影片對白  Curtis Taylor, Jr., our manager, says we're singing behind Mr. Jimmy Early tonight!

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The Dreams and The Supremes：追夢女郎與 The Supremes 合唱團

The Dreams

這樣的一個勵志故事是以60年代在美國流行樂壇盛及一時的女子三重唱組合-The Supremes作為藍本而改編的。片中蒂娜的形象，正是靈魂歌后黛安娜羅絲的寫照。其實在電影拍攝之前人們就對故事的發展耳熟能詳。這得益于1981年開始在百老匯演出的同名舞臺劇《追夢女郎》。該片在當時創造了連續演出1522場的佳績，獲得了13項東尼獎(美國戲劇界最高獎)的提名，并最終獲得其中的六項獎項。

The basic plot of Dreamgirls is derived from the history of The Supremes, a girl-group from Detroit, Michigan, which was Motown's most successful group act during the 1960s. Effie White is a doppelg?nger for Florence Ballard, original lead singer of the Supremes; the character's vocal stylings and personality are based upon Aretha Franklin and Etta James. Diana Ross, who became the central focus of the Supremes and later left the group to pursue a solo career and a brief venture into films, is here adapted into the character of Deena Jones. Supremes member Mary Wilson is represented by Lorrell Robinson. Curtis Taylor, Jr., represents Berry Gordy, Jr., the founder of Motown, who pushed the Supremes towards pop success and became romantically involved with Ross. James "Thunder" Early is depicted as a cross between James Brown, Little Richard, Marvin Gaye, and Jackie Wilson. C. C. White is a collective representative for The Supremes' songwriters, who included the Holland-Dozier-Holland team and Smokey Robinson. Michelle Morris is representative of Cindy Birdsong, Florence Ballard's replacement in The Supremes, which was renamed "Diana Ross & the Supremes" at the time of that line-up change.

The Supremes

Dreamgirls is most dissimilar from The Supremes' story in its second act, which ends with Effie finding success as a solo performer. In real life, Florence Ballard's solo career was unsuccessful and the singer sank into poverty, depression, and alcoholism, dying of cardiac arrest at the age of thirty-two in 1976, just after her career had been revived. The play also shows inspiration from the 1976 feature film Sparkle, which itself was inspired by The Supremes' story.

Michael Bennett, Henry Krieger, Tom Eyen, and the Dreamgirls producers denied and downplayed the connections between the musical's plot and the Supremes' life story, hoping to avoid legal issues from Motown Records and Diana Ross. Mary Wilson loved Dreamgirls, and even named her first autobiography, Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme, after it. Diana Ross, however, was reportedly angered by the musical, and expressed her dislike of it in the media. Though the Deena character mirrors Diana Ross, Sheryl Lee Ralph stands to the fact that she was not trying to imitate Ross, but portrayed Deena in a similar yet distinct style.

在改編的電影劇本中三個女主人公都走到的事業的最高點，這與現實存在著較大的差距。實際上，就唱功而言，靈魂歌后黛安娜羅絲并不是三人中最好的，但最終她卻是三人中最成功的一個。成就超級巨星不僅需要完美的嗓音，同樣也要具備有搶眼的外形。現實是現實的，也是值得人思考的。　

考考你

用今日所學將下面的句子譯成英語。

1. 因為沒有新的訂單，他們被解雇了。

2. 我認為這個計劃行不通。

3. 比爾為他導師的魅力折服有三年的時間，但漸漸地他的夢想破滅、離開了大學。

Dreamgirls《追夢女郎》（精講之一）考考你 參考答案

1. 喬治對他的新薩克斯風愛不釋手。
George is mad about his new saxophone.

2. 明晚的集會標志著比賽的開始。
A rally tomorrow night will kick off the campaign.

3. 別為瑪麗的煩心事沮喪。
Don't let Mary's troubles get you down.


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(英語點津Annabel編輯)