Broadway Bill

Broadway Bill


Starring:Warner Baxter, Myrna Loy, Walter Connolly, Helen Vinson, Douglass Dumbrille, Raymond Walburn, Lynne Overman, Clarence Muse, Margaret Hamilton, Frankie Darro, George Cooper, George Meeker, Jason Robards Sr., Ed Tucker, Edmund Breese, Ruth Milo, Pat O'Malley, James Blakeley, Forrester Harvey, Harry Semels
Director: Frank Capra
Studio: Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
Sick of Higgins' controlling nature, Dan finally decides to stand up for himself. Quitting his job as manager of a factory owned by J.L., Dan dedicates all of his time to his racing horse, Broadway Bill, in hopes that he can profit from his trusty steed. Arrested for not repaying a supplier he owed money to, Dan must rely on the success of Broadway Bill to bail him out.
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Two Hours of Screaming!
  • Best Picture
  • And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!
  • A must see and own for any Supremes Fan
  • Expected More After All of the Hype
 Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition)
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Eddie Murphy , Jennifer Hudson , and Beyoncé Knowles
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Foxx, JamieFoxx, Jamie | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Murphy, EddieMurphy, Eddie | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Condon, BillCondon, Bill | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DreamWorksDreamWorks | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Special EditionsSpecial Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Two-Disc Special EditionsTwo-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Queen
  2. The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
  3. The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
  4. Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  5. Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000O174CM
Release Date: 2007-05-01

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)










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.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Two Hours of Screaming!.......2007-07-05

This movie is terrible. I'm not surprised it made its way so fast to DVD - 2 hours of screaming - I don't call it singing. None of the songs had a melody, does not compare to Diana Ross and the Supremes, if this is what this story was supposed to be about. I turned it off 1 1/4 hour into the DVD - couldn't care less what happened to the characters. It seems people either hated or loved this one - I couldn't stand it. So far the worse movie I watched in 2007.

5 out of 5 stars Best Picture.......2007-07-01

I just watched this movie an hour ago. Obviously the folks who vote for the Oscars were incorrect. Well, consider the fact that Jennifer Hudson was voted out pretty early in American Idol. That was a precedent. I knew how good Hudson was back then. Well, at least Hudson deservedly has an Oscar now but the movie should have won Best Picture simply because it WAS.

As a biracial person, I love how this was a Black movie. The producer/director did not find the need to put in a white character that the wider/whiter audience could relate to. If the movie was released even 10 or 15 years ago that may have occurred.

The movie didn't need a white character because anyone can relate to the various themes that the movie covered: ambition, love, entrepreneurship, exploitation, drug use/abuse, family, hurt, pain, pregancy, welfare/unemployment, fame, racism, fatphobia/sizism and of course, music - from the chitlin' circuit through disco.

And Eddie Murphy. Unbelievable. I haven't been a fan of his for YEARS - since SNL circa early '80s - so I was stunned to see his performance. Wow, what a stroke of genius in casting Murphy in that role!

Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You" was incredible. It may wind up being a landmark in movie history just as we remember how Jennifer Holliday made the song famous in the Broadway version.

5 out of 5 stars And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!.......2007-06-28

Our last Musical movie was the Phantom of the Opera.That one was spectacular, but this one will absolutely take your breath away. It's wide open sets, and absolutely lush voices will have you dancing in your underwear.
Henry Kreiger's amazing musical about three, well four girls, who have a dream is heartbreaking, and moving. The plot is not very rich on the surface, but like an ice cream cake. THe heart of the story is what really matters most.
Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Anikki Nonni Rose Are astouding. They lay thier notes out better than anyone in the odern world of Motown. And as Jennifer said "Simon, YOU WERE WRONG." and actually,(and almost eriely) Her (Jennifer's) storie mirror's her character very well. And so does Beyonce's caracter.
Jamie Fox, and Eddie Murphie are both astounding. And the man who plays James Thunder Early's Producer (and later Effie's Helper) is wonderful and fatherly. The Language is abounding, but it is not overbearing, like in Black Hawk Down.
So I give a 857345793453 stars out of 5.
WONDERFUL BUY IT AND THE DELUXE CD AND DRTEAM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

5 out of 5 stars A must see and own for any Supremes Fan.......2007-06-28

I have watched this movie 6 times, and never get tired or bored with it. The music/score is great, Jennifer Hudson shines, as does Beyonce and Eddie Murphy.
This is one of my favorite films ever.

2 out of 5 stars Expected More After All of the Hype.......2007-06-28

After all of the hype surrounding this movie before it even came to the theaters, I was expecting to be wowed. Instead I was sorely disappointed. I just wasn't feeling it the way that I felt movies like The Five Heartbeats, The Temptations, and Lady Sings The Blues. I watch these movies over and over. The acting in Dreamgirls was so-so. Jennifer Hudson did just okay, nothing spectacular. Beyonce did all right. Annika Rose is a very good singer and actress, but everybody seemed to be focused on Jennifer Hudson, because of the American Idol thing, and on Beyonce just because she is Beyonce. Out of all of the songs from Dreamgirls, I think that Beyonce's "Listen" is the best. I could listen to it over and over. I own Jennifer Holliday's CD, and I listen to her version of, "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going," but I doubt if I would listen to Jennifer Hudson's version over and over again. Not that I'm dissing Miss Hudson. She is a good singer, but just that...nothing spectacular. I've never seen the Broadway version of Dreamgirls, but I'm hoping that maybe it has more of an edge to it than the movie.
Dreamgirls (Widescreen Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Two Hours of Screaming!
  • Best Picture
  • And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!
  • A must see and own for any Supremes Fan
  • Expected More After All of the Hype
 Dreamgirls (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Eddie Murphy , Jennifer Hudson , and Beyoncé Knowles
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Foxx, JamieFoxx, Jamie | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Murphy, EddieMurphy, Eddie | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Condon, BillCondon, Bill | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DreamWorksDreamWorks | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Queen
  2. The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
  3. The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
  4. Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  5. Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000O1799U
Release Date: 2007-05-01

