Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Documenting Diana, May 22, 2005
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 Mohagany 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 ernest ,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 can OUT-DO! Not the least bit surprising for a woman who many note 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 film together....and for succeeding in getting his ultimate creation's face out there decades before E-news and youtube took over the planet.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally on DVD!!, April 19, 2007
No doubt all the press surrounding "Dreamgirls" got this old Motown produced flick unearthed again. The VHS pressings of this movie have long been out of print. Bootleg DVDs have been floating around for years. I hope this legit DVD release has outtakes and deleted scenes. The back story of this movie is that Berry Gordy took over as director after the original director wanted out of the production. Ross even left the set alot to cry in her trailer. Tension between her and Gordy was boiling.
Producer Gordy had alot riding on the movie and just really stressed his
diva out. But, in the end, they produced a memorable film. It still holds up after all these years.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best fashion movies ever!, April 11, 2007
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.
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