Product Details

• Actors: Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Perkins, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Beah Richards
• Format: Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 109 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300216772
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,334 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

You know those movies that seemed really, really awesome when you were a teenager? Then, when you saw them again as a adult, you recognized them for the romantic dreck they always were? Mahogany exemplifies the breed. Made in 1975, Mahogany is mired in tedious melodrama that is not enhanced by a predictable and sexist ending. Diana Ross, a poverty-stricken young woman, pulls herself up by her camisole straps until she is at the top of the fashion world. Along the way she meets terrible people who want to use her. They break her heart. She has trouble bouncing back. One of those troubled people who seem to flock to Ross's unstable character is a deranged photographer, played with wild abandonment by Anthony Perkins. His psychotic performance gives this film its only energy. Ross remains unfulfilled until she finds love with inappropriate Billy Dee Williams, who shows none of his usual charisma. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Documenting Diana, May 22, 2005

By 

BOYWAY (new york city) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mahogany [VHS] (VHS Tape)

There is no need to film a bio on Miss Ross, anyone who is curious about the Diana Ross persona,her obsession with re-packaging her image and her crowd pleasing energy should be able to feast on all of the above in this very simple, light bit of entertainment fluff that is period perfect, complete with a campy runway show displaying Miss Ross' very amateur fashion designs. Her eye for style has always been much more successful in her real life on stage and off. Mohagany is about an ambitious fashion design student (Tracy chambers) coaxed into modeling( while toiling under the most uptight boss at a dept. store) and ending up the toast of (mid-seventies fashion hot spot)Rome.The re-named Mahogany is played with relish by Miss Ross at her physical peak with all the elements in place: the high-fashion skeletal frame, the elegantly graceful body language,the voluptuous lips, enormous eyes, perfectly chiseled button nose and sculpted cheekbones. All shown to stunning effect with her natural hair pulled tightly back. Miss Ross performs the mega-hit theme song in that instantly recognizable voice which could be described as velvet wrapped longing teetering on the brink of heartbreak. And simmering just beneath that delicate voice is the sass, the singleminded ambition, the will of steel, the ferocious drive,the anger-management issues, the diva-tantrums and of course, the man-troubles. Does she find love in the arms of the earnest ,underdog local politician played by Billy Dee Williams whose life is the flip side of the decadent-glitzy fashion world or does she let a rich Italian sugar daddy provide her with her dream fashion empire.
The scene that really sums up that legendary Ross spirit is when she goes on her first casting(go-see) as a model. She faces a panel of jaded Italian advertising slime-balls who ridicule her on her lack of sex appeal (no T ,no A...or even legs!)...well, she fires back at them like a verbal machine gun, mowing 'em down while asserting her-self, physical and otherwise. They are left totally dumbfounded and to top it off, much to Ross' amazement, there happens to be one lone female (the owner of the agency no less)seated ,very quietly and indifferently -never looking up once- among the men. Well, she is totally blown away by the ROSS SPIRIT....and offers her the gig (a perfume ad) without any hesitation. It's no wonder, this happens to be the precise moment when la Ross is looking her chic-est and most uncharacteristically restrained in head to toe ivory (very 1930's vogue sketch). This great sweet, unexpected revenge scene dissolves right into one of the most mesmerizing cinematic montages of la Ross being photographed in a zillion different moods (innocent, artsy, vampy, sexy, coy, seductive, playful, fun, wild, strange, dramatic, glamorous, chic...)by the always peculiarly entertaining Anthony Perkins(perfectly cast, once again, as Mr. Oddball with multiple issue disorder). This sequence could quite possibly be the first cinematic moment extensively devoted to celebrating Black-Breathtaking-Gorgeousness....or "anything TWIGGY or LAUREN HUTTON can do", ROSS will try her best to OUT-DO! Not the least bit surprising for a woman who many believe would compete with her own shadow...and WIN!!It's quite a mesmerizing montage and created over 30 years before the music video phenomenon that heavily stroked a music artist's vanity while their latest recording played in the background. Major props to Mr. Gordy on pulling this gritty classic 70's film together....and for succeeding in getting his ultimate creation's face out there decades before Youtube took over the planet...and where her many images and performances happily lives on forever.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And Now...For An ACTUAL DVD Review!, August 24, 2005

