Search - Introducing Dorothy Dandridge on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Adult Language, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1999 DVD Release: 02/08/2000 Format: DVD - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 55 mins Studio: HBO Home Video Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Drama, Biopic [feature], Showbiz Drama, Addiction Drama

Dorothy Dandridge was a singer, nightclub entertainer, and actress who became the first African-American woman to receive an Academy award nomination as Best Actress (for her standout performance in 1954's Carmen Jones; she lost to Grace Kelly). However, despite her striking beauty and obvious talent, Dandridge was a sexy, glamorous black femme fatale at a time when Hollywood pin-up queens were supposed to be giggly blondes. The film industry didn't know what to do with her, and while her nightclub act was a bit too smooth for the Southern roadhouse circuit, as a black performer she wasn't allowed to stay in many of the hotels and resorts where she performed. Dandridge also had a sad personal life, filled with tragedy and romantic disappointment, and she died of an overdose of pills in 1965, at the age of 41. This made-for-cable biographical drama stars Halle Berry as Dorothy Dandridge, supported by Brent Spiner, Obba Babatunde, and Klaus Maria Brandauer. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Halle Berry - Dorothy Dandridge
Brent Spiner - Earl Mills
Obba Babatunde - Harold Nicholas
Loretta Devine - Ruby Dandridge
Cynda Williams - Vivian Dandridge

Martha Coolidge directed Halle Berry to a handful of awards in the biopic Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. The disc offers a standard full-frame transfer that preserves the original broadcast aspect ratio. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround, while a Spanish soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Mono. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include cast and crew biographies. This is a fine disc, but it would have been great to include more biographical information about Dandridge. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide