Why Did Dreamgirls Receive 8 Oscar Nominations?

If you saw the film, it's probably pretty obvious. But it is the curse of a filmmaker that I dissect the images on screen before me. In case you couldn't quite put your finger on the wondrousness that is Dreamgirls, I have done the work for you. All you need to do... is read.

Released in all theatres on 25 December, 2006, Dreamgirls has since been the subject of a great variety of entertainment news. The most recent event to propel film to media attention was the release of the 79^th Annual Oscar Nominations.

Although director Bill Condon has not personally been nominated, this is not the first film he has directed that received such acclamation. In 2002, Condon released Chicago, which was nominated 52 times and won 30 of those. Included in that total were six Oscar wins.

Dreamgirls has won 23 awards in a variety of ceremonies, and has been nominated for three of the same categories, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Eddie Murphy), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Jennifer Hudson), and Best Original Song ("Listen", "Love You I Do", and "Patience"). The other three categories of nominations are Achievement in Art Direction, Achievement in Costume Design, and Achievement in Sound Mixing.

Supporting Actor/Actress Nominations

Both Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson received Golden Globe Awards for their portrayals of Jimmy Early and Effie White in Dreamgirls. Their performances have earned equal praise in Oscar nominations.

The characters have similarly complicated personalities with many different aspects and both individually experience triumphs and trials, yet at no point during their performances did the viewer lose sight of the character on screen.

Sound Mixing

The film begins even as the DreamWorks label is still being shown with the sound of applause and cheering. This creates an atmosphere in which the real-life audience becomes excited for the on-screen performance just as the on-screen audience is excited for the performance they are about to witness.

Sound mixing can be terribly difficult when done for a film of this magnitude in which such a large variety of locations are used. They film in a garage, on stages, in homes, outside, on a bus, etc., yet the characters spontaneously travel between speaking and singing lines without a trace of separation.

Art Direction

Everything used on screen is specifically placed for a reason. The art director is responsible for overseeing costume, set design, prop placement and use, as well as a variety of other things.

When the "dream girls" take the stage of a talent competition, Effie White (played by Jennifer Hudson) is the lead singer. In their very first performance, it is obvious that she is phenomenal because of the great work of the filmmakers as well as the actors.

There is one shot in particular that wholly captures the moment of their first performance and its impact on those who are watching. There is a man in the audience who is staring up at the stage in complete awe and approval. In his glasses, we see the reflection of Effie on stage to add to his impressed demeanor. This echoes the impression the performance has had on the real-life audience.

Reflections, mirrors, and images play a very important role in the design of this film. The above-mentioned is only the beginning.

After their performance in Miami, the Dreamettes all sit at similar mirrors backstage. But when Effie sits, she is perfectly placed before a second mirror. This placement allows the camera to pick up in one shot both a wide version of Effie in front of the mirror as well as a close-up of her face. This may have been done in order to save time by eliminating the facial close-up, but it serves a dual purpose. By featuring Effie's close-up, the viewer is then keyed in to her character - we know this is now Effie's scene.

It might also be significant to note Curtis' mention of "The Mirrors" as a possible name for the group after Effie has been voted out. Possibly the most significant use of mirrors in terms of art direction comes shortly thereafter.

When Effie discovers she has been replaced in the group, the stage on which the characters are standing has a semi-circle of mirrors around the back of it. In these mirrors, Effie is the only one who can be seen, and many times during her most dramatic moments, she is seen on every single mirror. Her reflected image surrounds her, and the vast capacity of which she is capable is readily apparent. This is one of the best images in the entire film.

When we are introduced to Deena and Curtis' house, the emptiness of their relationship is displayed through the immense openness of the space. The walls are filled with large photographs of Deena modeling. To contrast the images of Effie, the stills of Deena do not reflect reality. Instead, these images speak to the fact that the Deena in front of the crowd is contrived. We are also reminded of Curtis' earlier line in which he refers to Deena as a product.

Costume Design

The era during which this film takes place was a time of great artistic transformations. These alterations in musical styles as well as the changes of the characters themselves are represented by and displayed through the colors use.

We begin with the color peach, which is the color of the outfit the girls are wearing during their first performance. Upon their meeting with Jimmy and getting their break, peach disappears. We do not witness the return of the color until the end of the film when Deena records "Listen." The reason for this is to show that through all of the trials, Deena has never really changed.

Two animal prints are used throughout the entirety of the film. Both were worn by Effie, once in the beginning when they are approached by Curtis and the second time when she is being kicked out of the group. Beginning with the initial appearance of animal print, Effie is independent and the fur shows sophistication. We see the return of the print in the scene where Effie discovers she has been replaced. Again, it shows her independence, and the sophistication is underlying in the fact that she is carrying a child.

The evolution of the musical styles is displayed quite obviously through the costume color choices. In the beginning right after the girls have "gotten their big break," the colors are largely gold. Golds and yellows are claimed to initiate action and activity.

After this opening week, some of the glitz and glamour has diminished, and the colors become more cool toned, specifically through the use of blue. We then appropriately are sitting in a blues/jazz club.

After "Cadillac Car" has been ripped off by another band, the clothing has suddenly become red. This color signals anger and frustration.

Purple, which indicates spirituality and creativity, is the color of Effie's dress before she sings "I Love You, I Do."

Curtis' office is mostly beige, and in the scene where Marty Madison is relieved of his duty to Jimmy, the three guys are all wearing beige suits with touches of blue underneath. Beige acts as a de-stressor and works with other colors to provide transition. A soft blue colors, much like the shirts of the men in this scene, emphasizes sensitivity.

When Curtis promotes Deena to lead singer, she is wearing a pink shirt, which elicits affection. Lorelle is still in blue, which indicates that her "change" has not significantly changed her. Effie is wearing dark clothing to support her opposition.

The entirely white stage upon which they subsequently enter and sing as a "family" purifies the negative feelings.

Towards the end of their first performance as "The Dreams," the middle curtain on stage closes completely to hide the redness that lies behind. They have now "made it."

In terms of character relationships, it is apparent that couples are always dressed alike, until there is tension between them or they are about to separate. When Lorelle finally gives Jimmy the back hand, they are dressed in complete opposite wardrobe.

During the farewell performance of The Dreams, the three final members are wearing silver, a color of peace and persistence. When Effie enters the stage, she is wearing the most extravagant dress, in a gold color. The gold works to strengthen her entire being. In this scene, Effie has achieved all that she has worked toward.

Original Song

All of the songs echo quite well the events happening in the lives of the characters. This is why the film is categorized as a musical. All of the songs were brilliant, but three of the standouts were nominated, as follows.

"Listen"

This is the single best performance of an original song in the film. It finally allows us to gain insight into Deena's personality and feelings. What is so remarkable is that it is filmed in a recording studio. Deena is by herself, but we are still able to sense her emotions through both the song lyrics and the visual image on screen.

"Love You I Do"

In this song, we hear for the first time how Effie truly feels about Curtis. On-screen, we are given privileged access into Curtis' mind and feelings regarding Deena. One of the best parts about this song is Effie's inability to recognize Curtis' true intentions because of her blind love towards him.

"Patience"

There is a duality in this song in that the singers have been patient with Curtis, but they are ready to record songs in accordance to their own feelings about society at the time. This song is directed towards the public to encourage them to wait out the current hard times. Who knew Eddie Murphy was such a great singer?