By 

Eric Vaughnes "THE Rock & Roll Elitist" (Hollywood, California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MAHOGANY (DVD)

What an incredible surprise to open my mailbox yesterday to find advance copies of the forthcoming DVD sets for "Lady Sings The Blues" and "Mahogany"! Rightly considered among the "holy grail" of DVD's for Ross collectors, there has been speculation for years as to WHY? it has taken so long for Paramount to address these titles when most every other motion picture has seen not one but several reissues in the digital format. One must keep in mind, however, that these films represent Berry Gordy's last ties with his legendary label and the film industry; he OWNED these films, Paramount is simply the distributor. It wouldn't surprise me if their DVD release was held back until the public was clamoring for them. In the past couple years, demand for these films has built to a fever pitch, and at last here they are.

"Mahogany," in particular, holds a special place in my heart, as it was my introduction to the LEGEND of Miss Diana Ross when I first saw it in theaters in October '75. Storyline aside (and it is a wimpy one), Diane gave a dazzling performance and looked brilliant throughout this, her second motion picture. In its first two weeks, "Mahogany" grossed nearly $7M (good gross then), and the demand for it was so strong that the Loews State in New York was forced to stay open around the clock in order to accommodate the crowds. People in ticket lines were controlled by mounted police. Reviews were simply lukewarm, but I often wonder if that had to do more with the production/directorial values - this was Berry Gordy's first attempt at being the director of a major motion picture - than Diane's performance. Laughingly, I think reviewer Rex Reed said it best, when he observed that, "Mahogany exists as a hymn to the celebration of how glorious it is to be Diana Ross." One only has to remember Diane was one of the biggest stars in the WORLD when this film went into production in 1974.

If "Mahogany" has any drawbacks for me, the primary culprit would be the grainy washed-out film print. Seriously, it looks as though Berry used reusable film stock in an effort to cut down cost (a practice he was more than familiar with at Motown). Fans will be happy to know this new DVD transfer has been considerably cleaned-up and looks as good as other productions of that time (think Paramount's "The Godfather"). Moreover, the outer artwork/packaging has been spruced up and is quite vibrant in colour - a thousand times better than the basic white packaging on the old VHS version. Lastly, hats off to Paramount for taking the pains of releasing what is essentially a "B-film" in both widescreen and full-screen versions...they actually had the foresight to know that Diana fanatics will obviously buy both copies. (YES Scotty, this DVD IS the gay man's wet dream! LOL)

Should be a good fourth quarter for Paramount Home Video; the sales of this little classic (along with "Lady") are sure to take them by COMPLETE surprise. (Hear that Amazon.com? Better stock accordingly!) To quote an old Supremes song...FOREVER CAME TODAY!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best fashion movies ever!, April 11, 2007

By 

Neil Armstrong "pop tart" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mahogany (DVD)

I first saw Mahogany on TV in the 70's. I remember the scene when the Italian millionaire jumps up and shouts "Twenty Million Lire!" and my grandmother said "that's sure an expensive dress."
Mahogany is one of my favorite movies of all time. I know it's not a "great" movie. It's not "Citizen Kane." But, if you love movies about fashion, you will LOVE this!
There are so many great things about Mahogany from a visual standpoint. The crazy Asian disco outfits with tubing were actually designed by Diana Ross herself. Think mid 70's Labelle. Just fabulous! The montage of Diana Ross modelling in Italy with the theme song playing is fantastic! The scene where Ross's character is hung over and making crazy faces wearing a white fur coat in a red Ferrari (I think it's a Ferrari)is hilarious. And, of course, you get to see La Ross's nipple when she fumbles with her robe.
Mahogany is pure camp fun. I own the VHS of it and can practically recite the entire film. I am so happy it is finally going to be available on DVD.