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

Beyond Dreamgirls

Other Musicals on DVD
More Motown on DVD
The Soundtrack

Stills from Dreamgirls (click for larger image)










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.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Two Hours of Screaming!.......2007-07-05

This movie is terrible. I'm not surprised it made its way so fast to DVD - 2 hours of screaming - I don't call it singing. None of the songs had a melody, does not compare to Diana Ross and the Supremes, if this is what this story was supposed to be about. I turned it off 1 1/4 hour into the DVD - couldn't care less what happened to the characters. It seems people either hated or loved this one - I couldn't stand it. So far the worse movie I watched in 2007.

5 out of 5 stars Best Picture.......2007-07-01

I just watched this movie an hour ago. Obviously the folks who vote for the Oscars were incorrect. Well, consider the fact that Jennifer Hudson was voted out pretty early in American Idol. That was a precedent. I knew how good Hudson was back then. Well, at least Hudson deservedly has an Oscar now but the movie should have won Best Picture simply because it WAS.

As a biracial person, I love how this was a Black movie. The producer/director did not find the need to put in a white character that the wider/whiter audience could relate to. If the movie was released even 10 or 15 years ago that may have occurred.

The movie didn't need a white character because anyone can relate to the various themes that the movie covered: ambition, love, entrepreneurship, exploitation, drug use/abuse, family, hurt, pain, pregancy, welfare/unemployment, fame, racism, fatphobia/sizism and of course, music - from the chitlin' circuit through disco.

And Eddie Murphy. Unbelievable. I haven't been a fan of his for YEARS - since SNL circa early '80s - so I was stunned to see his performance. Wow, what a stroke of genius in casting Murphy in that role!

Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You" was incredible. It may wind up being a landmark in movie history just as we remember how Jennifer Holliday made the song famous in the Broadway version.

5 out of 5 stars And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!.......2007-06-28

Our last Musical movie was the Phantom of the Opera.That one was spectacular, but this one will absolutely take your breath away. It's wide open sets, and absolutely lush voices will have you dancing in your underwear.
Henry Kreiger's amazing musical about three, well four girls, who have a dream is heartbreaking, and moving. The plot is not very rich on the surface, but like an ice cream cake. THe heart of the story is what really matters most.
Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Anikki Nonni Rose Are astouding. They lay thier notes out better than anyone in the odern world of Motown. And as Jennifer said "Simon, YOU WERE WRONG." and actually,(and almost eriely) Her (Jennifer's) storie mirror's her character very well. And so does Beyonce's caracter.
Jamie Fox, and Eddie Murphie are both astounding. And the man who plays James Thunder Early's Producer (and later Effie's Helper) is wonderful and fatherly. The Language is abounding, but it is not overbearing, like in Black Hawk Down.
So I give a 857345793453 stars out of 5.
WONDERFUL BUY IT AND THE DELUXE CD AND DRTEAM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

5 out of 5 stars A must see and own for any Supremes Fan.......2007-06-28

I have watched this movie 6 times, and never get tired or bored with it. The music/score is great, Jennifer Hudson shines, as does Beyonce and Eddie Murphy.
This is one of my favorite films ever.

2 out of 5 stars Expected More After All of the Hype.......2007-06-28

After all of the hype surrounding this movie before it even came to the theaters, I was expecting to be wowed. Instead I was sorely disappointed. I just wasn't feeling it the way that I felt movies like The Five Heartbeats, The Temptations, and Lady Sings The Blues. I watch these movies over and over. The acting in Dreamgirls was so-so. Jennifer Hudson did just okay, nothing spectacular. Beyonce did all right. Annika Rose is a very good singer and actress, but everybody seemed to be focused on Jennifer Hudson, because of the American Idol thing, and on Beyonce just because she is Beyonce. Out of all of the songs from Dreamgirls, I think that Beyonce's "Listen" is the best. I could listen to it over and over. I own Jennifer Holliday's CD, and I listen to her version of, "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going," but I doubt if I would listen to Jennifer Hudson's version over and over again. Not that I'm dissing Miss Hudson. She is a good singer, but just that...nothing spectacular. I've never seen the Broadway version of Dreamgirls, but I'm hoping that maybe it has more of an edge to it than the movie.
Dreamgirls (Full Screen Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Two Hours of Screaming!
  • Best Picture
  • And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!
  • A must see and own for any Supremes Fan
  • Expected More After All of the Hype
 Dreamgirls (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Beyoncé Knowles , Eddie Murphy , and Jennifer Hudson
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Foxx, JamieFoxx, Jamie | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Murphy, EddieMurphy, Eddie | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Condon, BillCondon, Bill | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DreamWorksDreamWorks | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Queen
  2. The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
  3. The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
  4. Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  5. Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000O179A4
Release Date: 2007-05-01

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

Beyond Dreamgirls

Other Musicals on DVD
More Motown on DVD
The Soundtrack

Stills from Dreamgirls (click for larger image)










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.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Two Hours of Screaming!.......2007-07-05

This movie is terrible. I'm not surprised it made its way so fast to DVD - 2 hours of screaming - I don't call it singing. None of the songs had a melody, does not compare to Diana Ross and the Supremes, if this is what this story was supposed to be about. I turned it off 1 1/4 hour into the DVD - couldn't care less what happened to the characters. It seems people either hated or loved this one - I couldn't stand it. So far the worse movie I watched in 2007.

5 out of 5 stars Best Picture.......2007-07-01

I just watched this movie an hour ago. Obviously the folks who vote for the Oscars were incorrect. Well, consider the fact that Jennifer Hudson was voted out pretty early in American Idol. That was a precedent. I knew how good Hudson was back then. Well, at least Hudson deservedly has an Oscar now but the movie should have won Best Picture simply because it WAS.

As a biracial person, I love how this was a Black movie. The producer/director did not find the need to put in a white character that the wider/whiter audience could relate to. If the movie was released even 10 or 15 years ago that may have occurred.

The movie didn't need a white character because anyone can relate to the various themes that the movie covered: ambition, love, entrepreneurship, exploitation, drug use/abuse, family, hurt, pain, pregancy, welfare/unemployment, fame, racism, fatphobia/sizism and of course, music - from the chitlin' circuit through disco.

And Eddie Murphy. Unbelievable. I haven't been a fan of his for YEARS - since SNL circa early '80s - so I was stunned to see his performance. Wow, what a stroke of genius in casting Murphy in that role!

Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You" was incredible. It may wind up being a landmark in movie history just as we remember how Jennifer Holliday made the song famous in the Broadway version.

5 out of 5 stars And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!.......2007-06-28

Our last Musical movie was the Phantom of the Opera.That one was spectacular, but this one will absolutely take your breath away. It's wide open sets, and absolutely lush voices will have you dancing in your underwear.
Henry Kreiger's amazing musical about three, well four girls, who have a dream is heartbreaking, and moving. The plot is not very rich on the surface, but like an ice cream cake. THe heart of the story is what really matters most.
Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Anikki Nonni Rose Are astouding. They lay thier notes out better than anyone in the odern world of Motown. And as Jennifer said "Simon, YOU WERE WRONG." and actually,(and almost eriely) Her (Jennifer's) storie mirror's her character very well. And so does Beyonce's caracter.
Jamie Fox, and Eddie Murphie are both astounding. And the man who plays James Thunder Early's Producer (and later Effie's Helper) is wonderful and fatherly. The Language is abounding, but it is not overbearing, like in Black Hawk Down.
So I give a 857345793453 stars out of 5.
WONDERFUL BUY IT AND THE DELUXE CD AND DRTEAM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

5 out of 5 stars A must see and own for any Supremes Fan.......2007-06-28

I have watched this movie 6 times, and never get tired or bored with it. The music/score is great, Jennifer Hudson shines, as does Beyonce and Eddie Murphy.
This is one of my favorite films ever.

2 out of 5 stars Expected More After All of the Hype.......2007-06-28

After all of the hype surrounding this movie before it even came to the theaters, I was expecting to be wowed. Instead I was sorely disappointed. I just wasn't feeling it the way that I felt movies like The Five Heartbeats, The Temptations, and Lady Sings The Blues. I watch these movies over and over. The acting in Dreamgirls was so-so. Jennifer Hudson did just okay, nothing spectacular. Beyonce did all right. Annika Rose is a very good singer and actress, but everybody seemed to be focused on Jennifer Hudson, because of the American Idol thing, and on Beyonce just because she is Beyonce. Out of all of the songs from Dreamgirls, I think that Beyonce's "Listen" is the best. I could listen to it over and over. I own Jennifer Holliday's CD, and I listen to her version of, "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going," but I doubt if I would listen to Jennifer Hudson's version over and over again. Not that I'm dissing Miss Hudson. She is a good singer, but just that...nothing spectacular. I've never seen the Broadway version of Dreamgirls, but I'm hoping that maybe it has more of an edge to it than the movie.
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) [Blu-ray]
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent and first rate blu ray movie
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Beyoncé Knowles , Eddie Murphy , and Jennifer Hudson
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000O179FO
Release Date: 2007-05-01

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)










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.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent and first rate blu ray movie .......2007-05-13

This Blu Ray DVD was excellent. I wasn't too sure on seeing this film when it came out at the cinema, so I thought I would wait till it came out on DVD. Here are my ratings.
Film 9/10
Music 10/10
Blu Ray Picture 10/10
Sound 10/10

The only minor flaw with this film and this is very minor, I thought the movie went a little too long.
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) [HD DVD]
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Two Hours of Screaming!
  • Best Picture
  • And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!
  • A must see and own for any Supremes Fan
  • Expected More After All of the Hype
 Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) [HD DVD]
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Beyoncé Knowles , Eddie Murphy , and Jennifer Hudson
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000O179HW
Release Date: 2007-05-01

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)










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.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Two Hours of Screaming!.......2007-07-05

This movie is terrible. I'm not surprised it made its way so fast to DVD - 2 hours of screaming - I don't call it singing. None of the songs had a melody, does not compare to Diana Ross and the Supremes, if this is what this story was supposed to be about. I turned it off 1 1/4 hour into the DVD - couldn't care less what happened to the characters. It seems people either hated or loved this one - I couldn't stand it. So far the worse movie I watched in 2007.

