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Features: DVD, Pan and Scan (TV Format), Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, Dolby Digital (4.0); Featurettes, Trailers, Bonus Footage, English, Spanish Subtitled
Get ready to be rocked to your soul by The Five Heartbeats! Robert Townsend directs and stars in this Motown-filled story of five young friends whose dream of success takes them from amateur nights in ghetto clubs to the pinnacle of show business success and personal tragedy.
"...a giddy mixture of comedy, music and drama." Desson Howe, Washington Post
"A stunning and exhuberant motion picture. Terrific acting and unforgettable music." Jim Whaley, PBS
"Townsend shows a real talent...to go for the human truth in his characters." Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Editor's Note
Actor-director Robert Townsend came to fame depicting the pitfalls of the Hollywood experience for black actors with his 1987 film HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE. Four years later, he took on the mid-'60s music scene with THE FIVE HEARTBEATS. After doing extensive research with long-lived pop/R&B group the Dells, he painted a cinematic scene of five young friends in the 60s who share the dream of making music. They journey together through three decades, experiencing all the ups and downs show business had to offer, intensified by the difficulties faces by black acts in the era of civil-rights protest. Interacting as everything from a close-knit musical family to occasional bitter rivals, the fictional Five Heartbeats experience both success and tragedy in this excellent film. The multi-talented Townshend functions as both director and star, alongside compelling performances by a cast that includes Leon and Diahann Caroll. Featuring a mix of original songs and classic Motown material, THE FIVE HEARTBEATS is an irresistible combination of music and drama that captures a unique period in American cultural history.
| Features | Audio: English Dolby Digital 4.0 Stereo | | Audio: Spanish & French Dolby Digital Stereo | | Behind-The-Scenes Goofs | | Bonus Movie CD Soundtrack | | Deleted Scenes | | Easter Eggs | | Featurettes: Meet The Five Heartbeats - The Five Actors Talk About Their Characters; The Director's Process - Director Robert Townsend Explains How The Five Heartbeats Came To Be A Film And The Challenges Of Directing; "In The Studio" - Go Into The Recording Studio And Meet The Real Singers And Music Director Steve Tyrell (Includes The "I Got Nothing But Love" Sessions); The Look - From Wardrobe To Hair And Makeup, See How The Crew Created 4 Decades Of Fashion For The Actors And Extras; The Nomination - The 5 Heartbeats "In Character" Discuss Their Grammy Award Nomination; The Five Heartbeats Original Featurette; Michael Wright - "What Else?" | | Interactive Menus | | Original Publicity Campaign | | Robert Townsend Profile | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, Spanish | | Theatrical Trailer | | TV Spots |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Foxvideo |
| Release Date: 6/12/2007 |
| Running Time: 121 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1991 | | Catalog ID: 2231911 | | UPC: 00024543219118 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Pan and Scan (TV Format) 1.33:1 [4:3] |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | New York Times
"...Fundamental sweetness and sincerity....[In cameo, Harold Nicholas's] very presence expands the range of this film..." 03/29/1991 p.C14Los Angeles Times
"...Musically, THE FIVE HEARTBEATS is on target all the way. It's hard to remember a recent film that had so many warm-hearted, rousing, big-souled song numbers..." 03/29/1991 p.F1 The Village Voice 8 of 10
A propulsive score, spirited choreography by Michael Peters and evocative sets and costumes help Townsend re-create musical history.
Rolling Stone 6 of 10
With that first-rate cast, it's a shame that Townsend wastes time covering the well-worn ground of what fame, money, booze, drugs and the wrong women can do to a nice bunch of guys. But the movie, inspired by the hot and hard times of such groups as the Temptations, the Four Tops and the Dells, offers ample compensations. A propulsive score, spirited choreography by Michael Peters and evocative sets and costumes help Townsend re-create musical history. Even cliches can't muffle that joyful noise.
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