Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace

GRADE: C+

THIS FILM IS MILDLY RECOMMENDED.

IN BRIEF: A wonderful musical performance lost in a woefully patched-together film.

JIM'S REVIEW: In 1972, director Sydney Pollack recorded a young, gifted, and black Aretha Franklin in an intimate concert. The Queen of Soul decided to become The Queen of Gospel for her next album. Recorded over two nights at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles before a live audience, the director filmed over 20 hours for his concert film (which never saw the light due to technical issues with the film's synchronization.) However, the results from the concert performances weren't lost, as the audio tapes soon became the most successful gospel album of all time, Amazing Grace.

Today, that film footage is not lost either in the latest documentary given the same moniker. Filmmaker Alan Elliott took the archival footage and reworked the film stock by the late Mr. Pollack to allow today's moviegoing audience to experience this musical event. The result is decidedly mixed, vocally strong and inspiring, but visually lacking in quality and emotion. Technically the film has a grainy unprofessional quality and the editing by Jeff Buchanan quite pedestrian, although I imagine it must have been a arduous task. The subject is always compelling, it's the execution that is underwhelming. (The Franklin family tried unsuccessfully to prevent the film's distribution, but it remains a fascinating glimpse into this mega-star, despite the rough cut look of the documentary.)

Nevertheless, there she is. Miss Aretha in her glory, serving it up to her Lord, herself now resurrected on the big screen. The euphoria of that evening is contagious with Rev. James Cleveland as the gregarious emcee and host, Alexander Hamilton as the energetic choir master, and the Southern California Community Choir as Franklin's harmonious back-up group reacting in complete abandon. (Mike Jagger, as an audience member, certainly enjoyed himself as well.)

While the documentary is a lasting chronicle of one of the most talented musical icons, the concert itself offers little insight or depth about this legendary performer's life and persona. Ms. Franklin says very little throughout the proceedings and shares none of her inner thoughts or opinions with her audience. She sings on rote, a musical powerhouse taking centerstage, yet her personality is lost to her musical selections. The voice remains a phenomenal instrument, but the performance is stunted due to her inability to communicate between numbers. She performs nearly a dozen inspirational songs, which, grew a tad monotonous for this reviewer. Her substantial talent almost made this agnostic into a believer, but not quite.

For die-hard Aretha fans, this film is a must-see. (That's you, Wolfgang!) Others may be slightly bored by the actual concert, although the audience reaction during the performance is highly entertaining and Ms. Franklin vocal demands are met. Still, one also wishes the filmmakers dealt more directly with the concert and its aftermath. Perhaps interviews with members of that 1972 audience and their personal memories could have added more exposition to the event.

Amazing Grace gives Aretha much R-E-S-P-E-C-T in celebrating her musical talents. The documentary certainly captures the rhythm, but it misses the mark in delving into her soul.

I've been waiting all my life to see this movie; I'd read inside the album jacket that it was filmed for Warner Bros., but could never find out where it was! Seeing the movements matching everything I digested on this record was like a dream. For me, the entire concert could've just been Aretha, James Cleveland, and organist Ken Lupper, and it still would've been great. I suppose I can understand why Aretha wanted her band to be present, but it seemed mismatched in this setting.

I saw this film at its world premiere in NY at the NYDoc Fest. The Rev Al Sharpton gave the invocation. And the Great Rev. James Barber further illuminated all of us about the meaning of Arentha's worrying a note. In between was one of the most remarkable, moving, inspiring evenings I have ever spent in any kind of theater ever. Of course, I'm a fan, I do work in the industry, but I'm first a fan of young Aretha's. There was nothing but grace on the screen and the loving community of church. One is blessed to see this film. Period. I just want to add - I would love to know who the absolute genius was that thought of sending Sidney to film this live recording. He or she should receive an Oscar all his or her own.

The thing that marks out this spectacularly honest documentary is Aretha Franklin's melancholia.

It's as if she's been transported there by another being. Her God? She is so in the moment. So devoid of ego, unlike her entourage, as to make it a truly 'religious' experience, not just for her but for the viewer too.

The melancholia manifests itself as a lost look. Separated from the action, the film making onluy there for one reason. To sing.

And there is zero theatrics. Zero showmanship. Zero BS.

Just an honest to goodness outpouring of singing as best as she can muster and her best will just have to be good enough. Cos that's all she's got.I've never seen a music documentary so compellingly believable about the motivations of its maker, that motivation appears to be the love of her God and her fellow humankind.

It's quite remarkable.

To watch this movie is to journey between joy and pain. The joy of being able to hear her voice and see her perform as if it was happening right now. To feel the energy. And then the pain of reality...that she is gone and can not be replaced. I hope that this is just one of many to be made about her life and that future productions include a little more of her off-stage life with some minimal narration and analysis. Still, this rendition is deeply moving and I've been listening to her music ever since watching.