5 out of 5 stars Best Picture.......2007-07-01

I just watched this movie an hour ago. Obviously the folks who vote for the Oscars were incorrect. Well, consider the fact that Jennifer Hudson was voted out pretty early in American Idol. That was a precedent. I knew how good Hudson was back then. Well, at least Hudson deservedly has an Oscar now but the movie should have won Best Picture simply because it WAS.

As a biracial person, I love how this was a Black movie. The producer/director did not find the need to put in a white character that the wider/whiter audience could relate to. If the movie was released even 10 or 15 years ago that may have occurred.

The movie didn't need a white character because anyone can relate to the various themes that the movie covered: ambition, love, entrepreneurship, exploitation, drug use/abuse, family, hurt, pain, pregancy, welfare/unemployment, fame, racism, fatphobia/sizism and of course, music - from the chitlin' circuit through disco.

And Eddie Murphy. Unbelievable. I haven't been a fan of his for YEARS - since SNL circa early '80s - so I was stunned to see his performance. Wow, what a stroke of genius in casting Murphy in that role!

Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You" was incredible. It may wind up being a landmark in movie history just as we remember how Jennifer Holliday made the song famous in the Broadway version.

5 out of 5 stars And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!.......2007-06-28

Our last Musical movie was the Phantom of the Opera.That one was spectacular, but this one will absolutely take your breath away. It's wide open sets, and absolutely lush voices will have you dancing in your underwear.
Henry Kreiger's amazing musical about three, well four girls, who have a dream is heartbreaking, and moving. The plot is not very rich on the surface, but like an ice cream cake. THe heart of the story is what really matters most.
Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Anikki Nonni Rose Are astouding. They lay thier notes out better than anyone in the odern world of Motown. And as Jennifer said "Simon, YOU WERE WRONG." and actually,(and almost eriely) Her (Jennifer's) storie mirror's her character very well. And so does Beyonce's caracter.
Jamie Fox, and Eddie Murphie are both astounding. And the man who plays James Thunder Early's Producer (and later Effie's Helper) is wonderful and fatherly. The Language is abounding, but it is not overbearing, like in Black Hawk Down.
So I give a 857345793453 stars out of 5.
WONDERFUL BUY IT AND THE DELUXE CD AND DRTEAM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

5 out of 5 stars A must see and own for any Supremes Fan.......2007-06-28

I have watched this movie 6 times, and never get tired or bored with it. The music/score is great, Jennifer Hudson shines, as does Beyonce and Eddie Murphy.
This is one of my favorite films ever.

2 out of 5 stars Expected More After All of the Hype.......2007-06-28

After all of the hype surrounding this movie before it even came to the theaters, I was expecting to be wowed. Instead I was sorely disappointed. I just wasn't feeling it the way that I felt movies like The Five Heartbeats, The Temptations, and Lady Sings The Blues. I watch these movies over and over. The acting in Dreamgirls was so-so. Jennifer Hudson did just okay, nothing spectacular. Beyonce did all right. Annika Rose is a very good singer and actress, but everybody seemed to be focused on Jennifer Hudson, because of the American Idol thing, and on Beyonce just because she is Beyonce. Out of all of the songs from Dreamgirls, I think that Beyonce's "Listen" is the best. I could listen to it over and over. I own Jennifer Holliday's CD, and I listen to her version of, "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going," but I doubt if I would listen to Jennifer Hudson's version over and over again. Not that I'm dissing Miss Hudson. She is a good singer, but just that...nothing spectacular. I've never seen the Broadway version of Dreamgirls, but I'm hoping that maybe it has more of an edge to it than the movie.
Studs Terkel's Working (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • a great dvd
  • What an awful imitation of the original!
  • Some great stuff
  • Hey Somebody, Don't You Want To Hear...
  • Could have been better
 Studs Terkel's Working (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Starring: Studs Terkel , Barry Bostwick , Scatman Crothers , Barbara Browning , and Vernee Watson-Johnson
Director: Stephen Schwartz , and Kirk Browning
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:
  1. Working (Original 1978 Broadway Cast)
  2. Pippin
  3. Six Characters in Search of an Author (Broadway Theatre Archive)
  4. Alice at the Palace (Broadway Theatre Archive)
  5. Working: Vocal Selections

ASIN: B00005TNFF
Release Date: 2002-01-05

Amazon.com

Steelworkers, waitresses, and parking garage attendants hardly make the stuff of the traditional Broadway musical. But their voices form the songs and monologues of this plotless paean to the American working stiff, inspired by the bestselling oral history by Studs Terkel. Adapted from the stage production by composer Stephen Schwartz, this 1982 American Playhouse production has a pleasingly fluid structure that includes Terkel himself as an onscreen narrator/host. It veers from sentimentalizing working folk to (at its best) questioning the conclusion drawn by a high-priced call girl played by Barbara Hershey: "What you do is what you are." James Taylor sings a truck-drivin' tune, Scatman Crothers and Charles Durning lend a rascally vigor, and Rita Moreno insists "It's an art to be a fine waitress." Strongest of all is Eileen Brennan, with her face out of a Walker Evans photograph, as a weary factory worker resigned to her punishing job. --Robert Horton

Description

This musical adaptation of the Studs Terkel book examines the average worker's viewpoint--showing that he or she is anything but average. Based on a series of interviews with real working people--construction workers, waitresses, firemen, secretaries and cleaning women--"Working" is both an exploration of the individuals' occupations and a lament for lost hopes and dreams. This musical adaptation was conceived by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin). A must for all musical theatre buffs.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars a great dvd .......2006-01-21

never say you "have it bad" until you have walked in someone elses shoes..everyone has troubles..
this play tells the story from the other side..and everybody has a story..you are not the only one..

this is the story of "working"
I love the dvd .. and it is the best for the year of 1982..the play was from the year 1978 and it was on a stage.. the only thing is ..the actor "david patrick kelly " sings a song called "the mason" which was from the play. but is not on this dvd ..it has been cut from this ..he has a great voice and is a fantastic actor even today..I am sorry to have missed seeing that part being I am such a big fan of his .
the play was shot for the tv station PBS and is in "play form"
the film was remastered and sound is great also.
there are so many good actors in it as well some are not with us anymore but good to see on this..
there are many scenes that tells the stories of how people deal with thier jobs and what they do for a living.. I will watch this dvd again and again . it hits close to home with me..


