just in time to capitalize on the long awaited movie version of dreamgirls be the dvd release of this semi forget 1976 musical melodrama that also take the rise of the supremes a it inspiration . release five year before the broadway opening of dreamgirls and partially set in the same period and it have a predominantly black cast and a story revolve around an up and come girl group and and that where the resemblance basically end . write by joel schumacher well before he become a big league director of mainstream studio product ( batman forever and the phantom of the opera ) and this movie seem gritty on the surface . true to form and however and schumacher weaken the storyline and character development by inject an abundance of clichés and eye roll one liner . with little affinity for stag musical number and sam osteen and a highly regarded film editor but neophyte director and helm the production like a low budget tv movie with a frustratingly episodic structure . the story follow three harlem sister sexy sister and self righteous delores and sweet sparkle a they sing in the church choir and meet smooth talk but well intentioned boy stix and levi and and then find their first taste of success a a singing group first a a sweater wear quintet call the heart and then a a glitzy trio know a sister and the sister . but naturally there be problem beyond the silly name for the group sister get involve with nasty drug dealer satin struthers who beat her and turn her into a cocaine junkie while levi go to prison for get catch in a drug pick up for satin while stix get frustrate by failure and unwisely turn to some jewish mobster for financial help while delores just get plain feed up while and poor little sparkle have to decide what kind of future she want . a big plus be that r and b great curtis mayfield write the atmospheric song and some catchy and one and look into your heart and a real winner . the solid cast do it best under the contrived circumstance . lonette mckee valiant attempt to make sister a tragic figure be undercut by some of the ham fisted plot turn and include a sad billie holliday like turn at the mike . before they hit it big on primetime tv and philip michael thomas and dorian harewood portray stix and levi with boyish vitality if not much credibility . the best work come from mary alice in a relatively silent turn a the girl patient mother and a pre fame irene cara who effortlessly exude sincerity in the title role ( though her costumer and hair stylist should be shoot for the hideous look she achieve in the final scene ) . the dvd just come with the original theatrical trailer complete with an unctuous voice over by dj casey kasem and a bonus cd of five of the film song perform not by the original cast but by aretha franklin off her 1976 recording of the soundtrack . it not a terrible movie and just an interesting if lack curio that happen to cover the same ground a dreamgirls .