Dreamgirls (2006)

Director:

Bill Condon

Writers:

Bill Condon (screenplay)
Tom Eyen (book)

Release Date:

25 December 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical

Tagline:

Fame Comes And Goes, Stars Rise And Fall, But Dreams Live Forever

Plot:

Based on the Broadway musical, a trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960's.

Plot Keywords:

One Word Title | Friendship Between Women | Star | Fired | Manager

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 41 wins & 46 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 22	4:40 AM	MAX
Tue. July 29	8:00 AM	MAX

Cast

Jamie Foxx	...	Curtis Taylor, Jr.
Beyoncé Knowles	...	Deena Jones
Eddie Murphy	...	James "Thunder" Early
Danny Glover	...	Marty Madison
Jennifer Hudson	...	Effie White
Anika Noni Rose	...	Lorrell Robinson
Keith Robinson	...	C.C. White
Sharon Leal	...	Michelle Morris
Hinton Battle	...	Wayne
Mariah I. Wilson	...	Magic (as Mariah Wilson)
Yvette Cason	...	May
Ken Page	...	Max Washington
Ralph Louis Harris	...	M.C. (as Ralph Harris)
Michael-Leon Wooley	...	Tiny Joe Dixon
Loretta Devine	...	Jazz Singer

Also Known As:

Dream Girls (International: English title) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, some sexuality and drug content.

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Singapore:PG | UK:12A (theatrical release) | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | USA:PG-13 | Germany:o.Al. | Argentina:13 | Norway:A | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Malaysia:U | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:12A | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-7

Filming Locations:

Alexandria Hotel - 501 S. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Cameo: [Durrell "Tank" Babbs (R&B singer, associate music producer)]one of the chorus singers for the "Patience" recording session.

Goofs:

Continuity: While adjusting her outfit backstage during the Detroit Theater Talent show, Effie is shown adjusting her wig. In the very next shot, it is perfectly in place.

Quotes:

Curtis Taylor Jr.: Who was the first artist to sing "Hound Dog"?
C.C. White: Elvis Presley.
Curtis Taylor Jr.: No, it was Big Mama Thorton. She had the No. 1 single on the R&B charts, but the white stations wouldn't play it because they thought it was just another race record.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: (2007-02-12)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

One Night Only

A great American musical....

Screened overnite in Australia for critics and industry.

Ten minutes into director Bill Condon's adaptation of the hit musical, I whispered to my friend "There's no way the film can go at this pace for two hours!" Because up to that point, we had been utterly dazzled by breathtaking staging, impassioned performances and a display of film-making craftsmanship in all its forms (direction, editing, design) that had the packed audience stunned.

Well, two hours later, I'd been proved wrong. Condon has created a vivid, emotional spectacle that will dominate the 06/07 Oscar nominations. Dreamgirls is one of the five best movie musicals ever made.

There is really nothing new about the storyline - smalltown singers make it big and ride the roller-coaster of fame. But thats what works so well for the film - the great cinematic clichés are embraced and played to the hilt by a creative team, both behind and in front of the camera, that knows what makes a great Hollywood musical.

There's not one weak link in the cast. Condon's camera is in love with Beyonce Knowles and she handles the journey from the innocence of the groups early years to the staggering success and fortune of the group at its peak with surprising range. While most singer/actress attempts are failures (Madonna, Whitney, Britney, k.d. lang), Beyonce proves to have genuine talent.

Jamie Foxx centres and grounds the film in a less-flashy role but one that is crucial to the films credibility.

But there are two standouts. Eddie Murphy as fading star Early has never done better work. And Jennifer Hudson delivers an absolute tour-de-force performance in a role that sees her dominate every scene she is in. Her belting solo number was applauded by the audience (a rare enough occurrence during an industry screening but a moment that was repeated a few times thru the film). Hudson is a lock for the supporting actress Oscar, even this far from the ceremony.

Dreamgirls is a better movie in every way than recent award winning musicals Chicago and Moulin Rouge (both of which I am a huge fan). It is a film that tells a classic rags-to-riches story utilising great cinematic technique and bravado. 2006 has offered up some great movie-going experiences for me (Thank You For Smoking, Children Of Men, V For Vendetta, Little Miss Sunshine); for the sheer cinematic thrill it provides, however, Dreamgirls proves to be the best two hours I've spent in a cinema this year.