1 out of 5 stars What an awful imitation of the original!.......2005-12-18

I assumed it would be with original cast members... I loved the CD soundtrack. But here they are, parading out different "stars" of the 70s/80s, butchering the beautiful tunes without a trace of feeling.

Rita Moreno does pretty well, but the "customers" never sing at the big finish. Looks like they've got a 17 year old playing the 11 year old newsboy. Even having James Taylor sing his song Brother Trucker has him looking like he's never acted in his life. The school teacher? Some concocted caracature of the woman, filmed in a Mr. Roger's stage set.

This DVD is just sad. I won't watch it again. It would only bring laughable images to my mind the next time I listen to the Broadway CD.

4 out of 5 stars Some great stuff.......2004-11-30

This production moved me when it first aired, and I was not disappointed when I bought the DVD. I remember thinking back in 1982 that some performances/songs were fantastic, others less so. This holds true today: Eileen Brennan is heart-wrenching as the millworker, as is her song; Rita Moreno is perfection as the waitress, with another great song; Beth Howland may not have been the perfect choice for the housewife, but the song is so good it doesn't matter; and who can resist Edie McClurg as the hotel switchboard operator?

Overall, this production has much to commend it - the closing number chokes me up every time I see it. It may not be perfect, but let's be glad it was done!

4 out of 5 stars Hey Somebody, Don't You Want To Hear..........2002-10-16

The story of my life? So begins one of the most underratd musicals ever. With a simple message, "Everyone has a story." This is a TV adaptation of a musical based on a book by Sociologist and pundit Studs Terkel available by the grace of God for the first time on DVD. I knew the play from high school and was anxious to see it on film. It's a fairly reliable adaptation of the play, except that it omits two very fine songs and is kind of simply set up (it was PBS after all).

For those unfamiliar with the book or the musical, Working is based on a series of interviews Terkel performed with people from all walks of life. The book was subtitled "People Talking About What They Do All Day And How They Feel About What They Do." Composer and Lyricist Stephen Schwartz (with help from the likes of James Taylor and Craig Carnelia) adapted the interviews (which were verbatim from these peoples' mouths) into a musical.

Now let me adress a common concern right here. "I don't like musicals." Something like that is simply impossible to say. It's like saying "I don't like soup." You can't. There are too many different kinds of musicals (indeed soups) to say that you hate them all. Do you hate bright and sunny musicals like "Meet Me in St. Louis" or lavish dance numbers like "42nd Street" or quasi-historic grandeur like "Camelot?" In Working the musical performances are limited to singing at the camera, or singing off camera.

And the singing is performed by some wonderful people. "Rocky Horror's" Barry Bostwick as the Steelworker, Scatman Crothers as a Parking Lot Attendant called "Lovin' Al: The Wizard," "West Side Story's" Rita Moreno as a Waitress who feels like an artist, Charles Durning as a retiree, Patti LaBelle as a Cleaning Woman and James Taylor (mentioned above) as a Trucker. Highlights include Bostwick's stirring ballad "Fathers and Sons" Moreno's "It's an Art" and the highly affecting "Me and My Machine" performed by an unseen vocalist during the Millworker scene.

People who do these jobs, might be inspired by these completely true stories. And people who interact with these people might be inspired as well. Inspired to spend a few brain cells thinking about the guy who put his car together, talking to the telephone operator who's been having a hard day, showing respect for the cleaning woman, you even see hookers in a new light.

"Hey somebody, don't you want to hear the story of my life?"

2 out of 5 stars Could have been better.......2002-08-24

...- the production is flat & lacking in energy (especially in the chorus numbers "See That Building" & "I Hear America Singing/All the Livelong Day") and sets look cheap. And some of the actors are miscast or can't sing very well. It would have been much better filmed in performance with an audience instead of an empty studio.
I happen to have done this musical & like it, but this is just an OK production. Fans of the show will want to buy it as it's the only "movie" version available.

There are standout performances - Barbara Hershey as a vulnerable hooker, Eileen Brennan as an exhausted millworker, Edie McClurg as a perky operator, Charles "Hill St Blues" Haid as the mischievous "gas man," Charles Durning as a retiree, and James Taylor adds a nice touch as he sings something he actually wrote for the show ("Brother Trucker").

But there are also annoying, jarring or boring performances, like Beth Howland as the housewife & Didi "Grease" Conn as a receptionist - both of them breathy & nasal.

Some actors push it too hard - seems like most were cast because they were the "hot A list" for the moment (i.e. the late 70s) which makes the show a little dated. It would have been better casting some unknowns (but great singers from Broadway). So "Where Are They Now?" - Eileen Brennan? Barbara Barrie? Beth Howland? Didi Conn? Matt Landers? Vernee Watson-Johnson?

