Aretha Frankin's AMAZING GRACE (THE FILM) finally gets a premiere

There will be two screenings. Gets tickets here:
AMAZING GRACE

 

Besides the DOCNYC premiere, there will indeed be a theatrical run at Film Forum from Dec. 7-14.

 

Well, that was quick!

 

More on how it happened:
Aretha Franklin Gospel Film Finally Has a Release Date, 46 Years After It Was Made

 

Finally! I don’t think there is going to be a theatrical run in my country though, I’ll have to wait

 

From rolling stone dot com: ‘Amazing Grace’: Watch Long-Awaited Aretha Franklin Concert Film Trailer.

 

I spy Mick Jagger.

This film looks to be wonderful.

 

What a wonderful story. Thanks to Owens for knowing it was finally the right thing to do as well as the right time to do it. I totally get Aretha's desire to not want the release to happen. And a grateful thanks to Elliott for the vision to know this was a wealth of musical history even though technology of the day could not help bring it to fruition. These reels could have easily gotten damaged, lost or tossed over the decades.

 

If she didn’t want it released they really shouldn’t have

 

They didn't. If you read the Times article above, they imply Aretha was simply too close to the end of her life to be comfortable with such a "eulogy." She LOVED the performance.

 

Very positive review:

5 Takeaways from Amazing Grace, the Long-Lost Aretha Franklin Concert Film | Pitchfork

 

And another glowing review:

Aretha Franklin Touches The Infinite In The Long-Delayed Film 'Amazing Grace'

 

This is great news.

Hopefully a general realease in 2019 followed by dvd/blu ray.

Can't wait to see it.

 

They tried several times over the years to have it released and Aretha shared her dissatisfaction with the film in her 1998 auto-biography 'From These Roots'. So in all fairness she had been against putting out the film for years before her illness. This film was shot in January of 1972, if Aretha wanted it released, it would have been released years ago, not 3 months after she's dead.

Regardless I'm happy it's seeing the light of day.

 

The footage was not assembled into a releasable film until around 2010

 

This is true, but still she shut down it's release 2 times anf I don't think she would have magically changed her tune this year.

 

What was eating Aretha about the Amazing Grace movie? I have my answer:

Inside the 46-Year Journey to Bring Aretha Franklin’s ‘Amazing Grace’ Doc to Life – Rolling Stone

 

Money -- that's what she wants! Seriously though, I have read that Aretha wanted exorbitant amounts of money for the rights to the mid-to-late-70's Atlantic albums, which is why they've never seen the light of day in the digital age. It doesn't surprise me that money was one of the issues for the (possible) release of the film as well. Kudos to the guys who spent time syncing the film with the soundtrack -- that must have been a daunting task.

 

This is one of the holy grails on my wish list, really hope this gets a Blu-Ray release soon.

 

If you get it, you're way ahead of those of us who have been reporting on this story for years, and her own family, and definitely her own lawyers, who could never figure out why she would agree to a deal and then not sign the paperwork. Her motivations were not clear even to those around her, beyond the fact that she was eccentric.

 

She had agreed in principle to a deal more than once prior to her passing.

 

Having read David Ritz's book, Aretha had a tendency to agree to things & then at the last minute double the price & this film wasn't an awful lot different. I've also read that she didn't like the connotations of her rendition of 'Never Grow Old' & was also unhappy with cameramen looking up the choir's skirts.

One thing is for sure, Aretha could be stubborn & awkward at times. Not that I would hold it against her, I think that level of genius can often be tinged with a bit of madness too.

I can't wait to see the film anyway, I'll happily go to the cinema & buy the blu ray, the album is otherworldly.

 

The Ritz book is excellent. I'd recommend folks specifically read his Amazing Grace chapter before and/or after seeing the film. And yes, she was stubborn, awkward and quite dotty. It wasn't surprising that she nixed the movie, probably as a natural, self-destructive reflex rather than as a well thought-out move.

 

Yes, glad this is finally seeing the light of day. She's just smoldering in those two examples, I have to wonder if Amazing Grace will just be a wild demonstration of her awesome power.

 

Any word on this getting a general release (around the World) or DVD/blu ray?

It's gone pretty quiet & I don't see much online.