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I know that it has only been off the air for half an hour but I thought I would start the discussion. Or maybe I should say "open the floor" for discussion, because I have not formulated my final thoughts yet.
So the rest of you feel free to chime in and I will come back later to join in........
I see I goofed already by calling it a biopic as opposed to a documentary, and I cannot seem to make that correction. Sorry.......
I thought it was pretty good. I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know but it was an entertaining hour, although strangely, they never mentioned the split with Bacharach and David.
On the plus side, I really liked the mostly previously unseen footage shot by Gary Keys, in particular the 60s onstage footage with Dee Dee, as well as the YOUNG, GIFTED, AND BLACK recording session.
I was really looking forward to seeing this, but, then, when the time came, forgot all about it. Judging from the remarks above, maybe I didn't miss so much?
I Enjoyed the Dionne Warwick Documentary Don't Make Me Over on CNN. Even though I didn't learn anything new about Dionne from watching it, I loved seeing her life & work celebrated [and seeing how her work as an entertainer impacted some of my musical heroes like Berry Gordy, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, Elton John, Gladys Knight and the others who had featured spots in the documentary]. The only thing that I felt missing from the film was the breakup of Bacharach & David in the early '70s.
PS: Dionne wrote her auto biography My Life, as I See It back in 2010 and I think the book is a 'must have' for fans.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/..._AC_UY218_.jpg
If you can watch it, I would do so. Although as I said, I didn't learn anything new, I think it is great that one of our legends Dionne is getting such treatment and exposure while she is still alive to reap the benefits. I mean, who ever thought CNN would devote two hours of airtime to a Dionne Warwick documentary? I hope this leads to similar projects for her peers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philles/Motown Gary
FYI: The doc is also available on home video, although at the moment, it doesn't seem to be playable in many regions.
I saw this doc in September 2021, as it's had quite a long journey through the circuit of various film festivals and then was delayed due to the dissolution of CNN's streaming service, CNN+. Here is my long review that I had posted on the forum, at the time :D I'm hoping to eventually buy a DVD or Blu-ray copy, once it gets a proper North American release, as the current DVD's and Blu-rays being offered online were only released in the UK and are encoded for the UK/EU [ie. Region 2]. Apparently it will be available on HBO Max in the US, later today...
_____________
I was able to buy a 'virtual pass' to watch it at home, through the Toronto Film Festival. This is the second year they are doing both screenings in person, at their theaters, and at home, due to the pandemic.
The documentary was nice, but being a big Dionne fan, I was not wowed by it. There were some moments scattered throughout that I found entertaining or interesting, as Dionne has always had a fun way of telling stories, with a flair of personality. They did spend a lot of time recounting historical, cultural and political moments throughout the documentary, which were relevant to her career and endeavours, such as the significance of the Apollo Theater, civil rights, AIDS, etc. That was fine, but I felt that they could have done more to balance those moments with more personal elements, relating directly to Dionne. It was this, mixed with the longer musical clips of her, that made me feel like they were trying to pad out the documentary, to fill up time. I walked away from it, wishing they would have done more with this documentary. Heck, they even interviewed Burt Bacharach and barely talked about the origins of her biggest songs.
There was a lot of repetition and focus on her cross-over appeal and how she broke down barriers within the industry. For a documentary that took five years, I was hoping they'd have done more research and gone deeper with things. I would have been curious to hear more about her thoughts on different things. Certain people like Smokey Robinson and Chuck Jackson seemed to get a lot of screen time. There is some nice rare archival footage featured throughout, of Dionne in the studio and in concert, a lot of which I had never seen before. They skipped right past the 70's entirely. No mention of her Warner Bros years, nor the lawsuit/fallout with Burt and Hal. I was surprised they mentioned the Psychic Friends Network, but it was a very quick mention, with a brief clip and her son talking about how his Mom has struggled, like anyone else. I was also surprised that she briefly mentioned her bankruptcy. There was no discussion on her life-long love for Brazil, or how she briefly became Dionne Warwick'e'.
I don't regret watching it, but it almost felt like an A&E Biography instead of a true documentary, and it felt a bit impersonal. There were just enough redeeming moments for me to make it worth watching. In the end, I feel like they should have given much more screen time to Dionne, so she could have told her story, in her own words. That being said, this documentary focuses on Dionne's enduring influence and legacy, and I'm glad she is finally getting her dues.
Here's a new interview with Dionne by the New York Times, concerning the documentary...
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/01/m...e-me-over.html
Thank you for posting. I haven’t watched the documentary yet, so this is an appreciated intro. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by carlo
Thanks Carlo for clearing up one point of confusion.......which is that this documentary had actually been completed back in 2021. That was of course obvious because of Olivia being featured a couple of times and still looking relatively well.
