Post by timmy84 on Dec 23, 2006 19:34:34 GMT -5
How could the producers of Dreamgirls NOT say that the movie isn't at least loosely based on the Supremes and Motown Records is beyond me because the spoilers in the movie tell you that it is paying a tribute to Motown:
Here, I'll list some similarities between the Supremes and the Dreams and Motown and Rainbow and the characters around it:
*The story of the Dreams starts in Detroit, Michigan; the story of the Supremes starts in Detroit, Michigan
*In one of the sneak peeks I saw, the Dreams and another girl group (a four member group) are rivals; the Supremes and Marvelettes (a four-member group for much of its early duration) were rivals.
*The Dreams start out as the Dreamettes; the Supremes started out as the Primettes.
*Curtis Taylor, Jr. is a music impresario; Berry Gordy, Jr. is/was a music impresario.
*Of course Effie White is the lead singer of the Dreamettes/Dreams; Florence Ballard was the lead singer of the Primettes/Supremes.
*The Dreamettes back up James "Thunder" Early; the Supremes and Martha & the Vandellas backed up Marvin Gaye. James Early is a combo of Marvin, Jackie Wilson and James Brown.
*Rainbow Records becomes a popular music label in the '60s and '70s; Motown Records became a popular music label in the '60s and '70s.
*Curtis replaces Effie as lead singer of the Dreams and puts Deena Jones in front and falls in love with her also; Berry replaced Florence as lead singer of the Supremes and put Diana Ross in front and Berry & Diane start a relationship.
*Lorrell Robinson dates James Early; Mary Wilson dated "Duke" of the Four Tops.
*Effie is eventually replaced by Curtis from the Dreams after "showing off"; much the same reason Flo got cast aside.
*Effie finds herself on welfare and an alcoholic; Flo found herself on welfare and an alcoholic.
*Jimmy Early tries in vain to break from his pop image cultivated by Curtis and presents Curtis with a socially conscious song, Curtis turns it down; Marvin Gaye broke away from his pop image cultivated by Berry and presents Berry with a socially conscious song, Berry turns it down; the only difference is Marvin got through to release that song: "What's Going On"; James' "Patience" never gets a release.
*C.C. White, Effie's brother, is like a Lamont Dozier type of writer/producer.
*Rainbow Records hosts a televised anniversary celebration; Motown hosted a televised anniversary celebration.
*James Early, breaking away from his pop image goes into a funk number and drops his pants; Marvin Gaye dropped his pants during a performance during HIS funk number but it was not on Motown 25.
*James Early is addicted to drugs; so was Marvin; the only difference afterwards is James DIES of a drug overdose; Marvin, well we know what happened.
*Deena Jones eventually breaks away from Curtis' control and leaves him to follow her dreams of movie stardom; Diana Ross eventually broke away from Berry's control and left him to have more control of her career; much like Deena, Diana also finds movie stardom.
*Deena Jones take several modeling shots that will remind you of Diana Ross in "Mahogany".
*Effie (with C.C. and Marty and some lawyers) sues Curtis for payola after Curtis produces a disco version of her breakthrough solo single "One Night Only"; Florence sued Berry for undue royalties.
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The only differences here from the movie and their inspirations was that Florence Ballard never had the chance to experience that breakthrough solo stardom that Effie White finally won, Diana and Florence never had a one-to-one talk following the 1967 split like Deena and Effie did and unfortunately there wasn't a reunion performance with Florence, Diana, Mary and Cindy as it was with Effie, Deena, Lorrell and Michelle.
Other than that, it was definitely loosely based on the Supremes and Motown Records regardless of how either the play or movie folks think.
Here, I'll list some similarities between the Supremes and the Dreams and Motown and Rainbow and the characters around it:
*The story of the Dreams starts in Detroit, Michigan; the story of the Supremes starts in Detroit, Michigan
*In one of the sneak peeks I saw, the Dreams and another girl group (a four member group) are rivals; the Supremes and Marvelettes (a four-member group for much of its early duration) were rivals.
*The Dreams start out as the Dreamettes; the Supremes started out as the Primettes.
*Curtis Taylor, Jr. is a music impresario; Berry Gordy, Jr. is/was a music impresario.
*Of course Effie White is the lead singer of the Dreamettes/Dreams; Florence Ballard was the lead singer of the Primettes/Supremes.
*The Dreamettes back up James "Thunder" Early; the Supremes and Martha & the Vandellas backed up Marvin Gaye. James Early is a combo of Marvin, Jackie Wilson and James Brown.
*Rainbow Records becomes a popular music label in the '60s and '70s; Motown Records became a popular music label in the '60s and '70s.
*Curtis replaces Effie as lead singer of the Dreams and puts Deena Jones in front and falls in love with her also; Berry replaced Florence as lead singer of the Supremes and put Diana Ross in front and Berry & Diane start a relationship.
*Lorrell Robinson dates James Early; Mary Wilson dated "Duke" of the Four Tops.
*Effie is eventually replaced by Curtis from the Dreams after "showing off"; much the same reason Flo got cast aside.
*Effie finds herself on welfare and an alcoholic; Flo found herself on welfare and an alcoholic.
*Jimmy Early tries in vain to break from his pop image cultivated by Curtis and presents Curtis with a socially conscious song, Curtis turns it down; Marvin Gaye broke away from his pop image cultivated by Berry and presents Berry with a socially conscious song, Berry turns it down; the only difference is Marvin got through to release that song: "What's Going On"; James' "Patience" never gets a release.
*C.C. White, Effie's brother, is like a Lamont Dozier type of writer/producer.
*Rainbow Records hosts a televised anniversary celebration; Motown hosted a televised anniversary celebration.
*James Early, breaking away from his pop image goes into a funk number and drops his pants; Marvin Gaye dropped his pants during a performance during HIS funk number but it was not on Motown 25.
*James Early is addicted to drugs; so was Marvin; the only difference afterwards is James DIES of a drug overdose; Marvin, well we know what happened.
*Deena Jones eventually breaks away from Curtis' control and leaves him to follow her dreams of movie stardom; Diana Ross eventually broke away from Berry's control and left him to have more control of her career; much like Deena, Diana also finds movie stardom.
*Deena Jones take several modeling shots that will remind you of Diana Ross in "Mahogany".
*Effie (with C.C. and Marty and some lawyers) sues Curtis for payola after Curtis produces a disco version of her breakthrough solo single "One Night Only"; Florence sued Berry for undue royalties.
----
The only differences here from the movie and their inspirations was that Florence Ballard never had the chance to experience that breakthrough solo stardom that Effie White finally won, Diana and Florence never had a one-to-one talk following the 1967 split like Deena and Effie did and unfortunately there wasn't a reunion performance with Florence, Diana, Mary and Cindy as it was with Effie, Deena, Lorrell and Michelle.
Other than that, it was definitely loosely based on the Supremes and Motown Records regardless of how either the play or movie folks think.