Visions of Diana Ross (1985)

Considering that the new millennium has seen diva Diana Ross spend a good deal more time on the police blotter (following her 2002 arrest and subsequent jail sentence for drunk driving) than the pop charts, it's nice to be able to look at her music rather than her mugshot. The six videos in this 1985 compilation were made by directors (including Bob Giraldi and Marty Callner) who were among the leaders in the field at the time, and Ross is featured with some big-name stars, like Julio Iglesias ("All of Me") and Marvin Gaye (recalled via film clips in "Missing You"). But notwithstanding the strong (if inevitably somewhat dated) production values, the elaborate sets and costumes, and Ross's glamorous aura, most of this is pop music at its most disposable, a dead end of synth-dance superficiality and forgettable tunes (the obvious exception being the doo-wop chestnut "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?"). In short (and at under 30 minutes, with no bonus features, it certainly is that), this is far from Diana Ross's finest hour, and will be of passing interest at best to all but her most devoted fans. --Sam Graham Amazon.com

MISSING 9 OTHER RCA VIDEO'S

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT DVD MUSIC VIDEO COLLECTION IF ALL THE VIDEO'S FROM THE RCA YEARS WERE INCLUDED. IT'S THE SAME AS THE VHS TAPE THE WAS RELEASED IN 1985. MISSING VIDEO'S 1. MIRROR,MIRROR ,2. WORK THAT BODY,3. FOREVER YOUNG ,4. EATEN ALIVE , 5. CHAIN REACTION , 6. EXPERIENCE , 7. DIRTY LOOKS , 8. TELL ME AGAIN , 9. SUMMERTIME . June 14, 2008

give diana ross a break

i have been a fan of diana ross for as long as i can remember and i have a great respect for what she has accomplised as a black women in her career. my only disappointment with the dvd is that it should include more of here solo material from 1970 to the present. and to all of you diana ross haters(including amazon's reviewer) stop the personal attacks and quite repeating what you've heard on the gossip circles for years. you speak as though you know this women up close and personal. lets seperate fact from fiction. the supremes fell apart because they refused to take barry gordy's direction after diana left. florence ballard died of a heart attack in 1976. none of these events had a thing to do with diana ross. as far as her being egotistical, there isn't a women in the industry on the same level as she that isn't. you mean to tell me that cher has no ego and has never thrown a diva tantrum? . i'm old enough to remember when the world celebrated this woman before mtv came along with its blonde ambition and reduced the music industry to flickering sound bites. now these true divas like diana ross are being judge against a bunch of no talent video created skanks shaking their rumps in skimpy outfits. you can see that in any strip bar on any corner any day of the week. i don't understand it or understand why cher can get a second chance but not diana ross. i smell racism when pop radio, i.e. white radio can promote a weak disco song like "do you believe in life after love" but refuse to give airplay to any of ross' recent material. it is sad and shameful. February 21, 2008

One for the collection

A must for all fans of Ms Ross - however, this US edition differs from the original UK release on video only which includes "Work That Body" and "Mirror Mirror", not featured here. But you do get "Pieces of Ice" and "All of You" plus you have to have an all regions DVD machine in you want to see this product in the UK. May 14, 2007

Incomplete Visions of a diva

I just dont understand these short dvd compilations, sure these are some of Ms Ross's more interesting videos (Swept Away is a mini epic)( Muscles is campy)and I love love love Pieces of Ice - the song and the video, and it was one of the reasons for purchasing this incomplete collection.

Surely someone of Diana Rosses stature, deserves a complete career videography? capturing all of her work from the 60's to present day (another diva who needs the same is Donna Summer)

For an example on how to do it....check out Olivia Newton-Johns Gold 1 & 2 dvd.

Nice to have for fans - but could have been so much better. January 19, 2007

The Startling Visions Of The Dynamic Diana Ross

The Visions Of Diana Ross DVD is only a relatively short collection of videos, focusing on her early years with RCA Records. Being the ever keen fan of the delightful Diana Ross, I would have much preferred a more thorough over view of her videos, rather than just a sprinkling of promotional videos that look extremely dated when viewing today.

The Visions Of Diana Ross begins with the video to her cross-Atlantic Top 10 smash hit, Why Do Fools Fall In Love a fun, bouncy intepretation that's far closer to swinging Las Vegas than the streets of New York, which was where the song was created and inspired. Fittingly the video is set in the heart of Las Vegas where Diana is seen dancing and running around some familiar sightings in Vegas whilst an enthusiastic crowd of spectactors form a line to watch Diana perform. Nothing spectacular but fine for its time.

The video to her storming Rock-R&B American Top 20 hit, Swept Away is one of the more creative and atmospheric videos. A spiky haired Diana is sat on a beach alone in the middle of the night reminiscing to herself about the man she was supposedly "swept away" by. It contains segements of Diana dancing at the top of a lighthouse, swimming under sea at night, seducing a very good looking man and rather laughably brawling with another woman in some late night bar over her man. The video escalates into pure melodrama at the climax where Diana is seen at the top of the lighthouse, fighting with her man. There's a struggle and he goes over the edge and falls to his death (though you don't see that of course). Unusual and enjoyable video to a fantastic song that was one of her best on the RCA Records label.

All Of You features the ever glamorous, sophisticated Diana Ross duetting with charismatic Latin crooner, Julio Igelias, which glided into the American Top 20 charts. The video is set at a party where Diana and Julio remain completely oblivious to all others surrounding them as they croon sickly sweet nothings to one another. May be a bit too syrupy for some but I actually think theres something nice and charming about it.

Muscles, an American Top 10 hit penned by the genius Michael Jackson, is the next video on this collection and is laughably dated though was fun in it's day. Diana is seen cavorting around her boudair with several gorgeous muscled men (lucky Diana!) and looks as though shes having the time of her life (and who can blame her!).

Pieces Of Ice was one of her more over-looked songs where it crawled into the lower reaches of the U.S Top 40. The Pieces Of Ice video is the most startling video on here though the silly animal costumes look painfully cheesy but the dancing is slick and tasteful (for its era at least) and Diana oozes sexual charisma and looks divine in that tight, red sequinned dress.

Missing You is my favourite video on The Visions Of Diana Ross as it inteprets footage of the late Marvin Gaye (who had been shot dead in 1984 following a heated argument with his estranged father) in between footage of Diana singing the song in a dimly lit studio. There is also some treasured and rare footage of these two legends of soul music together who were dubbed as the Queen and King of Motown. Watching Diana and Marvin Gaye singing, laughing and dancing together on stage it's hard to believe those stories about the recording sessions for the Diana and marvin (1973) album where they apparently clashed - Diana was reportedly antagonised by Marvins refusal to stop smoking weed during the rehersals as she was heavily preganant at the time.The Missing You video is beautifully done and is actually quite moving without shrinking to being too corny. The song itself became Diana Ross last top 10 hit in the U.S to date (though she continues to be a strong seller in the U.K and all across Europe).

The mere fact that some of these videos aren't to some of her more well known hits makes it of no great historical interest to the musical collector but fans like myself will find this a worthy addition to their collection.

The videos included are obviously very dated now but this was the early 1980's after all and in that fact, The Visions Of Diana Ross makes very entertaining viewing, if only for pure nostalgia.

Ian Phillips
July 2006

July 4, 2006

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