FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: Dreamgirls (2 Disc Special Edition) [DVD] [2006]

Dreamgirls (2 Disc Special Edition) [DVD] [2006]
enlarge	Director: Bill Condon Actors: Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment Category: DVD List Price: ~~£22.99~~ Buy New: £3.96 as of 21/11/2009 18:57 GMT details You Save: £19.03 (83%) New (15) Used (3) from £3.45 Seller: selectcheaper Rating: 18 reviews Sales Rank: 946 Format: Anamorphic, Box set, Collector's Edition, PAL Language: English (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over Region: 2 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Number Of Discs: 2 Running Time: 125 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5014437933935 ASIN: B000NQRE64 Theatrical Release Date: 2006 Release Date: May 28, 2007 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


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Editorial Reviews: Amazon.co.uk Review The spirit of Motown runs through the long-awaited film adaption of the Broadway musical iDreamgirls/i, which centres 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 RB 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. p Besides the Supremes comparison, one can't talk about iDreamgirls/i 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 iDreamgirls/i 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.p Still, there are two things even the most cranky viewers will warm to in iDreamgirls/i: 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 iAmerican Idol/i 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 iDreamgirls/i' thrall. i--Mark Englehart/i

Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 18 1 2 3 4 Next » This film's got Soul May 28, 2007 R. Keech (Hull, UK) 10 out of 11 found this review helpful This film is awesome. I can't compare it to seeing the broadway show as I've not been fortunate enough to see Dreamgirls on broadway. I would imagine that it loses a little something when converted to film, its usually the case. But You should never write a musical off, just because its on film. If this film taught me anything - it's that! br / The songs are fantastic and I think do justice to the Motown sound they are there to imitate, every song is performed with a lot of care and attention and I was drawn into the story pretty early on. br / Jennifer Hudson is definitely the star of the show, but the supporting cast are what makes this film great. Beyonce does a great job of underplaying her voice for the majority of the film, which not only helps serve the dynamic between her character and Jennifer Hudson's - but also makes her delivery of the song "Listen" much stronger and more relevant to the story. Eddie Murphy is outstanding throughout and he takes the character of Jimmy Early on an extremely convincing emotional ride through fame, fortune, women and the pitfalls that such a life can bring. He's got a pretty good soulful voice on him too! br / Jamie Foxx is also very good - though its clear that his skills lie more in acting than in singing. His character sings less frequently than any other of the main parts and you can kind of hear why (sorry Mr. Foxx). He's by no means awful, just understandably underused. br / For me this film earns a solid 4 stars out of five - however, today its getting a 5 out of 5 from me purely to bring up the average that the first reviewer has caused with his 1 star rating. I know reviews are essentially one person pushing their views onto others but they are also meant to provide a rounded view from like minded individuals - especially on a site like this! br /Ignore his review. If you like musicals and are open minded enough to realise that musicals are a current medium for telling stories (and not some stone age concept as you may have been lead to believe) then see this film. You'll enjoy it! br / "All I Can Say Is Wow !" May 30, 2007 I. Gude (UK) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful Don't know what 'Adrian' is on about above (and obviously, neither does he !)... A superb film which does justice to one of the best Broadway musicals of all time. Brilliant performances, and a soundtrack that will rate in the classics of all time. Just buy it ! An All Time Goodie June 2, 2007 David R. Bishop (Plymouth, UK) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful I waited 25 years to see this film. I was too young and too poor to make the trip to New York to see the show on Broadway in the early '80s. br / br /It was worth the wait, and well produced, and spectacular. It brings us a new star in the form of Jennifer Hudson, and the return to form of an old star Eddie Murphy. Both are deserving of their critical acclaim and awards. br / br /As a huge fan of The Supremes and the Motown sound, I would say that Diana Ross has nothing to complain about. Beyonce's portrayal of Deena Jones shows kindness and makes recompense for the wrongs done to Effie White. If I were Berry Gordy though, I might be a bit upset by the character of Curtis Taylor. He is cold, ruthless and totally unredeemed. I'm sure it took a certain toughness to achieve what Mr Gordy did, but most of the acts who worked for him, even the minor less successful ones, would tell of a different man than the one shown here. Of course, it not a true story, all the names were changed to protect the innocent. br / br /The absolute highlight is Effie White's (Jennifer Holliday) rendition of 'I'm Telling You I'm Not Going' as she is ousted from the group. They cut away from it too quickly to show The Dreams performing without her. br / br /A lavish spectacular movie full of music. Fantastic July 23, 2007 HooterFM (UK) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful I completly dissagree with MOST reviews on this 2 disc DVD set. This film is fantastic! Don't listen to anyone else! This is a MUST HAVE movie. A tribute to Diana Ross and the Supremes. Here's how you know (Diana Ross and the Supremes THEN Deena Jones and the Dreams). This is a fantastic film about the lives and times of a girl group named the Dreamgirls. br /They go bankrupt, fall out, cheat, split up and fall in love - through stardom! This looks like a really girly film - however it is sutable for men alike! It has fantastic acting and real life events built well structured in to the plot! BUY NOW WHILST STOCKS LAST! All that and then some! August 30, 2007 christgirl (Guildford, UK) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful I think my only regret is not watching this movie in the cinema, on a big screen, to get the full experience. It's wonderful! The opening scene, the music, the script, the characters evoke a myriad of emotions. br /There is, however, no way of mentioning Dreamgirls without giving a mental standing ovation to Jennifer Hudson. She simply stole the show, which is actually a compliment to the other stars, especially Beyonce, that they allowed a 'newbie' to take such role while they played off her. With the famous 'I'm telling you I'm not going', she sealed the deal for her oscar. br /The DVD is a collector's item, the movie is all that, and then some! Showing reviews 1-5 of 18 1 2 3 4 Next »

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