Lady Sings the Blues [VHS]

The best movie on Billie Holiday lifeActed by Diana Ross you'll ever see!Diana Ross should've won an Oscar for her performance........ I watched it 3x in a row !!!!

When Berry Gordy announced that Diana Ross was to play Billie Holiday in a biopic, jazz "purists" were outraged. They blasted that the "plastic princess of pop" couldn't possibly play Lady Day for the following reasons:1 There was no physical resemblance between Lady Day and Diana - Billie wasn't a slim woman.2 Diana's musical heritage haled from a different era to Holiday's.3 At the age of 28, Diana simply hadn't been on the planet long enough to even dream of portraying one of the greatest jazz singers who ever lived. How dare she!So, it was clear from the outset that Diana had a lot to prove, and that there were critics who were itching to see her and Motown fall flat on their faces. When Lady Sings the Blues premiered in the US, Diana proved the critics wrong. I must say, that I was around 12 or 13 (in the early 80s) when I watched this movie for the first time on British TV. At that time, I had no idea who Billie Holiday was. I was bowled over by Diana's electric performance, and this prompted me to buy Holiday's music and learn more about her turbulent life.The film is loosely based on Holiday's autobiography. Holiday's three husbands were whittled down to just one - Louis MacKay, played brilliantly by Diana's co-star, Billie Dee Williams. The first scene of Holiday being thrown into a padded cell like a piece of meat - and then going completely crazy before being restrained in a straight jacket- sets the tone for the movie. Billie's mind then travels back in time to her teenage years, when she worked in a brothel in Baltimore.Billie's love affair with music ignites when she's sent to Harlem by her mother to meet a "Sister Edson from church". What her mother didn't know was that Sister Edson ran a brothel of her own. Billie wanders around the neighbourhood where she slips into a nightclub. To her, it was the most amazing place she'd ever been to. It's here that she sets eyes on Louis MacKay for the first time, and falls in love with him.The movie's a roller coaster ride through Billie's jazz and blues career, her drug addiction, arrests, and it climaxes with the majestic, emotional finale. Diana's acting performance was superb - she threw herself into the role, and it was clear that she was touched by Billie's life. There are certain scenes where Diana simply screams `gimme an Oscar!' especially when Billie withdraws in her padded cell, with her doctor and Louis doing everything they can to help her - it's a touching and desperately sad scene. There are other scenes: the one where she and Louis have a fight over her bag of heroine is ferocious. ...Gripping stuff!Diana's interpretations of Holiday's songs were outstanding. She didn't attempt to impersonate Holiday, yet she managed to capture the emotion and mood of each song with great effect. Her razor sharp phrasing and crystal clear diction were stunning - even to the point of being eerie. Just listen to "Strange Fruit" (not the most comfortable song to listen to). The music score, written by Michael Legrand, and conducted by Gil Askey, is beautiful, sweeping and moving.Credit must also go to the support cast. Billie Dee Williams and Diana have great on-screen chemistry. They teamed up again for "Mahogany" and "Red Hot Rhythm & Blues". Richard Prior was hilarious as the Piano Man, and he provided a bit of light relief. James Callahan deserves a mention too, as the caring Reg. Billie's mother, Mama Holiday, is played sympathetically by Virginia Capers.While this movie is not a totally authentic account of Billie Holiday's life, I feel that Diana captures the essence of her legend. At the end of the movie, I sensed that Holiday was beautiful, talented, vulnerable and complex. Most of all, she was a human being who battled with the many demons in her life. In the end, that battle proved too much for her.Lady Sings the Blues was nominated for 5 Academy Awards, including "Best Actress" for Ross. She didn't win, but I don't think it mattered - the film speaks for itself, and being nominated - in the leading female category - was a great achievement. All was not lost, however as Ross picked up a Golden Globe for her performance, plus a host of other awards.It's a shame that Diana didn't get the guidance of a strong film director after Lady Sings the Blues. However, Diana's outstanding performance in "Out of Darkness" restored her reputation as talented actress, and proved that with the right material, she could rise to the challenge.I have no hesitation of recommending this movie.A note for UK viewers: you'll need a VHS with NTSC playback to watch this movie.

