.
3. Eddie Murphy : Adequate, but badly scripted. This role could have been done by any black actor of that age group, and Eddie does not add anything special to the role.
THE DIRECTION & FEEL
I loved the direction, the sets and the orchestrated choreographed dance and song numbers. It all felt a bit overblown and HEARTLESS but hey thats just me. You’d probably love it more than I did.
THE MUSIC
We all know this was the weakest aspect of this movie. Even Hudsons’ showstopper number (am I the only one waiting for her to shut up?) had no melody really. And other than “Listen” by Beyonce, I don’t see anything here worth humming.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My only sensation after watching this was “What Happened to the Great American Musical?”. What happened to classics like “The Sound of Music”, “Carousel” and “State Fair”? Those were real musicals. “Dreamgirls” felt like a gigantic ornamental pom-pom stuffed in my face, and I just couldn’t bring myself to like it.
If you are a fan of this movie, sorry. I just have to say that I love musicals, and this was NOT a musical. It disrespects what a musical ought to be.
Note to directors : Please do not cast Beyonce in the lead role in films anymore. Its a total waste of precious film.
Rating: 2 / 5
November 7th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Full Disclosure: I forced myself to see this film at my historic, 63-year-old, locally owned theater because they are facing a bank foreclosure in 11 days. (If you ever lived in the City of Baltimore – The Senator, with probably the single largest movie screen in Maryland, is in danger of closing it’s doors forever.) However, I did enter the theater with hope, no matter how slight, that I would leave feeling entertained!
Call me old-fashioned, but I like to care about at least one of the characters in a story. Even in a godforsaken, awful movie I will sit through the whole tedious thing, if I can empathize with at least a single character. In Dreamgirls, I literally felt like I was watching an obnoxious soap opera with very shallow two-dimensional characters. Who cares about a bunch of rich & famous show business losers?
For example, after hearing one character say: ” I spent half a million dollars (in 1960’s dollars) on drinking.” I practically groaned and said to myself, “as a young adult, you had nothing better to do with your money during the height of the Vietnam War & the Civil Rights movement then spend it on booze? How inspiring!
Granted the cinematography and costumes are absolutely magnificent – the reason for giving this film two stars, instead of one. But that’s icing on the cake. After a while it wears thin and it certainly does not carry a story to its conclusion.
This movie is all flash and no substance. While there is certainly nothing offensive in this overblown production, having a wry sense of humor, like the very clever Chicago, would have done this film wonders. Also having fewer characters, and better editing, would not have hurt either.
I found it quite ironic that one of the songs performed in Dreamgirls was along the lines of “I’ve got soul,” something this shallow film sorely lacked!
Rating: 2 / 5
November 7th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
NO STARS!!!!!!!
I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ARTICULATE THE SADNESS AND DISAPPOINTMENT I FELT AS I WATCHED THIS MADNESS…
I STARTED TO EXIT THE THEATER TWICE AS I ENDURED THE TORTURE OF THIS FIASCO….FIRST TIME, I DECIDED TO STAY HOPING IT WOULD GET BETTER…THE SECOND TIME I JUST FIGURED, I SAT THIS LONG, LET ME SEE EXACTLY WHERE THIS TRAIN CRASHES AND BURNS…
AND THIS TRAIN CRASHES AND BURNS… REPEATEDLY…BEYONCE…TERRIBLE BUT MY GOODNESS, SHE SAID MAYBE 80 WORDS THE ENTIRE FILM, QUITE UNDER CONTROL IT SEEMS…TOO LATE YALL…WE ALL KNOW SHE AINT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER…
JAMIE FOXX AND JENNIFER HUDSON DID FAIRLY DECENT WITH WHAT THEY HAD TO WORK WITH WHICH IS VERY LITTLE…THE SCRIPT WAS FLAT…NUMEROUS MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE…IF I WAS TRULY INTERESTED I AM SURE I COULD GO BACK AND COUNT AT LEAST A DOZEN MAJOR MISSES, BUT I AM NOT A MASOCHIST…JENNIFER’S SINGING IS GOOD…JUST GOOD…I LIKE HER BECAUSE SHE IS LIKABLE, BUT SHE AINT NO REE-REE OR GLADYS, OR CHAKA, OR JENNIFER OR EVEN JILL, OR NAVASHA…BUT I LIKE HER…JAMIE, GOOD AS THE GREEDY, POWERFUL MOGUL, BUT AGAIN NOT A LOT TO WORK WITH…
MOST DISGUSTING DISAPPOINTMENT OF ALL, EDDIE MURPHY IN THIS FAKE JAKE IMITATION AND DESECRATION OF JAMES BROWN, ET AL…NEITHER SERIOUSLY FUNNY NOR SERIOUSLY SERIOUS…WHAT IS HE DOING?? AND NOW BEING REWARDED FOR DISRESPECTING THE GODS…A TRUE DEMONSTRATION OF THE DUMBING AND NUMBING OF AMERICAN CULTURE…WHAT A MESS
Rating: 1 / 5
November 7th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
DREAMGIRLS has individual parts and pieces that, when film production was announced, sounded delicious, like a surefire winner. But the parts, as good as they are, do not gel into the knockout whole that this movie could have been. Writer Bill Condon (CHICAGO), who also directed DREAMGIRLS, perhaps was spread too thin to pull this one off.
The legendary Broadway musical of 1981 was directed by the late Michael Bennett (the stage version of A CHORUS LINE) who was lauded for his “cinematic” staging of the original. He managed, with pivoting onstage towers and with lighting, to achieve before the eyes of a live audience what amounted to the stage version of cinematic wipes, dissolves, cross-cutting, and fades. His vision made for thrilling stage work, as he had done in A CHORUS LINE.
