I am DYING to see Dreamgirls; notwithstanding the presence of Beyonce in the movie. She and her pimping-parents have been chaffing me of late. The internets have been attwiter over how her parents have tried to sabotage Jennifer Hudson's moment in the limelight, particularly after every movie critic in this country has sang her praises and Hosannas.
Well, they're being smacked down by real talent.
In the next clip, Matt Lauer quotes Variety [1] and I will so too :
An "American Idol" finalist without prior screen experience, Hudson comes fully-formed to film. It's the kind of galvanizing perf that calls to mind debuts like Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" or Bette Midler in "The Rose," with a voice like the young Aretha. More fully developed here than onstage, Effie is the fierce, wounded, pulsating heart of the movie. Her big song and second explosive number "I Am Changing" both elicit audience cheers and applause.
This is why I love being able to research this online. After hearing that Variety quote, I thought ... hmmmm ... maybe more like Shirley Bassey [2].
Well, off to Wikipedia and YouTube [3] but no, Bassey is off the mark. Especially after I saw this amazing clip of Aretha singing the blues circa 1960s [4]. They also have Better Midler in The Rose [5] but no your Babs performing Funny Girl.
Still after watching Bassey, Aretha and Midler, you get the sense that, when you hear Hudson you are, indeed, witnessing a miracle -- the birth of a talented Hollywood star.
That's, indeed, a miracle these days.
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