The first time I ever saw “Motown 25” was in 1987 as a four year old, and I sat with my dad to watch a VHS recording of the 1983 broadcast. The memory of the time and place are fuzzy, but all I remember is watching through the tape entertained, and then being genuinely in awe of Michael Jackson’s performance of “Billie Jean” as he declared that he was his own entertainer now. He did so with a brilliant performance and the introduction of the moon walk.
“Motown 25” is still a valuable bit of music history that garners some of the best performances from some of Motown’s best. Time Life puts together three editions of the original broadcast, including a Six DVD Extended Edition, a Three Disc Edition, and a Single Disc Edition. Clocking in at seven hours total, the three disc is with its own unique charms, garnering the original broadcast, and two DVD’s filled with features about the broadcast.
Richard Pryor hosts carrying the spirit of the broadcast right through to the very end, and is accompanied by familiar Motown like Billy Dee Williams and Dick Clark, respectively. Among some of the best performances in the broadcast, there’s Smokey Robinson and the Miracles doing a medley of their best songs including “The Tears of a Clown,” there’s a wonderful tribute by Dick Clark, and then Stevie Wonder pretty much dominates the stage with his medley of hits including “My Cherie Amour.”
There’s a raucous and funny interview with Motown song writers as they gather around a piano to talk about the old days, and then a wonderful dual performance from the Temptations and the Four Tops, as they compete to belt out their hits. Marvin Gaye performs a fantastic rendition of “What’s Going On,” with an accompanying clip of he and Tammi Terrell singing “Ain’t No Mountain.”
There’s of course the dazzling return of the Jackson Five performing a medley of their hits, with Jackson of course finishing off with his solo performance “Billie Jean” that built a sensation around The Moonwalker. The topper is Diana Ross reuniting with the Supremes, finishing off the show with a medley, and performance by the entire cast, which is still gut wrenching but amazing in its way. “Motown 25” is still a remarkable broadcast with mesmerizing performances.
Featured on the DVD is a Motown Roundtable discussion clocking in at eighteen minutes in length, and a thirty minute making of Featurette of “Motown 25.” Disc Two features a twenty three minute rehearsal session with Marvin Gaye, who riffs and sings various portions of his song, preparing for the broadcast. There’s also a twenty minute featurette about Marvin Gaye entitled “What’s Going On” with interviews and accounts from people that knew him, and were in awe upon meeting him.
Finally, there are two interviews with Motown 25 Producers Suzanne De Passe, and Don Mischer. Disc Three features Two Roundtables with the Motown 25 production team, and the remaining Motown 25 Performers, all of which clock in at ninety minutes in length and is a gem of insight and information for fans of the broadcast. “Reach Out I’ll Be There” is an eleven minute behind the scenes segment of how the production team composed the competition between the Four Tops and the Temptations.
“Come and Get these Memories” is a fourteen minute look at the legacy of Motown and Hitsville. Finally, there are four interviews with Motown performers including Martha Reeves, Claudette Robinson, Otis Williams, and Duke Fakir. For collectors, the DVD set also comes with a full color booklet, exploring the production, and the legacy of Motown.