Amazing Grace

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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“We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It’s our basic human right,” said the beloved soul singer Aretha Franklin.

Of course, her most popular anthem was the hit single, “Respect.”

Yes, we’ve all lip synced it along with Aretha: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me …”

Last year Aretha Franklin died at the age of 76. Honored as The Queen of Soul, she was one of the bestselling female artists in history, with 75 million records sold worldwide during her career. She left behind over 20 chart-topping R&B hits, some 50 Top 40 hits, and 18 Grammy awards.

Known for her amazing voice and vocal talents, Aretha Franklin will be remembered for defining the golden age of soul music of the 1960s.

Directors Sydney Pollack and Alan Elliott wanted to help you remember Aretha. Their new documentary – called “Amazing Grace” — is a warm, music-imbued tribute.

While some films claim “years in the making,” Pollack shot this documentary over two nights in 1972 at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles while Aretha Franklin recorded her live album “Amazing Grace.”

This film – currently showing at Tropic Cinema – takes the same name as the album.

Because Pollack did not use a clapperboard to synchronize picture and sound, making, it difficult to edit, the film ended up in the studio vaults for over 38 years.

Before Pollack’s death in 2008, he turned the footage over to Alan Elliott, who spent two years completing the film.

However, the release of “Amazing Grace” was twice delayed when Aretha Franklin sued, claiming the film used her likeness without permission. When Franklin’s original contract for the film was later discovered at Warner Bros. the injunctions had less teeth.

The film finally premiered at Doc NYC three months after Franklin’s death –and 46 years after the original filming by Pollack. This month “Amazing Grace” is finally receiving a worldwide release.

It has already won the 2019 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary.

With an approval rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is described as “brilliantly capturing a remarkable performer near the peak of her prodigious power.” It adds, “‘Amazing Grace’ is a thrilling must-watch documentary for Aretha Franklin fans.”

Despite her original objections to the film (“one’s right to own their own self-image”), “Amazing Grace” certainly fulfils one of Aretha Franklin’s life goals: “It really is an honor if I can be inspirational to a younger singer or person,” she said. “It means I’ve done my job.”

And a job well done, it is. “Amazing Grace” will show you.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com