This movie has a great start. Teenager Otis Wlliams is running to a movie theatre to see a live music show where the Cadillacs are preforming: "Well now, they often call me Speedoo, but my real name is Mr. Earl." Like most songs in this movie, the full song is sang and Otis Williams is mesmerized by the Cadillacs. He wants to be a singer, not a construction worker, like his father expects him to be. He wants a Tony Curtis type hairstyle.
It's 1950s Detroit and Motown has yet to take off. When it does, Mr. Williams and his fellow bandmates will eventually be part of the Motown sound. They would be known as the Temptations. Not only was their singing great, but so was their dancing. (I watched them on TV as a kid and never even thought about the dancing!)
This film includes lots of great songs and dance steps. I only wished there were more psychedelic hits, as opposed to the slower, mushy ones. Fortunately, there is a great version of "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone". (I didn't even remember they were the ones who sang that song, and I was a radio junkie as a teenager!)
The way the story of the group was told was fine most of the time, but got confusing in the second part of the mini-series. When I chose to watch the movie at Tubi, I didn't even notice it was a two-part mini-series, so was really confused when the first part ended how it did. What a strange ending to the movie! Fortunately, when the credits were rolling, I didn't turn off the TV, as I normally do at the end of a movie, and the second part soon started.
The main problem with the second part is it's one sad or tragic thing after another. It was such a difference from the lively, fun first part. Not that all the tragic events weren't true, but it was basically like one long downer. Also, it got confusing at times who was who when band members kept changing.
Melvin Franklin was my favorite, but there is nothing on his personal life, except his close relationship with his mother. His funeral in the film is incredibly sad. Lots of things in the second part of the mini-series are sad. That left me with mixed feelings about the series, which is why my star rating isn't higher.
It's 1950s Detroit and Motown has yet to take off. When it does, Mr. Williams and his fellow bandmates will eventually be part of the Motown sound. They would be known as the Temptations. Not only was their singing great, but so was their dancing. (I watched them on TV as a kid and never even thought about the dancing!)
This film includes lots of great songs and dance steps. I only wished there were more psychedelic hits, as opposed to the slower, mushy ones. Fortunately, there is a great version of "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone". (I didn't even remember they were the ones who sang that song, and I was a radio junkie as a teenager!)
The way the story of the group was told was fine most of the time, but got confusing in the second part of the mini-series. When I chose to watch the movie at Tubi, I didn't even notice it was a two-part mini-series, so was really confused when the first part ended how it did. What a strange ending to the movie! Fortunately, when the credits were rolling, I didn't turn off the TV, as I normally do at the end of a movie, and the second part soon started.
The main problem with the second part is it's one sad or tragic thing after another. It was such a difference from the lively, fun first part. Not that all the tragic events weren't true, but it was basically like one long downer. Also, it got confusing at times who was who when band members kept changing.
Melvin Franklin was my favorite, but there is nothing on his personal life, except his close relationship with his mother. His funeral in the film is incredibly sad. Lots of things in the second part of the mini-series are sad. That left me with mixed feelings about the series, which is why my star rating isn't higher.