VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Steineded How sad is this?

Onlinewsma Absolutely Brilliant!

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

bokiluis With the success of "Dreamgirls" on Broadway and film, and several other films with similar story lines, one wonders if there will ever be an actual bio-film of the real Supremes? To the embittered review by "Husky Miller"(his handle kind of tells you something of his personality), "Sparkle" is not supposed to be some sort of definitive drama. It is entertainment. Unfortunately, until Berry Gordy/Motown Film Productions began making movies like the multi-nominated "Lady Sings the Blues", Hollywood was very conservative in green lighting films targeted first to the black community. The early 70s saw a mishmash of so-called "black exploitation" movies. Hollywood understood there's an audience of moviegoers that were underserved. But just like "slum lord housing", the movies being made were low budget trash that had extremely limited endurance. Just like Mr. Gordy upgraded the image of black artists and entertainment with global appealing stars like The Supremes (hence Diana Ross), The Temptations. The Jackson 5, Motown films symbolized works with crossover appeal. "Lady Sings the Blues", "Mahogany", "The Wiz", "Bingo Long and the Travelling Allstars" endures nearly a half century later and are still seen on cable. It's no coincidence that Motown gave the world, a Mount Rushmore-like of artists from the aforementioned The Supremes, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson for instance. So "Sparkle" is by no means some great work of art, but, it is a labor of love that inspired an update in 2012 by the late, great Whitney Houston, En Vogue even turned one of the songs "Something He Can Feel" into a hit again in the 90s. So Mr. Miller, lighten up and try and find the innocence and joy in an entertaining film.

Ed Uyeshima Just in time to capitalize on the long-awaited movie version of "Dreamgirls" is the DVD release of this semi-forgotten 1976 musical melodrama that also takes the rise of the Supremes as its inspiration. Released five years before the Broadway opening of "Dreamgirls" and partially set in the same period, it has a predominantly black cast and a story revolving around an up-and-coming girl group, and that's where the resemblance basically ends. Written by Joel Schumacher well before he became a big-league director of mainstream studio product ("Batman Forever", "The Phantom of the Opera"), this movie seems grittier on the surface. True to form, however, Schumacher weakens the storyline and character development by injecting an abundance of clichés and eye-rolling one-liners. With little affinity for staging musical numbers, Sam O'Steen, a highly regarded film editor but neophyte director, helms the production like a low-budget TV-movie with a frustratingly episodic structure.The story follows three Harlem sisters - sexy Sister, self-righteous Delores and sweet Sparkle - as they sing in the church choir, meet smooth-talking but well-intentioned boys Stix and Levi, and then find their first taste of success as a singing group - first as a sweater-wearing quintet called the Hearts and then as a glitzy trio known as Sister and the Sisters. But naturally there are problems beyond the silly name for the group - Sister gets involved with nasty drug dealer Satin Struthers who beats her and turns her into a cocaine junkie; Levi goes to prison for getting caught in a drug pick-up for Satin; Stix gets frustrated by failure and unwisely turns to some Jewish mobsters for financial help; Delores just gets plain fed up; and poor little Sparkle has to decide what kind of future she wants. A big plus is that R&B great Curtis Mayfield wrote the atmospheric songs, some catchy and one, "Look Into Your Heart", a real winner.The solid cast does its best under the contrived circumstances. Lonette McKee's valiant attempt to make Sister a tragic figure is undercut by some of the ham-fisted plot turns, including a sad Billie Holliday-like turn at the mike. Before they hit it big on primetime TV, Philip Michael Thomas and Dorian Harewood portray Stix and Levi with boyish vitality if not much credibility. The best work comes from Mary Alice in a relatively silent turn as the girls' patient mother and a pre-"Fame" Irene Cara who effortlessly exudes sincerity in the title role (though her costumer and hair stylist should be shot for the hideous look she achieves in the final scene). The DVD just comes with the original theatrical trailer complete with an unctuous voice-over by DJ Casey Kasem and a bonus CD of five of the film's songs performed not by the original cast but by Aretha Franklin off her 1976 recording of the soundtrack. It's not a terrible movie, just an interesting if lacking curio that happens to cover the same ground as "Dreamgirls".

HuskyMiller This is not a good movie. It's disjointed, all the acting is bad, and has a lame story you've seen a thousand times done much better else where. Not to mention you can see every plot point coming from a mile away. Worst of all, no one bothered to tell Lonette Mckee she can't sing. But who cares, she's sooooo damn good looking. But I digress, nothing new here. Bottom-line, hot girl group gets taken advantage of, some one gets hooked on drugs, someone gets hooked on a guy, some one gets the hell out, and then the horrible stuff happens. Surprise, surprise. Welcome to the music business. I can't believe so many people out there think this is a good movie. So many of you seem to want to use a sliding scale when it comes to grading Black Movies. I don't play that! If you want to support these films by going to see them - great! If you enjoyed it - super! To each his own. But don't try to tell me it was good. Pleeeease! I wish colored folks would not fawn over these kind of movies just because they feature black actors. Wanna see a good African-American movie? See Love Jones. Ray. Or The Color Purple. Those would be great movies no matter what the color of the actors skin. Why? Because they told compelling stories with great acting, that made you feel something long after you left the theater. Just because it's our experience does not automatically make it a good film. It's only good -- when it's good. Period.

shelld68 I saw this movie more than once and each time it seems to get better and better. The movie gets a hold of you from the beginning and if you enjoy a great storyline then it doesn't let you go so easily. Yes it may be a rags to riches story but, it's a good one if I might add. I love Irene Cara and the soft yet strong part she plays to "Sister" Lonette McKee and she herself delivers a great performance. Urban,Gritty,Ghetto story of teenagers in 1950's NY with huge dreams of making it big for a better life for themselves is Awesome!!!! Although they lose one or two of the group members along the way it all comes down to PERSERVEARANCE being key. I'll buy it and watch it again & again!