As you know already, this movie is about the legendary Jazz/ blues singer Billie Hilliday. She has the most saddest, mellow voice in jazz history. Also she is the first jazz artist who sang at the Carnaggie hall as a none classic artist.By the time in early 20th century, it was not easy to live as an Afro- American lady in America. They should work hard, they should suffer from biased treatment from White people. sometimes they cannot even use the same toilet with the white people or same seat with the white people at the restaurant.She was working at the restaurant when she heard the jazz music bar and approached the owner to have a dance test and luckily had a singing test where she had her first singing job.Then the owner was totally obssesed by her voice. Her voice was a pure magic. You will listen to her real voice, not Diana Ross's voice from the link bellow. You will love her as I do.She was lucky enought to meet this lovely man who is not only rich but also really had a warm heart who truely loved her. But the thing is it took so long for them to finally get together.She was so just busy having tour after tour after being hired by that bar.Being so tired, she began to do shots and she became edicted. That was the hardest time in her life which finally ruined her life and also made her lived only for 44 years. A woman like her deserved to live like 90 years like Frank Sinatra or something.But her life was so short.I had a huge doubt about Diana Ross with knowing that she is a singer and all. I know that most of the Afro-Americans have that natural talent of acting and singing at the same time, but this is Diana we are talking about. A singer who sang only all her life.But I was kind of wrong. She did her job well. Although her voice was not 100% matched with Billie herself, it was really closed. And her look was really matched well with Bille. The flower on her hair, the har dressed, the clothes, the face look and all.The moment she was hospitalized in a cell was rather painful to look when she was totally edicted.She overcame just because of her loving man. She was that much lucky and I was so happy about it.But when he came back to NY. she did drugs again. And as far as I know, it was the drugs that finally ruined her to death.Many Afro-American entertainers died because of drugs. Even nowerdays. Like Whitney Huston, Michael Jackson, Prince.It is so sad that they could have performed much longer if they are still alive.MICHEL LEGRAND'S unbelievable music score is again making this movie an instant classic and I think he is a real genious. Whenever his music is on the backgroung, I feel like I am about to cry or something.I have 5 of Billie's CDs and some of them are rare ones. Whever I feel like I cannot take the life anymore, she came to me and sings to me. She is saying life is not so bad. It is still worth living you know. Listen to my voice. It is sad but don't cry. Because you are not the only one who is suffering from your life. We are together here.

I'm not going to rate the movie like all of the other reviews here because this movie was already reviewed back in 1972. I'm rating the quality of the Video and Audio since that is the actual intent of the review. This "Lady Sings the Blues" movie is finally available on Blu-ray. The Video quality looks decent, not excellent considering it was originally released in 1972. There is some noticable grain in the Video but the black looks good. I was mostly disappointed with the Audio. Disc cover says "Dolby TruHD" but it was less than dynamic. I had to crank the volume pass 50% to hear it. Most of the sound comes from the Center channel and hardly nothing from the Surround channels.... For instance the bar scenes where she is singing and there is background talk from the audience.... background Audio should be coming out of Surround channels and singer from Center channel. Instead you hear everything from the Center channel. Audio definitely needs remixing and mastering. I would pay more for better quality Video and Audio. It is worth the $8 and change I paid for it.

Shipped quickly & perfect condition. Great movie!

Miss Ross really play her part so did all of the actors in this movie. A very good movie. We all in joyed it.

This blu ray freezers in the same place each time I have trued to watch it

“Lady sings the blues” is an amazing pic. It’s wonderful when there’s someone on the Bio side of things, sharing her story. Not a rumor. I’ve seen Lady… at least eight times I’m very critical of movies but when I, starting at age 9 and I’m 59 now soooo I’ve seen it a couple times and a week ago I purchased my third DVD.

Gone way too soon.

Was expecting a high quality bluray imageWhat you get is DVD image on blurayOnestep above the old VHS

Never knew much about Billie Holiday until I saw this film. Diana Ross he’s stripped back, very little make up, looking very unlike the superstar that we know and love her for but her portrayal of this jazz singer, especially when in the rehab stage is spine chilling. Richard Pryor lights at the screen whenever he appears and Billy Dee Williams just looks gorgeous

What was the point in sending a BluRay for region 1 (North America) to someone who lives in the UK (Region 2) and expecting it to play. Clearly from other feedback they MUST be aware of that this is a region 1 BluRay yet they still sell it to me.

The DVD was delivered earlier than promised but unfortunately it doesn't play.