comment #1

bmcintire says ...

How can a trailer give more of a feeling of how this is going to play compared to seeing twenty minutes (no matter how artfully arranged) of preview footage? It's a sharp, well-constructed trailer - in a very long line of the same. I've had no real love for this show as a play, and apart from "You're Going To Love Me," there's really not a memorable song I can recall. I'm not having any real reservations about Condon's work, even though the story is paper-thin. I've got a stronger feeling that the trailer is cutting around a slew of weak acting performances by the lead actresses. And when it comes down to it, that's really all this thing has to offer.
I know it will never happen (or at least, he'd never admit it) but I am hoping that the beautiful wrapping paper outside the empty box that is DREAMGIRLS makes Jeff long for the days of CHICAGO.

comment #2

Webster says ...

The song you're referring to (as I'm sure others will point out) is "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going." But that point aside, isn't "Dreamgirls" being set up here (and elsewhere) for Oscar disappointment? Has everyone forgotten that "Dreamgirls" didn't even win the Best Musical Tony back in 1982 (it went to "Nine")?

I thought the show was terrific. Jennifer Holliday was amazing, and Jennifer Hudson looks up to the task. But at the end of the day, I think the performances will outshine the total product, as it was with the original. "Chicago" is the exception to the trend here. My bet is that "Dreamgirls" will be a commercial success, but not the one that goes home with the Oscars.

And btw: Beyonce's new number for the movie, "Listen" (for Best Original Song consideration) is weak. Very disappointing.

comment #3

Dixon Steele says ...

I saw this show at the Shubert in LA with Jennifer Holliday (great performance). It got raves on Broadway, thanks to Michael Bennett's excellent staging, but while I enjoyed it, it didn't blow me away.

So I'm hoping the movie improves the material somehow. Condon did a great job adapting Chicago and he definitely has the star power with Foxx, Knowles and Murphy.

I'm definitely up for this one, and with Condon and the cast, it'll be at least good.

comment #4

Chance says ...

I don't know how I've been so far out of the loop. THIS is one of the big Oscar frontrunners? A movie with Beyonce Knowles as one of the leads? Come on. She didn't even have the acting chops to keep up in that Austin Powers movie.

I think Condon's GODS AND MONSTERS and KINSEY are both great, but this looks like a fucking trainwreck.

comment #5

Mark B says ...

A trainwreck? I think it's way too early to stay that, IMHO, unless you've actually seen a rough cut of the whole film. I saw a top-notch National Touring Company production of this show in 1985, and I was extremely impressed, although I'll agree that it lacked a certain depth. However, if anyone can add the needed pathos and juice it would be Condon (even though I personally couldn't stand KINSEY). This movie definitely has the POTENTIAL to knock the ball out of the park. Whether or not it ultimately does so, we'll find out very soon.

comment #6

Chance says ...

> I think it's way too early to say that,
> IMHO, unless you've actually seen a
> rough cut of the whole film.

Uh... I didn't have to see all of DEUCE BIGALOW to know I didn't want to see it. Same case with DREAMGIRLS.

From the trailer, I think it's safe to say that DREAMGIRLS is a steaming pile of Oscar-baiting, Beyonce-starring, big-budget shit.

Which some people will totally eat up, including, probably, the Academy. I'll be staying far away from this one, though.

comment #7

Monument says ...

Let's give Rob Schneider a rest, it's just too easy.

comment #8

Steve Rhodes says ...

Dreamgirls isn't about the story, it is about the songs.

I saw it on Broadway with Jennifer Holliday when I was in high school and still remember the songs and the staging, but not more than the broad Supremes outline of the story.

I hope it does well because I'd like to see more musicals, well, good musicals.

comment #9

Hallick says ...

Okay, well the "Dreamgirls" mystique is now officially GONE.

comment #10

Larry says ...

I don't expect this to be any good because the underlying material is weak. Seeing 20 minutes of a musical tells you very little except how well they've managed the spectacle. A lot of people were impressed with early excerpts from Evita.

Also, does anyone really care about the story of The Supremes any more?

However, it doesn't matter that Dreamgirls didn't win the Tony for best musical. Neither did Chicago or West Side Story.

comment #11

Rich S. says ...

I think I'm with Hallick here. Like it or not, at least the trailer for Chicago had some heat (based mostly on CZJ) that this trailer just doesn't have. It could be a good movie, and you can't get a very good read on performances, but nothing here looks exceptional.