My overall thoughts on the feature were somewhat similar to what I have already read......surprised that the entire WB period of her career was skipped over altogether and that the Bacharch/David feud was not addressed. Conversely I was surprised that the Psychic Friends Network and her bankruptcy were mentioned, since neither put her in a positive light. Along those same lines, I did notice that Burt mentioned her smoking so I would not have been surprised if her marijuana arrest had been brought up!
Overall I enjoyed it and learned quite a bit from it. If there were criticisms, they might be that it contained too many interviews and not enough performance clips, and also [[hope I don't make any enemies here) but she came across at times as being somewhat cocky and condescending regarding certain situations.
I realize that to be as successful as she became, she simply HAD to be a very self-confident person, so I have no quarrel with that, but this documentary showed a side of her that made me think there is a my-way-or-the-highway side to her personality.
The best example of that might be the refusal to record certain songs or at least the insistence that they be done a certain way. Then there was the story about bringing all the hip hop stars to her house and insisting that they be there at 7:00 AM. I have a little trouble believing that Snoop Dogg and others would be that easily manipulated, so I am guessing the film took some liberties with that particular subject.
So overall a wonderful feature and it did not change my love for her music one iota, but I must confess that I was left with a few questions such as "Did that really happen?" or "Is she really like that?"
Dionne didn't address her arrest in her book so I wasn't surprised it wasn't touched upon in this documentary. However, in her book, she did include a photo of her going through a security check at the airport. I think she was being tongue-in-cheek when she captioned it: "I guess I looked suspect!"Quote:
Originally Posted by daviddesper
Re Burt's comment about her smoking, I think he may have been [[low-key) lamenting how much her voice has changed over the years due to smoking. Even back in the 60s, she mentioned that there were things she could do to protect her voice but it would make her feel like a "cripple."
I think the A&E Biography might be of some interest to fans, as it covers some facets not included in the CNN film. Note: the audio isn't the greatest.Quote:
Originally Posted by carlo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I7DCy1kl60
I am watching Dionne now on today's episode of the TAMRON HALL SHOW. They announced that Dionne is releasing a new single this month that is a duet with Dolly Parton. Dolly wrote it and it a gospel type song
I believe Dionne's upcoming album is slated to be gospel as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by milven
I appreciated reading your review, daviddesper! I agree that Dionne is very much a "it's-my-way-or-the-highway" type of person. I have seen and heard a lot over the years, that's confirmed as much. I think she can be pleasant and lovely when she wants to be, but has developed a hard-shell over the years, likely due to her experiences in the industry and during her life. I think you would have to be that kind of person, in order to survive over 60 years in the biz, especially during eras when you had to stand-up to the men you worked with, not to mention any sexism and racism that she would have encountered during the course of her life [she talks about this in the doc].
A friend of mine who passed away a couple of years ago, was also a huge Dionne fan. He had paid for a pre-show meet and greet with Dionne, sometime back in 2019. Apparently he and a group of fans were ushered into the venue, while she was doing soundcheck. Her management team had mistakenly not made her aware that there would be a meet and greet with fans. To put it nicely, she was not pleased and was quite vocal about it, but still took the time to greet the fans afterward and posed for the professional photos.
Also, having watched her on Celebrity Apprentice years ago, she did not leave the show in the best of terms, to say the least. As a fan, I was left a bit disappointed by her behaviour, but I later came to understand that not only is she a tough-cookie [to her own credit and advantage], but she is a woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. She keeps it real. I think she and Whitney were the same in that way, both being from not only the same family, but also having grown up in East Orange, NJ. They never forgot where they came from.
Thanks for this, Reese! I had come across this video of her A&E Biography some years ago and never got around to watching it.Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
Also, thanks Milven for letting us know about Dionne's duet with Dolly. Looking forward to that! I also read in Dionne's periodic message to the fan club, that she has a song coming out called "Free", written by Diane Warren and produced by her son, Damon. It will benefit refugees.
https://www.dionnewarwickinternation...m/home68245949
I really enjoyed it. I've been a fan of hers for a long time, but I learned a lot about her that I didn't know, such as her association with Snoop Dogg. I knew she had done a lot for AIDS, but had no idea of the breadth and scope of her involvement with AMFAR and how much money she had generated for them.
I agree with the earlier poster who said they should've covered the rift with Bacharach and David. There were also some odd facts about her they didn't mention, like the few years when she added the "e" to her last name on the advice of an Astrologer.
I liked the way that they presented "both sides of the story" in a few cases, such as with Snoop Dogg, and also with Barry Gibb who wrote "Heartbreaker" for her, which showed that both of the folks had very close recollections of the encounters they were relating. I think that gave many of the elements a lot of credibility.
