Monday, November 16, 2020

DVD/150: THE SUPREMES - REFLECTIONS (2006, Joe Lauro, Barry Feldman)

A wonderful compilation of The Supremes' guest appearances on television shows from their break-out year in 1964 to Diana Ross' departure in 1969.

Their first seven singles charted (if at all) in the lower reaches of the Top 100, only WHEN THE LOVELIGHT STARTS SHINING THROUGH HIS EYES reached the Top 30.  At the start of 1964, when RUN, RUN, RUN reached a dismal #93, they were earning their Motown nickname The 'no-hit' Supremes.

But that summer WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO soared to #1 followed by another eleven #1 singles over the next six years.

A by-product of their chart success was their frequent appearances on television shows and here you follow their progression from demure and polite in Prom 'formals' to the glamour of sequins and beads as they went global... and as Diana Ross was positioned further apart to highlight her growing star potential.

Shelf or charity shop?  A keeper - apart from the glorious hits, it's fascinating to watch the growing positioning by Berry Gordy of Diana Ross for the inevutable solo star status; going from eye-popping jaw-snapping gauchness to sleek Diva. Meanwhile, Mary Wilson smiles, sways and coos as Florence Ballard looks bright and knowing; in 1967, Flo's growing disatisfaction with her reduced position within the group led to an-already planned dismissal and she was replaced with the ever-smiling Cindy Birdsong who, more importantly for Gordy, knew her place.  The DVD had an excellent extras section of the original vocal tracks so you can hear them in all their isolated creamy perfection.


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