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List Price: $19.99Amazon.com's Price: $13.99 You Save: $6.00 (30%)Prices subject to change.
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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Paramount
EAN: 0097363478249
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: DreamWorks
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: DreamWorks
Region Code: 1
Release Date: May 01, 2007
Running Time: 130 minutes
Sales Rank: 4571
Studio: DreamWorks
Theatrical Release Date: December 25, 2006
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
Director Bill Condon brings Tom Eyen's Tony award-winning Broadway musical to the big screen in a tale of dreams, stardom, and the high cost of success in the cutthroat recording industry. The time is the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it's like to have their wildest dreams come true. Discovered at a local talent show by ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the trio known as 'the Dreamettes' is soon offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of opening for popular singer James 'Thunder' Early (Eddie Murphy). Subsequently molded into an unstoppable hit machine by Taylor and propelled into the spotlight as 'the Dreams,' the girls quickly find their bid for the big time taking priority over personal friendship as Taylor edges out the ultra-talented Effie so that the more beautiful Deena can become the face of the group. Now, as the crossover act continues to dominate the airwaves, the small-town girls with big-city dreams slowly begin to realize that the true cost of fame may be higher than any of them ever anticipated.
Amazon.com:
The spirit of Motown runs through the long-awaited film adaption of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, which centers around a young female singing trio who burst upon the music scene in the '60s, complete with bouffant hairdos, glitzy gowns, and a soul sound new to the white-bread American music charts. Sound familiar? You aren't the first one to draw comparisons to the meteoric rise of the Supremes, and despite any protests to the contrary, this is most definitely a thinly veiled reinterpretation of that success story. The Dreamettes--statuesque Deena (Beyonce Knowles), daffy Lorell (Anika Noni Rose) and brassy Effie (Jennifer Hudson)--are a girl group making the talent-show rounds when they're discovered by car salesman and aspiring music manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx). Sensing greatness (as well as a new marketing opportunity) Curtis signs the Dreamettes as backup singers for R&B star James 'Thunder' Early (Eddie Murphy). But when Early's mercurial ways and singing style don't mesh with primarily white audiences, Curtis moves the newly-renamed Dreams to center stage--with Deena as lead singer in place of Effie. And that's not the only arena in which Effie is replaced, as Curtis abandons their love affair for a relationship with star-in-the-making Deena.
Besides the Supremes comparison, one can't talk about Dreamgirls now without revisiting its notorious Oscar snub; though it received eight nominations, the most for any film from 2006, it was shut out of the Best Picture and Director races entirely. Was the oversight justified? While Dreamgirls is certainly a handsomely mounted, lovingly executed and often vibrant film adaptation, it inspires more respect than passion, only getting under your skin during the musical numbers, which become more sporadic as the film goes on. Writer-director Bill Condon is definitely focused on recreating the Motown milieu (down to uncanny photographs of Knowles in full Diana Ross mode), he often forgets to flesh out his characters, who even on the Broadway stage were underwritten and relied on powerhouse performances to sell them to audiences. (Stage fans will also note that numerous songs are either truncated or dropped entirely from the film.) Condon has assembled a game cast, as Knowles does a canny riff on the essence of Diana Ross' glamour (as opposed to an all-out impersonation) and Rose makes a peripheral character surprisingly vibrant; only Foxx, who never gets to pour on the charisma, is miscast. Still, there are two things even the most cranky viewers will warm to in Dreamgirls: the performances of veteran Eddie Murphy and newcomer Jennifer Hudson. Murphy is all sly charm and dazzling energy as the devilish Early, who's part James Brown, part Little Richard, and all showman. And Hudson, an American Idol contestant who didn't even make the top three, makes an impressive debut as the larger-than-life Effie, whose voice matches her passions and stubbornness. Though she sometimes may seem too young for the role, Hudson nails the movie's signature song, 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going,' with a breathtaking power that must be seen and heard to believe. And for those five minutes, if not more, you will be in Dreamgirls' thrall. --Mark Englehart
Beyond Dreamgirls 
Other Musicals on DVD | 
More Motown on DVD | 
The Soundtrack |
Stills from Dreamgirls (click for larger image)
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - Jennifer Hudson deserved that Oscar!!!
I finally watched "Dreamgirls" last weekend. Mostly I wanted to see it because it had won an Oscar, or should I say Jennifer Hudson won the Oscar for Supporting Actress. What a performance! To think she came from American Idol(and not the winner) and is such an amazing performer and actress. The movie seemed like the perfect vehicle for her rev up her movie career.
"Dreamgirls" reminded me a bit of the story of The Supremes. It is the 50's when it starts. Three back up singers for Eddie ... Read More
Rating:  - well-acted but overlong
I suspect one's reaction to this movie depends a lot on how one responds to the music. I could admire the performances, especially Hudson's, and some of the numbers were really rousing. Others were not. I must admit I had to fast-forward through more than one semi-operatic number.
This story seems to mirror the history of Diana Ross and the Supremes. Not being an expert, I have no idea how much of it is factual and how much merely semi-factual. The contrived "happy ending" was certainly the latter. ... Read More
Rating:  - gorgeous women; scuzzy men
"Dream Girls" is a brilliant, glitzy and thoroughly entertaining production. The women in the film sparkle with both talent, grace and beauty. The men, both entertainers and agents, are sleazy enough to want to make you take a good both after watching them. They are acquisitive, double-dealing and sleazy. Eddie Murphy as a James Brown surrogate does an especially great job. Consumed by intemperance and drugs he crashes out before the end of the movie. It is a little difficult to understand why the female ... Read More
Rating: - Deserving of some honors; not of others
(written by Leigh's wife): I had been looking forward to seeing this for quite a while, but couldn't find a Widescreen copy. I was interested in seeing if it was all it was hyped up to be. I was particularly interested in seeing the performances by Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Beyonce Knowles and, of course, Jennifer Hudson.
My opinions:
I do not like Jamie Foxx as a comedian; however, he is definitely growing on me as a dramatic actor! Seeing him in this and, more recently, "The Kingdom", ... Read More
Rating: - dreamgirls
The story is ordinary in this category, not much surprise. But the songs are great. Very easy listening and the sound effect is good! Never imagine I like this kind of film so much.
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