Dreamgirls Movie

FOR the film version of "Dreamgirls," the musical's composer, Henry Krieger, along with producers the Underdogs -- Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas -- added four songs to the original lineup. Last week he was at his New York apartment talking to director Bill Condon about the Oscars but hung out long enough to answer a few questions. Only three of the four new songs you wrote for the "Dreamgirls" movie were nominated for an Oscar. Are you terribly disappointed? I know! I'm so upset!

DOES Eddie Murphy know how good he is as the soulful R&B singer James "Thunder" Early in "Dreamgirls"? Playing a shimmying satyr on the skids, he seems almost aghast at his prowess. It's the performance of his career -- a great performance. He has stunned even his most ardent fans, many of whom believed he didn't have it in him to be a "real" actor, let alone an Oscar nominee.

"Dreamgirls," the movie musical that was widely released on Christmas, captured a huge audience, taking in $8.7 million for the day. That's the third-biggest haul ever for a film that opened or went national on the holiday, according to analysts. The film, distributed by Paramount Pictures, beat out all others that have debuted on Christmas Day except for "Ali" in 2001 and "Catch Me If You Can" in 2002.

DreamWorks Pictures, maker of the Oscar-nominated film "Dreamgirls," apologized to Motown Records founder Berry Gordy for any suggestion that a character in the movie was based on his life. The apology appeared as a full-page ad Wednesday in the trade publications Variety and Hollywood Reporter. " 'Dreamgirls' is a work of fiction," the studio said. "For any confusion that has resulted from our fictional work, we apologize to Mr. Gordy."

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY stood on a small stage, pouring out a song of hope and battling the odds. Her gut-wrenching voice tore from her throat with volcanic force, and her expression, all closed eyes and open mouth, was of a performer possessed, exorcising the anguish deep inside her.

AS a child, Jennifer Hudson dreamed of becoming a famous singer. She grew up singing in churches around her Chicago home. Then, "American Idol" came along, and it seemed the show might be her ticket to stardom. It wasn't -- she was kicked off long before the final rounds. But now, two years later, Hudson is living the dream.

EDDIE Murphy's on the verge of an awards season trifecta -- his charismatic portrayal of a tragic R&B singer in "Dreamgirls" has already nabbed him a Screen Actors Guild award and a Golden Globe, and he's considered a front-runner for a best supporting Oscar. But the most high-profile image of Murphy these days -- while Oscar ballots are still out -- is on billboards and in movie trailers wearing a fat suit, garish eye shadow and little else.

JENNIFER HUDSON, Golden Globe winner, Oscar nominee and wailing embodiment of the American dream, is today's hottest new star. Arguing against that is like arguing against the weather -- literally. Various writers have described Ms. Hudson's turn as Effie in the film version of "Dreamgirls" as more than a mere performance: It's an act of God.

Historically, when films adapted from another work, such as "The Departed," "Little Children," "Flags of Our Fathers" and "The Last King of Scotland," win for best picture, they often take home the screenplay award. "Dreamgirls" is also an adapted work, but if it wins for best picture, it'll throw a wild card into the writing race.

DOES Eddie Murphy know how good he is as the soulful R&B singer James "Thunder" Early in "Dreamgirls"? Playing a shimmying satyr on the skids, he seems almost aghast at his prowess. It's the performance of his career -- a great performance. He has stunned even his most ardent fans, many of whom believed he didn't have it in him to be a "real" actor, let alone an Oscar nominee.

EDDIE Murphy's on the verge of an awards season trifecta -- his charismatic portrayal of a tragic R&B singer in "Dreamgirls" has already nabbed him a Screen Actors Guild award and a Golden Globe, and he's considered a front-runner for a best supporting Oscar. But the most high-profile image of Murphy these days -- while Oscar ballots are still out -- is on billboards and in movie trailers wearing a fat suit, garish eye shadow and little else.

FOR the film version of "Dreamgirls," the musical's composer, Henry Krieger, along with producers the Underdogs -- Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas -- added four songs to the original lineup. Last week he was at his New York apartment talking to director Bill Condon about the Oscars but hung out long enough to answer a few questions. Only three of the four new songs you wrote for the "Dreamgirls" movie were nominated for an Oscar. Are you terribly disappointed? I know! I'm so upset!

JENNIFER HUDSON, Golden Globe winner, Oscar nominee and wailing embodiment of the American dream, is today's hottest new star. Arguing against that is like arguing against the weather -- literally. Various writers have described Ms. Hudson's turn as Effie in the film version of "Dreamgirls" as more than a mere performance: It's an act of God.

"Dreamgirls," the movie musical that was widely released on Christmas, captured a huge audience, taking in $8.7 million for the day. That's the third-biggest haul ever for a film that opened or went national on the holiday, according to analysts. The film, distributed by Paramount Pictures, beat out all others that have debuted on Christmas Day except for "Ali" in 2001 and "Catch Me If You Can" in 2002.

Choreographing the film version of "Dreamgirls" looked like a dream assignment and, to make it come true, Fatima Robinson spent a week staging the number "Steppin' to the Bad Side" for director Bill Condon's approval. She got the job, but it's impossible to see why in the finished film: Condon has chopped the choreography to the briefest glimpses of a male corps gyrating on moving platforms intercut with an array of narrative actions -- unreadable on the screen as dancing.

EVEN Beyonce Knowles can be insecure about her look. Enter makeup artist Francesca Tolot, who was requested by the singer-slash-actress to create her multitude of looks in "Dreamgirls." Tolot, whose work also graced Kim Basinger in "L.A. Confidential," has glammed up nearly all of Knowles' appearances lately, including off-screen. Other clients include Catherine Zeta-Jones and Faith Hill. What was the hardest part about "Dreamgirls"?

IT'S been hard to find anyone in the last few weeks who hasn't been talking about "Dreamgirls," which is sitting pretty in the pole position of this year's Oscar derby. But if there's one person who hasn't been taking the movie's academy appeal for granted, it's DreamWorks marketing chief Terry Press, who's spent the last year burnishing the film's credentials, not simply as an Oscar film, but as a movie event.

Choreographing the film version of "Dreamgirls" looked like a dream assignment and, to make it come true, Fatima Robinson spent a week staging the number "Steppin' to the Bad Side" for director Bill Condon's approval. She got the job, but it's impossible to see why in the finished film: Condon has chopped the choreography to the briefest glimpses of a male corps gyrating on moving platforms intercut with an array of narrative actions -- unreadable on the screen as dancing.

FOR the last few years, Hollywood has become littered with the carcasses of Broadway sensations that died on the big screen. Remember "Rent"? "Phantom of the Opera"? "The Producers"? Among the few exceptions are "Chicago" and now "Dreamgirls." The first was written by Bill Condon; the latter was written and directed by, that's right, Bill Condon.

Even in seen-it-all Hollywood -- which never fails to pull out the stops in a quest for Oscar gold -- one publicity campaign in particular stands out this year. DreamWorks has been building support for its Oscar-gunning adaptation of the stage musical "Dreamgirls" by paying licensing costs for any noncommercial theatrical organizations (high schools, colleges, community and youth groups and other groups) that wanted to stage the musical.