Good thing they didn't make an album of this soundtrack - its thin singing & orchestrations pale in comparison to the original cast album of 1978, which has much better singers (like Bob Gunton & David Patrick Kelley) and there's more excitement, feeling & fullness in the songs.

Interesting note: Lynne Thigpen (cast as receptionist) & David Patrick Kelley (playing an activist Copyboy complaining about his capitalist newspaper) are the only ones from the original Broadway cast to make it into this broadcast, originally shown on PBS ~1982. On Broadway, Kelly sang the soaring ballad "The Mason," which very unfortunately was cut from this version. Pigpen sang "Cleaning Women."
Steambath (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Everyone Should Try to Find and Watch This Adaptation
  • Steambath - A Broadway Show
  • This takes me back
  • Steamy in many ways
  • Bill Bixby at his best
 Steambath (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Starring: Neil J. Schwartz , Valerie Perrine , José Pérez (II) , Herb Edelman , and Stephen Elliott
Director: Burt Brinckerhoff
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
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Similar Items:
  1. Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten (Broadway Theatre Archive)
  2. Tartuffe (Broadway Theatre Archive)
  3. Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh (Broadway Theatre Archive)
  4. Six Characters in Search of an Author (Broadway Theatre Archive)
  5. Slaughterhouse Five

ASIN: B00006RCMV
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Amazon.com

This unique play presents the afterlife as a steam bath, in which dead souls continue to obsess about the same petty concerns that obsessed them in their lives, until they are cast into a dark void by God, the Puerto Rican attendant (José Pérez). But new arrival Tandy (Bill Bixby) at first refuses to accept what's happened, and when he finally does, he pleads to be allowed to return to his life. Steambath was controversial in its day for its obscene language (which was softened for this filmed version, originally presented on PBS), its satirical take on religion, and some brief nudity by bombshell Valerie Perrine. Today it's still very entertaining, but mostly as a core sampling of the surprisingly uncensored male attitudes from the dawn of the 1970s. Everyone gives a solid performance and Bixby's easy charm makes his self-centered character sympathetic. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Everyone Should Try to Find and Watch This Adaptation.......2007-05-21

The intriguing and imaginative plot, the excellent acting, and the tragedy of this TV adaptation of Bruce Jay Friedman's play not being available for today's audiences have been repeated by several reviewers. They are, in my opinion, all correct in their views about this wonderful, thought-provoking "black" comedy.

I know that at least one reviewer lamented the fact that many reviewers seemed to talk more about the "nudity" than the merits of the play/movie. I have not found this to be so. And, of course, in the version shown in the United States, there is not really any frontal nudity. However, I was fortunate enough to see Ms. Perrine not only when she was performing in Las Vegas, but in the uncut version of "Steambath" that was shown in the UK and on Armed Forces Television throughout the European continent in 1973.

Quite some time ago, after months and months of searching, I finally found the censored American version of "Steambath" on VHS at kultur dot com. I could not find it at a site mentioned by another reviewer. Kultur now has this on DVD as of May 2007. I do not know whether it was in response to the requests here and elsewhere to re-release this fine film, but it is now available on such sites such as this one, Amazon dot com, and for rental on netflix dot com.

If ANYONE knows where I can obtain the uncut version shown outside the US, would you please contact me (see my review on imdb dot com)?

Maybe it's just because I'm a guy, but I think that the uncut version should be made available today because it adds to the impact of this insightful character study of the various personalities of the men (and one woman) who are "trapped" in the steam bath room. The uncut version is still very mild compared to what is available today, and it was all done very innocently. However, you knew that you were in for something unusual when Ms. Perrine suddenly appeared in what was apparently a men's shower/steam bath facility and dropped her towel! (You only see her from the waist up whenever she is turned toward you, of course. After all, this was 1973. Nevertheless, Ms. Perrine was facing the camera enough in the uncut version to make a lasting impression on this reviewer!)

5 out of 5 stars Steambath - A Broadway Show.......2007-05-13

Bill Bixby proves to be a real talent in this truly funny play in which a steambath is a sort of waiting place between death and the afterlife, and God is a Puerto Rican towel boy. The only negative to this work is that it calls for some special effects that really are pretty limp technologically - but pretty fair for its day. Valerie Perrine is actually a pretty good actress in this one.

5 out of 5 stars This takes me back.......2006-11-05

I remember the first time I saw this, back in 1973. It was cutting edge content for that era and Valerie Perrine's shower scene added to the controversy, but it was funny and entertaining. Now, if the PBS series that spun out from it would just be released, I would glady add that to my collection.

4 out of 5 stars Steamy in many ways.......2006-08-04

The basic story has been told in many ways and also some variation. Much more popular when purgatory was a real place. This is a story of a hand full of characters that find them selves at a crossroads or a steambath in their afterlife. Seams that the deity (José Pérez) is the attendant who replaces towels and enjoys a good story.

The attraction on an esoteric level is how the people get along with each other. Then we have individuals contemplating past present. The steamy part of the play is Valerie Perrine; the first woman to show off her accoutrements on U.S. TV (4 May 1973) being in the altogether and filmed showering from the side.

The hinge point of this story is watching Tandy (Bill Bixby) who refuses to believe that the Attendant is the deity and is determent to get back to his former life. One can believe if he does not perturb the Attendant, Tandy just might pull it off.

4 out of 5 stars Bill Bixby at his best.......2006-03-18

This rarely seen video was first aired in the 1970s. It discusses issues that we take for granted today, but were forming at that period of time.

