Hitsville: The Making of Motown

Good movie!

source: Hitsville: The Making of Motown

This is the best ive seen on the MOTOWN label,they cover it from womb to tomb and Barry Gordy is such a likable man. Maybe some more attention could have been paid to the house band the Funk Brothers because they made the sound not Barry and without them not sure this takes off.

As a big Motown fan, this documentary is elementary. Often when the story from Motown is told this is often by outsiders, music journalists and other musicians. Here it is from the source himself, Berry Gordy. Still, I have some objections. I understand that critical aspects of Motown are not the main focus. But it could be interesting to get Gordy to talk about the artists who left the company. Mary Wells's resignation in 1964 in particular was a tough blow for the company. Was that why Motown's first big star was hardly mentioned? Furthermore, I agree with other reviewers here that there was too much talk and too little music. It had been interesting with several anecdotes, such as the story when he pressed Diana Ross to sing a song she didn't like. But overall this was very good. How can it not be, with this amazing music and the fascinating story of Gordy who built this empire from $ 800?

As a native Detroiter, I thought I knew everything about this iconic, trail- blazing, star-making machine. I couldn't have been more wrong! This documentary was brilliantly produced and directed. It provides access to the genius behind the machine - Berry Gordy and many, many of the artists who were there from the beginning -through personal interviews and a rare archive of actual recordings of staff meetings and jam sessions. We get the opportunity to see Berry Gordy's vision come to life as he models his company after a Ford assembly line, starting with identifying, and developing a multitude of talent, then bringing all the key components together, such as writers, musicians, sales people, choreographers, etiquette trainers, under one roof, called Hitsville, that goes unrivaled even today. Mr. Gordy candidly shares his risk taking ventures, successes, and failures, as well as times he was dead wrong about identifying what later became legendary hits. He shares his vulnerabilities when some stars left Motown and other times he had to relinquish the reins or risk losing major stars, such as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Smokey Robinson, his life-long best friend, is there to support as well as tease his mentor and old friend. Berry Gordy and company have always made me proud to be a Detroiter, and I was never more proud than after viewing this documentary. Motown's legacy will never die.

Co-writers/directors Benjamin Turner and Gabe Turner have delivered the definitive documentary about the musical phenomenon of Motown from its quiet birth by Berry Gordy in 1958 Detroit through its growth in global importance to its relocation to Los Angeles in the 1970s. But the film is so much more than an overview of some of the most important singers and performers whose careers blossomed under the aegis of Berry Gordy (who narrates the film with Smokey Robinson!): it is a tribute to the impact that 'record company' had on the rise of black performers on the global stage. The script is witty, insightful, sensitive, and eloquent. The film shares films clips of performances by such stars as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Mary Wilson, Martha Reeves, Little Richard, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, the Temptations, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Marvin Gaye - and on and on. The manner in which Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson open the survey of the history of civil rights is distinguished and is one of the most accessible demonstrations of that deeply needed transition in cultural equality that has been created. Very highly recommended on many levels.

Not just the greatest story of music production on earth but maybe the revelation of the greatest business model based on Love, nuturing and ironically the Detroit assembly line! Berry Gordy brought out the best in people, with Love, brutal honesty, guidance and heart. One of Berry's best songwriters and producers, Norman Whitfield, started out for years as a secretary! Years later he was allowed into the Snakepit (the main studio) and produced magic such as "Heard it through the Grapevine"! Two of the legendary songwriting team Holland Dozier & Holland couldn't even play musical instruments when they started as 18 year old interns with Berry! The guy is a legend as much as the music that was produced as a result of the environment he created. Great music and clips along the way of course that's a given but the insight into the men and women at this core is just incredibly charming, inspiring and heartfelt. The honesty and Love between the founders Berry and his first intern Smokey is literally a masterpiece of humanity at it's best.

I mean...seriously... I thought I was fairly familiar with most of thees songs....but the mark of a great documentary is hearing something familiar in a new and different way.... I mean....the way they break down the arrangement of The Temptation's " My Girl" is a revelation....hearing those classical music arrangements...they were there the whole time and I never noticed it.....that's what this film does.....as Bill Hader's Stephane character would say..." It Has Everything" My only beef...and it's a small one...is that the story ends mid-70's....so they don't even touch disco....or losing the Jacksons....no mention of the second wave of Motown in the mid-80's ....but then this would have to have been a mini-series... .

Motown has produced some of the best music ever recorded and some of the most amazing musicians and singers in my opinion, but I agree with Richard-97261, I am also a life-long Motown fan, I was really looking forward to watching 'Hitsville--The Making of Motown'' but like him found it a big disappointment for the similar reasons: I enjoyed watching Berry and Smokey talking, but after a few minutes it all got a bit repetitive with too much back slapping. There were indeed too many minor players interviewed and not enough of the amazing and fabulous music that Motown had produced. Berry Gordy's was indeed a genius and should get credit for forming Motown, especially at the time he did when race was such an issue n America, but he also made some major mistakes and yet these were glossed over. He almost stopped Marvin Gaye's album 'What's going on' being released, yet seemed to have forgotten that. Berry's affair with Diana Ross was barely mentioned, yet it played a large part in the fall of Motown because of his obsession with pushing her forward at the expense of others. Also no mention of the sad demise of Florence Ballard or the tragic end of David Ruffin or Paul Williams of the Temptations. But mainly there should have been more music and interviews with the big stars. I know most have died but there must be archive footage? I know I have watched more interesting Motown documentaries on YouTube. There were some positives. It was great to see some old footage, especially the film of 'My Girl' being recorded. But there must be hundreds more film of concerts, TV appearances etc that have rarely been seen. So sadly this movie was a lost opportunity to promote one of the best record labels ever! I gave three stars for the footage they did use.

If you like music you will like this. If you don't like Motown you won't like this. If you don't like music don't bother to watch it. It was a brilliant documentary that gave me a greater insight to one of the greatest record labels in the world. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson were and are a great double act.