As did Carlo, I also remember her from her stint on "Celebrity Apprentice" and was somewhat appalled by her diva-ish behavior. She didn't come off well at all on that show. [[Yes, I admit I watched a couple seasons of it...wish I could have that time back again...!)
But all in all, I came away admiring her far more than I had before. As with other interviews she's given over the years, there's a few times when you kind of wonder where she's really coming from or if she's embellishing things a bit, but hey after all her years in the business, I'd say she's certainly earned that right!
Overall, a fine tribute to a great artist which I hope will attract many new fans for her.
Here is the clip from Tamron Hall Show where the duet was announcedQuote:
Originally Posted by carlo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOyVrO1RAAE
Didnt see it, but did wonder how and if they addressed her numerous financial difficulties through the years, the psychic scam she got involved with, and her unyielding and outspoken support for her friend O.J. Simpson during his murder trial???...
'Auntie Dionne' does not make the best decisions in her life but the home-girl [[East Orange, 3 miles from mine-own home) is a classic talent. I look forward to viewing the doc and presume it will focus on her artistry. And not her less-than-ism's. Any performer would do well to look to Dionne's career and longevity for focus, and without a doubt the lady has done more good than bad for the world of entertainment / American arts. I hope the doc becomes more widely available. I'm sure happy to have been around during Dionne Warwick's career.Quote:
Originally Posted by StuBass1
Meanwhile younger people are discovering her as in this reaction video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isoy8CGej9Q
I have a hard time taking these reaction videos seriously. For the most part, they come across as disingenuous to me, with the sole intent of attracting views and subscribers to build the respective YouTubers'/influencers' following. But hey, any publicity for these classic artists is good publicity, right? Sounds like he accidentally called her Donna Warwick at the 7:58 mark lol.
I would still like to see it, Reese, to compare it with the Dionne documentary that I already have on a 2-disc DVD set titled "The Songmakers Collection" [[from A&E, 2001) which covers the careers of Brill Building stars Bert Bacarach, Bobby Darin, Carole King, Neil Sedaka, and Dionne Warwick. It's from the producers of "Biography", and their coverage is typically excellent. It's been a few years since I last watched it. I think I'll watch it tonight and will report accordingly. In the meantime, here is the DVD set.Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
THE SONGMAKERS COLLECTION [[DVD)
https://a.co/d/1vidqPC
UPDATE:
I just finished watching Disc 1 of "The Songmakers Collection" DVD set and it is excellent. The first segment is titled, "The Hitmakers" -- a tribute to the Brill Building which includes live interviews with Carol King & Gerry Goffin, Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich, and Barry Msnn & Cynthia Weil, as well as tons of artists and producers featured as the music is playing. I'm happy to say I loved every minute!
Also on Disc 1 is the Dionne Warwick segment. All I can say is that it's thorough and covers her entire career from Scepter records through Warner Brothers records, and, finally, through and including Arista records. Also, Dionne is quick to point out that she was never a psychic, nor did she ever pretend to be.
She was merely the host of the psychics show. Personally, I cannot imagine a Dionne documentary any better than this one. Oh, and yes -- they do indeed cover the break-up between Dionne, Burt Bacharach, and Hal David. This documentary was very well done.
I haven't re-watched Disc 2 yet which covers Bobby Darin, Leiber & Stoller, and Burt Bacharach.
I've seen the Dionne Warwick documentary and they did touch on Dionne's involvement with the Psychic Friends Network & the financial problems she ran into. However, her support of O.J. Simpson is not mentioned.Quote:
Originally Posted by StuBass1
I was just watching the A&E Biography dvd set last weekend. All of them are very interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philles/Motown Gary
There was no mentioning of her Warners output. It went from Scepter to Arista.
Ralph and I watched it and thought it was good. We enjoyed hearing
so many of her hits and learning of her Aids charitable effort singing
"That's What Friends Are For," with Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie
Wonder. Her songs were huge hits and brought us way back to a different
time.
Her costumes were beautiful, as was she.
I regained much respect for her, having lost some watching her on
"Celebrity Apprentice." She was regarded as a bit of a "diva" by her
teammates. At least, that's what I recall. Of course, the show's
moderator loved to stir things up.
We also watched "Burt Bacharach's Best" on PBS, which showed a little more
of Dionne. She did a very choreographed number to "Walk on By," which
was a wee bit silly. The sets were quite laughable, throughout the show, but if
you can overcome that, the music was good.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Reese. The entire set was very well done.Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
For anyone who missed the Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over documentary, it will be repeated on CNN this Saturday, Feb 4th, at 8 pm Eastern Time
It is also going to be airing on HBO Max.Quote:
Originally Posted by milven
The NY Times calls the film an ordinary film about an extraordinary life - I haven't seen the film yet but I do look forward.