The comedy throughout is satirical and delivers a strong message that crosses the boundaries of races and beliefs for everyone.

I enjoyed all the performances of the cast members and would see it again on stage if presented in a theater.
Hamlet / Kline, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Kline is famous but not the best
  • I've Waited For This For Over 10 Years
  • Mixed Matter
  • From the Broadway theater archive
  • A fine and personal (not political) Hamlet
 Hamlet / Kline, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Starring: Leo Burmester , Bill Camp , Reg E. Cathey , Joseph M. Costa , and Michael Cumpsty
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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ASIN: B00005NG0C
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Amazon.com

Kevin Kline directs and stars in this first-rate production of Shakespeare's most famous play. Originally produced by Joseph Papp for the New York Shakespeare Festival, this version was adapted by Kline and television director Kirk Browning for PBS. While one occasionally longs for the live audience reaction, the television production does offer the advantage of seeing Hamlet with close-ups. The design is beautiful, with sets full of dark, gloomy halls and characters in elegant modern dress. Kline's interpretation of Hamlet is an enjoyably accessible one; he never lets melancholy obscure Hamlet's wit. Veteran stage actress Dana Ivey is an excellent Gertrude, pliable without ever straying over into idiocy. This production is equally enjoyable as an introduction to Hamlet or as a fresh interpretation for those long familiar with the tale. --Ali Davis

Description

With a daring and depth few of his American contemporaries seem prepared to match, Kevin Kline stars in and directs Hamlet for the New York Shakespeare Festival. Now with the felicitous addition of Kirk Browning as co-director, he has brought his indelible Hamlet to television where, as The New York Times stated, "It is eloquent, moving and at times thrilling. The shrewdly edited version uses tight close-ups and captures small crowd scenes without a sense of confinement. The teleplay flows with commendable grace from beginning to end, all urged on by Kline's intelligent interpretation."

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Kline is famous but not the best.......2007-03-28

The production is well organized and well filmed and generally well acted, but I find Kline's Hamlet slow & indulgent, technically tearful but ultimately unconnected. Get your hands on Derek Jacobi's for some real excitement.

4 out of 5 stars I've Waited For This For Over 10 Years.......2006-08-07

As it says in my profile, I love almost everything Shakespearian. I saw this production on PBS's Great Performances, back in 1990, & I've been looking for it in some form ever since. So when I found it on DVD at Amazon.com I leaped at it.

Hamlet (Kevin Kline) Prince of Denmark, returns home when his father is killed. There he learns that his ambitious uncle has married the widdowed Queen & claimed Hamlet's throne for himself. Haunted by his father's ghost & his own need for revenge, Hamlet's torment leads to the most inspired poetry in all of Shakespeare.

I loved the modern dress & that there are some African-American cast members.

The only problem I find with the DVD is that there are no real special features. They give you a filmography of the cast, but that's it.

But the play is brilliant! Well worth the price!

4 out of 5 stars Mixed Matter.......2005-09-23

I have mixed feelings about this Hamlet; there are some things about it I emphatically do not like, and others I emphatically do like.

I DO like the fashion in which is was cut. Rozencrantz & Guildenstern, for instance, were kept in, as well as Fortinbras. There are important scenes and stories with both so I was glad to see them there.

I also like Kevin Kline's Hamlet. At first I thought I wouldn't, because in his first scene ("little more than kin & less than kind"), he didn't seem bitter enough to my taste. I also though that, as an actor, Kline sometimes over did the crying. But as he eased into the role and I grew used to it, I began to like his interpretation. He was very good at personifying Hamlet's merry but oh so bitter madness.

Everyone else was, I thought, well cast, which the exception of Ophelia. How lamentable, especially when her brother was so well played! Apparently she was trying to give a new interpretation of an Ophelia more wayward and rebellious than usual...but Shakespeare wrote Ophelia, and he made her gentle,not wild (until that madness sets in and that's for contrast); timid, not self-assured. "I will the effect of this good lesson keep" was spoken with sarcasm! Sarcasm to Laertes from Ophelia? What is the point in life? Admirably, however, Laertes and Hamlet both played their scenes with her excellently in spite of her shortcomings. There was a LOT of physical action during Hamlet's scenes both with his mother & Ophelia; a bit more than I'm used to, but it seems to be Kline's strong point.

I have to admit that modern dress in Shakespeare always gets under my skin. Why are they in post-victorian dress and speaking in "thees & thous"? The grandeur of Elizabethan costume that so sweeps the audience in is not good enough for them? But this Hamlet was very well performed, and though the clothing still clashes with its historical context, I had forgotten about it fifteen minutes into the play.

Oh, dear, I'm giving this four stars. I'm just so in love with Hamlet I can't nitpick such a good production apart. This is excellent, maybe not for a first viewing (and I only say that because of Ophelia), but a definite should-see.

5 out of 5 stars From the Broadway theater archive.......2004-05-13

William Shakespeare's Hamlet directed and starring Kevin Kline.

We have seen this play many times, sometimes abridged, and many adoptions by various artists and groups, such as Sir Laurence Oliver, Richard Burton, Dame Judith Anderson, Nicol Williamson, Richard Chamberlain, Derek Jacobi, Campbell Scott, Mel Gibson, even (icky poo) Ethan Hawke. Each brings a unique plus that makes it hard to say which is best. And threatened to be played by Shelley Long in "Outrageous Fortune"

That said Kevin Kline is top notch. One attribute is that this version seemingly uncut is spoken clear. Maybe because it is a stage version filmed close enough that they did not have to shout.