Twenty-five years after the original Broadway show, DREAMGIRLS seemed like a guaranteed screen hit. With CHICAGO, Condon had already shown in his adaptation that Broadway musicals still had legs for the medium of film.
Not only would the movie version of DREAMGIRLS feature mega-star Beyonce Knowles, Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, veteran film star Eddie Murphy and “American Idol” reject Jennifer Hudson (”everybody loves to root for an underdog”, etc.); DREAMGIRLS would be shepherded to the screen by DREAMWORKS and David Geffen.
But despite what sounds like a 24-carat pedigree, the movie simply falls short of expectations. The script talks about how white performers in the 50’s and 60’s repackaged black performers’ songs and style. But the execution of this point is weak. (Was Hollywood afraid to alienate the white audience it needed to make the film version a bona fide box office hit?) Montages of archival footage of the Civil Rights era are on screen, but they seem to exist in another world from the action of the main storyline.
Despite her Golden Globe win as Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Musical, Jennifer Hudson is a weak substitute for the great Jennifer Holiday, who originated the role of Effie White. We want Hudson to be good. But she simply does not have the voice that Holiday used to burrow Effie’s rejection and pain into the very bone marrow of those privileged to see her perform the role onstage. Holiday’s live version of Effie’s powerful lament, “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going,” is one of the most powerful performances that will ever close a first act–or any act–on the stage or screen. Whereas Holiday’s version contains in every breath soul-ravaging pain, Hudson, on certain notes, goes nasal, thin and strained.
Let’s face it: this song was the jewel in the original stage musical–the first-act closing number that threatened to blow the theater apart. (DREAMGIRLS’ music was never one of the great Broadway scores. The show’s success was largely due to its staging technique.) Without a knock-out rendition of that climactic song here, the movie sags–and suffers. Hudson’s version gets something of a boost through the showcasing delivered by cinematography and editing. But Holiday in her live, three dimensions, didn’t need any help. She knocked the song out of the theater night after night–just her, the orchestra and that once-in-a-lifetime voice. If for no other reason than to capture Holiday’s performance on film, DREAMGIRLS should have been filmed twenty years before it was. If they had to use a “loser” from “American Idol”, too bad they couldn’t wait for Mandisa from the 2006 season. That girl can sing.
All the Eddie Murphys and Beyonces in the world cannot make up for this fact. Because DREAMGIRLS was always really “about” Effie and what happens to her, Jennifer Hudson in this pivotal role is like a fifth or sixth carbon copy of the original–similar, but weak, pale.
Those unfamiliar with Jennifer Holiday might find Hudson more than adequate. But if anyone wants to see–and to hear–”Effie White”, simply go to youtube, type in “Jennifer Holiday” and watch the clip of her performance from the 1982 Tony Awards show. If her performance, even on a small computer screen, with less than perfect audio, with video glitches and all, doesn’t shake you to your very core and leave you knowing you’ve seen greatness, then call the undertaker, because you are probably dead.
On balance, the performers in the film do passably adequate jobs with their roles. The problem is that DREAMGIRLS, while “about” Effie White, has so many characters and so many “stars”–each of whom it appears was contractually promised to get their “big moment”–that the movie comes off choppy, not unlike a mass “American Idol” audition. Just as we’re trying to learn about this character or that plot line, we’re whooshed off to the next star’s “big number.” The movie, in essence, lacks cohesive flow.
Condon’s DREAMGIRLS is an admirable attempt at turning a legendary stage musical into screen gold. Perhaps the movie could never have been made without the wattage of today’s established black stars. But the treatment given to these stars–in the form of new songs written for the screen–dilutes the “punch”, the through-line of the original. This version–while the best you’re going to get of this legendary show–is something “other” than what, in 1981, had audiences swept up in the backstage story of a girl group and the bumpy road they traveled to pop stardom.
The best acting job is turned in by Eddie Murphy, whose James “Thunder” Early seems an hommage to Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, et al. Murphy shows a level of depth here we haven’t seen before. While some might not “get” the comic mixed with the tragic within his performance, anyone familiar with show business knows that the onstage persona performers project can be diametrically opposed to the character’s real self once the concerts end and real life resumes.
Hudson, in her first film, brought marquee power via the fans she garnered before she was booted from “American Idol.” Her acting is as good as most everyone else in the cast. (Actually, who can really tell? The dialogue scenes are so miniscule.) But–and this is a big “but”–if she had the vocal chops of a Jennifer Holiday–which is perhaps asking for more than Heaven would ever allow–Hudson could have made as auspicious a debut as Barbra Streisand did in FUNNY GIRL. That, however, did not happen. If David O. Selznick in 1939 could scour the planet before finding British actress Vivien Leigh to play Scarlett O’Hara in GONE WITH THE WIND, why couldn’t DREAMWORKS have done the same in search of the perfect Effie, instead of taking the easy way out and grabbing an “American Idol” cast-off? This was nothing more than a cynical move to grab the built-in television audience that follows the hugely popular show. Smart? Yes. But cynical nonetheless. If Broadway could find a Jennifer Holiday in 1981, Hollywood could surely have found an unknown–with acting skills AND vocal strength–a quarter-century later. Shame on the moviemakers for skipping out on a golden opportunity that will never come again. The movie is made. The Oscars will be won. But DREAMGIRLS is not the movie musical it coulda, woulda–but most importantly–shoulda been.
Rating: 2 / 5
November 7th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
It would make you forget this 2007 reinterpretation so fast your head would spin. Movie does NOT catch the flavor of the 60s at all. Or ANY of the charisma of the original. Totally different. You now know less than when you started.
Rating: 1 / 5