Dreamgirls (Full Screen Edition)

Love owning this movie! Easy to purchase and watch.

I loved Dreamgirls when I saw it on stage all 3 times (the Broadway touring company, a bus & truck reduction of the Broadway version, and the Paper Mill Playhouse re-imagining). And while I liked the film, I always thought it was just a tad too severely edited. It seemed a bit choppy, like there were pieces missing. Now at last the original director has released a "Directors Extended Edition," and the movie finally feels complete. The cast is phenomenal, the production values are top notch, and the new songs are not bad at all. I heartily recommend this version to fans of the film (and show). However, one minor note: it is a little light on extras. There are 4 Jennifer Hudson screen tests or auditions, and that is it. There are rumors of "2½ hours of extras," but that is not the case. There are 2 discs: one is the DVD and the other is the Blu-Ray. They are almost identical, except the DVD version only has 3 Jennifer Hudson screen tests, and the Blu-Ray has noticeably higher definition in picture quality. The packaging includes a small booklet with lyrics of most of the songs and full-color photos of the songs being performed. Notice to graphic designer: the film credits on the bottom half of the back cover are absolutely illegible due to dark on dark ink colors. Somebody should have noticed that. But I am being picky. The movie itself is just wonderful. And when it was over, I had to fight the urge to watch it all over again immediately.

Excellent movie to purchase. It is well done and timeless.

One of my absolute favorite movies!

Mr. Gordy definitely has legal grounds against Dreamworks Films considering how they have taken even more artistic license than they did with the Broadway musical. The special pre-opening run in limited markets came with a souvenir booklet that took ownership of their plagiarism. The Motown/Jobete songbook is infamously expensive to license. Therefore, only those classic Motown hits are missing. In its place are a crop of new songs that doesn't sound very much like "the Sound of Young America". Beyonce also does little to capture the essence of Diana Ross. However, collectively, "Deena Jones & The Dreams/Dreamettes" do replicate the essence of The Primettes morphing into The Supremes and finally Diana Ross & The Supremes even without any of the songs sounding much like the group's 12/13/14 #1 singles. However, the iconic artwork of several of the #1 gold and/or platinum albums especially "More Hits by", "Floy Joy" and/or "The Supremes 1975". The movie is quite entertaining. The showstopper, "And I Tell You I'm Not Going" sounds nothing like a Supremes single nor an indication of some hidden magnificent talent by Florence Ballard that was somehow suppressed. As a movie in its own right, it deserved its multiple Oscar nods. As the story of the life of The Supremes, Diana said it best when she echoed, "this is my life, not a damned story". While forever the opportunist, marywilson milked the association for all its worth including naming her hilarious biography, "Dreamgirls: My Life as a Supreme". While Diana kept a respectable distance from the entire affair when it was so blatantly obvious that David Geffen nor Michael Bennett went so far as the desperate former ex-ex-former Supreme, the belabored marywilson. In the souvenir booklet for the early special screenings, Mr. Geffen thanked Mr. Gordy profusely for his tremendous influence and impact of Motown and The Supremes. Eddie Murphy gives a somewhat subtle performance as a James Brown morphed into Marvin Gaye characterization. Jennifer Hudson takes the music down to Muscle Shoals with "Love You, I Do" in a soulsista portrayal more reminiscent of Atlantic-era Aretha, soft portrayals of a Smokey Robinson-type songwriter compliments a Beyonce meets Mahogany era Diana Ross recreating the iconic "Mahogany" fashion montage. The film ages well and with the current release of the wildly successful "Motown, The Musical" hitting legitimate theater stages from Los Angeles to London....."Dreamgirls" has survived over 3 decades.....stronger than ever.

One of my favorite Broadway shows that is a Wonderful screen adaptation. (Not something I say lightly). Not a big Eddie Murphy fan generally, but he did a great performance! The added songs fit the time era and the characters originally created for the stage!

People acted so shocked when DREAMGIRLS was not nominated for best film at the Oscars. Well, it didn't deserve it. I saw the original Broadway cast and it was an amazing experience - so much more than had been managed on Broadway before. It was excellent even without the showstopper song. The music told the story more than the acting. In the movie, the music lost all the intensity it had on stage. They wanted names - Beyonce, Jamie Foxx - fine, but their acting and vocals didn't bring the emotional impact of the originals. The only character that did was Effie. Ms. Jennifer Hudson didn't try to copy Jennifer Holliday - who could. She made it her own. Her acting was the most believable in the film and when she sang - she SANG. That girl spoke more emotion through the songs than all the other actors did throughout the entire film. Her Oscar was mor than deserved and not only for AND I AM TELLING YOU. Otherwise, the adaption was a mess. When thet sang the song FAMILY and then Jennifer and Jamie went outside arguing they were in the middle of the riots complete with gunshots. How unrealistic. if all this was happening outside would they have all just been sitting in the theatre. And on the stage, when the song DREAMGIRLS was performed, as the group transitioned, it was magical. You were lost in it. It was such a let down in the film. The vocals didn't make it soar and even the shooting, editing of it certainly lost an opportunity to shine. For me, this movie made me wish the stage magic could have been brought to film. It was e reminder of a memory. Beyonce was stiff and some of the worst acting by Jamie so far. I would give this film 3 stars as an ill fated attempt but Jennifer Hudson made the material shine and anyone who had a scene with her looked better. When she sang you wanted to stand, clap and shout as if you were seeing it live. Jennifer Hudson - for you - I AM TELLING YOU - I have to give the film 4 stars. You deserve a career with much opportunities. Jennifer - your beautiful, emotional voice has certainly touched me and made this film something I will watch over and over, just for you.

I love is movie