When Kevin builds up in the close-up you forget all the trivial things like Hamlets age. And you actually feel that you are there.

Prince Hamlet loses his father the king. It is unnerving to him that his mother should marry his uncle so soon that the funeral baked meat set the wedding table. Then comes the shocker. His father's ghost suggested that the uncle and wife did him in while asleep. How will hamlet handle this news and what consequence will it have on the people around him?

4 out of 5 stars A fine and personal (not political) Hamlet.......2004-02-27

No filmed version of "Hamlet" is entirely satisfying. The play is too rich to be reduced to a single definitive interpretation. But Kevin Kline's production of the more accessible of Shakespeare's two greatest tragedies ("King Lear" is equally great but sparer and more difficult) is one of the better versions available. Hamlet may be the most intelligent and verbally-skilled character ever written, and sometimes the wit and depth of his lines can obscure the real tragedy of his situation. Kline plays the character as deeply sad as well as intelligent. His reading of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, for example, is masterful: we witness someone who is not just considering suicide as an intellectual puzzle, but is despairing enough to be seriously considering it. This is a human and emotional Hamlet, in contrast to Branagh's (who even in the worst straits seems almost to be enjoying himself), Gibson's (alternately frightened and enraged), Williamson (existentially disgusted), or Olivier's (weak and indecisive, and in my opinion the only indefensible choice here).

Kline has some wonderful bits of "business," too: tearing the page out of the book and sticking it on Polonius's forehead, pointing to the book after Polonius hears him say "tedious old fools" as if he is merely reading, clasping Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's heads to his chest once he has decided he cannot trust them -- all very clever. (However, the scene where he dangles Ophelia like a puppet is a bit overdone.) Laertes cutting Hamlet on the hand during a break is a good choice too (Laertes should not be able to lay a glove on Hamlet without cheating). On the other hand, Kline's version of Hamlet's feigned madness seems quieter than the "antic disposition" the character claims he will "put on."

The rest of the cast is not as strong, unfortunately. Josef Summer captures Polonius's egotism and foolishness, but we get no sense of the cunning that has made him a power at court. Diana Venora plays Ophelia with a little too much self-awareness and resignation for her mad scene to be believable when it arrives. Dana Ivey is a fine Gertrude, but the role is not one of the play's strengths. Worst of all, Brian Murray hardly registers as Claudius, who can be played as purely evil, as tormented by guilt, as a decadent drunkard, or even as a reluctant murderer, but here is a puffed non-entity.

Most productions of "Hamlet" make cuts, and Kline's choice is to remove all the politics. An actor is listed playing Fortinbras, but I cannot remember him (though it has been a few months since I have watched this version). We neither see nor hear much about him, which robs the play of some of its power: Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes are three men in the same position; their differing responses -- respectively that of the Renaissance philosopher and poet, the modern military man, and the hothead -- provide one of the most basic themes of the play.

But "Hamlet" is not merely a personal or family play; it is also a play about nations, about the damage a ruler of bad character does to a country's reputation. As the gravedigger tells us, Hamlet was born the day his father slew the elder Fortinbras; Hamlet's life exactly spans the period of Denmark's ascendancy over Norway. In a sense, he is born to remedy a cosmic error. All of that is gone (as are other more minor but still missed elements such as the character of Reynaldo, and some of the comments on acting and the theatre). Fortunately, Kline rejects any facile Freudianism, such as we see in the Gibson/Zeffireli version.

The staging is simple. About the most you can say of it is that neither it nor the costumes distract us from the acting. The lighting, however, is quite elegant, and the camera work intimate without causing claustrophobia.

Overall and despite its flaws, Kline's "Hamlet" remains a skillful and moving effort, ennobled by the actor's sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of literature's first and greatest modern man.
New Faces
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • New faces of 1952
  • New Faces Obliterated?
  • Bad reproduction of a great movie!
  • ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY!
  • New Faces
 New Faces
Starring: Robert Clary , Alice Ghostley , Eartha Kitt , Carol Lawrence , and Bill Mullikin
Director: Harry Horner
Manufacturer: Critic's Choice
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Similar Items:
  1. New Faces of 1952
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ASIN: B0007GFBDS
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Product Description

A young Eartha Kitt lights up the stage with sparkling song-and-dance numbers written by none other than Mel (as Melvin) Brooks (1954/color/98 min.)! Also included is an episode of Stage Show hosted by the Dorsey Brothers and featuring Sarah Vaughan (1961/b&w/55 min.) NR.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars New faces of 1952.......2007-05-13

One of my favourite films, it was lifted directly from the Broadway smash hit. I've waited long years for its release. An early Cinemeascope film, it exploited the increased width of field best seen in the full cast production numbers. This show launched several careers. Robert Clary went on principally to Hogan's Heroes. Ronny Graham appeared in several TV sitcoms and Mel Brooks movies. (Mel was a co-writer of the sketches in this show.) Paul Lynde made several comedy appearances as well as TV sitcoms and his own TV show. Alice Ghostley also went into TV sitcoms and movies, most notably "Grease". One of the revue's songs, "Guess who I saw today?", was delivered in a deadpan fashion but was to be picked up years later by Nancy Wilson who turned it into a stunning torch song. For me the star of the show was the then newly-discovered Eartha Kitt. She sings "Santa Baby", "Uska Dara", "C'est si bon" and the showstopper "Monotonous" which shows us why Orson Welles labelled her the sexiest woman on the planet. This DVD has been lifted directly from a mediocre film print with patchy colour, splices and some im