The Bottom Line
Jennifer Hudson may not be an American Idol but she sure proves she's an incredibly talented actress and singer in Dreamgirls, the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical. Directed by Bill Condon and starring Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Anika Noni Rose, Dreamgirls is a lavish musical brought to life on the big screen - and now the small - by a talented cast of performers.
Pros
- Features an incredible amount of extra goodies
- A showingstopping performance by big screen newcomer Jennifer Hudson
- Loaded with memorable musical numbers
Cons
- None worth noting
Description
- Disc 1 includes the feature film as well as 12 extended/alternates scenes and Beyonce's "Listen" music video
- Disc 2 - 'Building the Dream' - 9 in-depth featurettes focusing on the development of the Broadway show into a feature film
- 'Dream Logic: Film Editing' - Editor Virginia Katz and director Bill Condon talk about cutting the film
- 'Dressing the Dreams: Costume Design' - From the sketches to the actual costumes
- 'Center Stage: Theatrical Lighting' - Learn what goes on when it comes to setting the mood through lights
- Beyonce Knowles and Anika Noni Rose's audition tapes
- Previsualization Sequences
- Hugh image gallery
- DVD Release Date: May 1, 2007
Guide Review - Dreamgirls 2-Disc Showstopper Edition DVD Review
Beyonce Knowles ('Deena') , Anika Noni Rose ('Lorrell') and Jennifer Hudson ('Effie') star as The Dreamettes, a group of talented girl singers who have big dreams to match their big voices. Dreamgirls takes place in Detroit in the 1960s during a time in the history of music when things were just starting to cook for artists based in and around that section of the country.
After cutting their teeth performing their own songs, The Dreamettes catch a break when a smooth-talking car salesman who wants to be a player in the music business hooks them up as background singers for James 'Thunder' Early (Eddie Murphy). From that gig, The Dreams take off and their careers explode. But things get dicey when Effie, the group's most powerful singer, is replaced as the lead by the beautiful Deena. Romance, heartbreak, and betrayal are major bumps in the road for the three women who dreamed of making it big together.