Now that critical reception to The Prestige and Flags has been lukewarm to mildly favorable, I guess we keep looking. Maybe The Departed will take it, after all.

comment #12

kmoore says ...

You all can keep wishing, but "The Departed" will not win Best Picture. WILL NOT! But I do think Marty will win Best Director. I have a strong feeling about that. "FOOF" is not blowing people away and Clint has already won twice. Marty will take it (deservingly so) unless they give it to Condon...for his razzle dazzle. On the subject of "Dreamgirls" vs "Chicago" what was so deep or thematic about "Chicago". I really enjoyed the film, mostly because it was entertaining, not because of its depth. It had some great performances and great song & dance. The movie was fun and I see "Dreamgirls" being no different. Actually having seen both theatrical productions, "Dreamgirls" has more heart and drama, which the Academy will eat.

As I said before, Bill Condon made Brendan Fraser look good on screen so I'm pretty sure he can help out Beyonce a bit as well.

I am happy that a movie about African-Americans is getting some notice. Hopefully, there will be more challenging material and stories in the future, because there several topics and issues within the black community that need to be shown on film. I am currently writing a script for my thesis where I was tackle a few issues that have been taboo within our community. Hopefully other writers, directors, and studios will follow.

But anyway, I hope that "Dreamgirls" is good. I think the trailer wets the appeitite. I want to see more. So until then...I will settle for "The Queen" and "Last King of Scotland" which I didn't get to see last weekend.

comment #13

p.Vice says ...

Nobody seems to remember that Condon is a writer, and like most writers who direct, he doesn't know shit about how to place a camera. Kinsey and Gods and Monsters were both undone by their utterly uninspired style, and if Dreamgirls suffers the same fate, look out. There's nothing like a musical to expose a director who doesn't know shit about cinematics.

comment #14

kammy says ...

DREAMGIRLS will be just like MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA from last year -- beautiful art direction, but not much else.

comment #15

nola says ...

I think West Side Story did win best picture. It won something like 9 Oscars. I think the next year Sound Of Music won best picture...then that was is for musicals for a while. The movie is called Dreamgirls but I don't see them hyping the actresses but Eddie and Jamie instead. I will wait and see what happens. CZJ was outstanding in Chicago. But she comes from a musical theatre background, Beyonce does not.

comment #16

kammy says ...

Hyping the actors instead of the actresses is rather disquieting for a movie that's called DREAMGIRLS.

comment #17

corey3rd says ...

I'm waiting for the scene where Jamie Foxx loses his eyesight, Ike Turner takes over the act and beats them all down and finally Johnny Cash comes to their rescue by taking them to Las Vegas to open up for the Partridge family.

comment #18

Winter Gladstone says ...

Honestly, can the movie business be any more stale than it is today? Can the generation that is in charge of greenlighting pictures, be more out of touch with the ebb and flow of our culture than they are right now? The excitement that was once attached to going to the movies, has been long gone.
Dreamgirls looks great... like the lastest typewriter, or the newest edition of Encyclopedia Brittanica.

comment #19

Larry says ...

Four films won Best Picture Oscar in the 1960s. (The 1960s! Starting with the 30s, it was easily the worst decade for musicals up to that point.) They were West Side Story (1961), My Fair Lady (1964), The Sound Of Music (1965) and Oliver! (1968). Then, nothing for over 30 years until Chicago won it in 2002.

Earlier musical winners: Broadway Melody (1929), An American In Paris (1951) and Gigi (1958). (A few others has musical numbers but they don't count.)

Not the most impressive record, having missed most of the greatest and awarded some that were not so great.

comment #20

MovieBob says ...

So... Look, I'm sorry. I don't live in New York and generally do not give two shits about Broadway. Just personal preference. So when I started hearing that "Dreamgirls is gonna be a movie!!!!" my initial response was "what the hell is Dreamgirls?" followed promptly by forgetting to pretend that I cared.

Then I start hearing about "Dreamgirls has Oscar buzz!!!!" I'm thinking, "hm, maybe this is something I should pay attention to." Now I finally see this trailer and... THIS is IT!!?? Seriously, it's just a faux-biopic about The Supremes?? Yeegh.

comment #21

alero says ...

The trailer reminds me of that show NBC had on a couple of years ago. I can't remember the title of the show but it was about a family living ine 60's and had actors guest starring as 60's rock n roll/motown icons. I don't understand the hype for this movie.

Also Eddie Murphy looks like he is playing a part in Saturday Night Live. There has to be more if this is going to win him an Oscar.