Mahogany

When the trailer began playing in theaters in the late spring/summer of '75, audiences were oooohing and aaaah! It was wisely showcased with "Jaws" that summer's blockbuster.After the Academy Award winning (it deserved it so there) performance in "Lady Sings the Blues", audiences wondered what was next for this instant box office draw known as Diana Ross. At first, you might have thought another serious drama was in demand. But Diana and Berry Gordy understood how to reach the masses. Though "Lady Sings the Blues" was a massive global success earning Diana Best Actress nods in the British Film Institute and the French Cesar for instance, its "R" rating, kept a cross section of the youth market. That market, Motown understood also well in the marketing of Diana Ross & The Supremes as the still top female group a half century later. So it was time to lighten the mood. The theme song, "Do You Know Where You Are Going To?" had already been a global #1 hit for Diana and Motown that spring. It drove the "Mahogany" soundtrack to the Top 20 before the movie even opened. And her self-titled "Black Album" was a Top 5 smash. By the time "Mahogany" opened, Diana was enjoying tremendous success with "Love Hangover" rewriting the blueprint of a disco pop smash!Motown distributed "Mahogany" tee shirts in major cities and it instantly became a sought after piece of pop memorabilia. Motown were masters of marketing.Gordy fretted opening day in New York when there were few people at the theaters, but, by the 8:00 p.m. Showing, it was soldout and caused an unheard of around the clock showing in Times Square grossing a neat $1 million in New York alone, that first week.The movie was nothing short of an homage to Diana. Critics may have been a little mixed about the movie. Audiences were not. Pauline Kael said that Diana was like a tornado blowing through this movie. The reunion of Billy Dee Williams and Diana was the perfect date romance that further enhanced its popcorn appeal.Berry and Motown was looking for and got that massive pop hit. Its $7 million dollar take in its second week spreading to more theaters than New York would be $30 million today! That is basically what a respectable urban movie makes today in its entire run. "Mahogany" was a hit!Anthony Perkins plays a metrosexual photographer that would seem appropriate for Bravo's "Queer Eye"! Diana's fun fashion show would be today's RuPaul Drag Race runway contest! To say this movie was before or ahead of its time reflects how well it has held up as it remains a reference point for everyone like Mary J. Blige who recreated scenes in one of her music video to Tweet.The 40th Anniversary Couture Edition is a testament to the movies endurance. To think that Diana, who studied design and fashion at the now defunct magnet school, Cass Tech was truly a dream come true for the megastar. Her Asian influence couture collection was theatrical, witty and dramatic. But it was designs like the gorgeous dress and its accoutrements that her character, Tracee Chambers, excels. The now famous fashion montage was recreated in the award winning "Dreamgirls" movie portrayed by this era's Diana Ross, Beyonce Knowles. Those fashion shots are recaptured in the collector editions cards like storyboards.It is because of its endurance, I upgraded my rating to 5 stars! Diana followed her award winning "Lady Sings the Blues" with a sizzlingly performance in the now iconic "Mahogany"!

One of my favorite movies... Had to get it since it's not on any streaming platforms.

"Mahogany" is a must for Diana Ross fans. She looks great, acts well, and even demonstrates a diva fit. The other Amazon reviews clearly show the excitment this film generates among Diana Ross fans.It's the story of a young woman who wants to break out of a Chicago ghetto by becoming a successful fashion designer. Diana actually designed the clothes...(let's just call them "high fashion"). The character quickly breaks out of the ghetto by becoming a highly successful fashion model, via some pretty freak breaks.But she still wants to be a designer. And what about the man she left behind? Does she turn her back on him, and try to live out her dream of designing, accompanied by several men that adore her in the fashion world? Well, you just have to watch the movie to find out.Sounds hokey? You got it. Along the way there are extended montages of Diana. Left with a hokey script that takes itself very seriously and shots of Diana, Diana, Diana...it sometimes becomes camp and has become a successful entry in that genre.The movie would have worked better with a soundtrack that had more vocals by Diana Ross, and been an extended music video movie, simliar to "FlashDance". But the powers that be wanted Diana to rely on acting only, with no singing. . After this, Diana played "Dorothy", in "The Wiz". Great talent, poor choices.Update: Maybe Diana's fashions were just ahead of her time. A review from a recent fashion show in LA, said, "The day's other big show was from Kevan Hall, who took inspiration from "Mahogany," Berry Gordy's deliciously cheesy 1975 film. , Hall captured the 1970s look that's all over the streets now.."Harumph..who knew?

First let me start by saying I absolutely love this film. Sure it's a bit messy, but it is so much fun! I would have given 5 stars simply based on the fun quotient. The reason I stopped at 4 is that the photo gallery that's included on the disc is awful; especially when you consider that this is a Paramount Pictures release. Here's the problem. I can hardly believe that a company as established as Paramount could not find a cloth with which to clean the scanner before scanning the gallery images for release. Each foto in the gallery is full of dust and imperfections. All of the fotos are dirty.That being said the enclosed collectible cards are great. And as I said I love the film, just a bit miffed that Paramount couldn't bother the scan the images using a clean scanner. Oh well.

liked

Classic dvd collection item

Product was as described...and delivered the next day!

Love this movie. So, glad to have it in my collection now.

Great film a big Diana Ross fan brings back lots of memories but not combatible with uk dvd players says out of region so I am trying to find a way to watch

Alright film, bought if for sentimental reasons as "If we hold on together" was our first dance at our wedding.

The disc did not fit my UK player

Refreshing!

Un clásico de Miss Ross, lástima que no incluya escenas inéditas o un reportaje sobre el film. No es la mejor película de Díana pero tiene muchos momentos destacables y con el tiempo se ha convertido en una película de culto. Muchas cantantes como Beyonce, Mariah, Solange la nombran como película icono y de inspiraciónPor el rol que interpreta Ross , imagen y ser laPrimera película que muestra una mujer de color transmitiendo una imagen positiva y de éxito. Una demostración más de como Díana ha sido pionera en la música y también en el cine.