Editor’s note: Tom Luddy, co-founder of the Telluride Film Festival, died last week at age 79. Here, filmmaker Alan Elliott, who directed the Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace, remembers his kind spirit and moral compass. He also pays tribute to one of Luddy’s signature projects: a collaboration with Agnès Varda on an influential 1968 film about the Black Panthers.
Tom Luddy, the benevolent wizard/curator of the Telluride Film Festival, who, in the post-’60s glow of generational change in the film world, created safe space to get high (at altitude) for his people: film lovers.
Tom was non-denominational about “film lovers.” As eager to talk film with a total stranger in line at one of the smaller theaters at the festival as he was with Werner Herzog or Martin Scorsese, the socialistic mores of Telluride were a reflection of Tom. Pre-Covid, at a completely packed Saturday night screening at the Werner Herzog theater,...
Tom Luddy, the benevolent wizard/curator of the Telluride Film Festival, who, in the post-’60s glow of generational change in the film world, created safe space to get high (at altitude) for his people: film lovers.
Tom was non-denominational about “film lovers.” As eager to talk film with a total stranger in line at one of the smaller theaters at the festival as he was with Werner Herzog or Martin Scorsese, the socialistic mores of Telluride were a reflection of Tom. Pre-Covid, at a completely packed Saturday night screening at the Werner Herzog theater,...
- 2/20/2023
- by Alan Elliott
- Deadline Film + TV
Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace, which tells the story of the singer’s 1972 gospel album, is subject of more legal issues.
The film, which was mired in limbo for 46 years as a result of various legal battles, is now the subject of a suit from producers including Alan Elliott, against distributor Neon and CEO Tom Quinn.
The crux of the issue also involves the Hollywood trade press, including Deadline, which covered the news that Neon had acquired the U.S rights to the film in December 2018. There was one small problem, the producers allege, it hadn’t signed a deal, and in fact, the producers were in talks with other buyers, including Apple, when Neon announced the deal.
The suit (read it here) alleges that Neon “fraudulently induced” the producers to accept a distribution deal by publicly announcing the pact.
“In a plan commandeered by Quinn, Neon acquired the coveted...
The film, which was mired in limbo for 46 years as a result of various legal battles, is now the subject of a suit from producers including Alan Elliott, against distributor Neon and CEO Tom Quinn.
The crux of the issue also involves the Hollywood trade press, including Deadline, which covered the news that Neon had acquired the U.S rights to the film in December 2018. There was one small problem, the producers allege, it hadn’t signed a deal, and in fact, the producers were in talks with other buyers, including Apple, when Neon announced the deal.
The suit (read it here) alleges that Neon “fraudulently induced” the producers to accept a distribution deal by publicly announcing the pact.
“In a plan commandeered by Quinn, Neon acquired the coveted...
- 8/11/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Rae Allen, the Tony-winning stage and screen veteran known for her role as nosy reporter Gloria Thorpe in “Damn Yankees” and as Quintina Blundetto on “The Sopranos,” died Wednesday, her rep Kyle Fritz confirmed to Variety. She was 95.
Born in Brooklyn as Rae Julia Theresa Abruzzo, Allen began her career on the stage after graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1947. Her first Broadway credit was in 1948, as an ensemble member in the George Abbott directed and written “Where’s Charley?” Over the next few years, Rae would continue to appear in Abbott’s various musicals, including “Call Me Madam” in 1950 and “The Pajama Game” in 1954, where she played the small role of Poopsie, a union activist at the factory the show is set in.
A year later, Rae reunited with Abbott and the composers and lyricists of “The Pajama Game,” Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, for “Damn Yankees.
Born in Brooklyn as Rae Julia Theresa Abruzzo, Allen began her career on the stage after graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1947. Her first Broadway credit was in 1948, as an ensemble member in the George Abbott directed and written “Where’s Charley?” Over the next few years, Rae would continue to appear in Abbott’s various musicals, including “Call Me Madam” in 1950 and “The Pajama Game” in 1954, where she played the small role of Poopsie, a union activist at the factory the show is set in.
A year later, Rae reunited with Abbott and the composers and lyricists of “The Pajama Game,” Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, for “Damn Yankees.
- 4/7/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
A musical that charms even audiences that don’t like musicals, this adaptation of a big 1955 Broadway hit is noted for capturing much of the original’s power and brilliance — more legendary stage performances should be filmed like this, immortalizing theater history that otherwise disappears into the ether. Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown and star replacement Tab Hunter shine, yet ‘unknown’ Broadway talent Shannon Bolin and Robert Shafer earn just as much applause. The Verdon-Bob Fosse creative hookup is at its strongest here, complete with a show-stopper of a dance duo. Come to think of it, almost every song in this thing stops the show, like one of Joe Hardy’s home runs: Wow!
Damn Yankees
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date March 16, 2021 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown, Shannon Bolin, Nathaniel Frey, James Komack, Rae Allen,...
Damn Yankees
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date March 16, 2021 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown, Shannon Bolin, Nathaniel Frey, James Komack, Rae Allen,...
- 3/9/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Eric Weissberg, half of the duo that recorded “Dueling Banjos” for the film “Deliverance” in 1973, resulting in an unlikely smash hit single and album, has died at 80. Family members and friends said Weissberg had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for years.
Weissberg was a fixture on the New York folk scene before being enlisted to bring his banjo cover the traditional but largely unfamiliar instrumental with Steve Mandell for John Boorman’s adventure-thriller in 1972. When it was released as a single, it rose to No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart and stayed there for four weeks in 1973, blocked from the top spot only by Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” An album of Weissberg’s roots music that was rush-released as a soundtrack to “Deliverance” ran into no such hindrance — it topped the album sales chart for three weeks.
In a 2011 conversation with Chris Willman for the Los Angeles Times,...
Weissberg was a fixture on the New York folk scene before being enlisted to bring his banjo cover the traditional but largely unfamiliar instrumental with Steve Mandell for John Boorman’s adventure-thriller in 1972. When it was released as a single, it rose to No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart and stayed there for four weeks in 1973, blocked from the top spot only by Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” An album of Weissberg’s roots music that was rush-released as a soundtrack to “Deliverance” ran into no such hindrance — it topped the album sales chart for three weeks.
In a 2011 conversation with Chris Willman for the Los Angeles Times,...
- 3/24/2020
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Bluegrass musician Eric Weissberg, whose cover of the Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith instrumental “Dueling Banjos” became an unlikely pop hit when it appeared on the soundtrack to the 1972 film Deliverance, died Sunday at the age of 80 after a five-year struggle with dementia. His son, Will Weissberg, confirmed the musician’s death to Rolling Stone.
“Eric Weissberg was a consummate musician, a solid and seemingly effortless player of stringed instruments of all kinds — banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, pedal steel, and string bass,” his lifelong friend and frequent collaborator Happy Traum wrote on Facebook.
“Eric Weissberg was a consummate musician, a solid and seemingly effortless player of stringed instruments of all kinds — banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, pedal steel, and string bass,” his lifelong friend and frequent collaborator Happy Traum wrote on Facebook.
- 3/23/2020
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
The Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace,” the moon-mission chronicle “Apollo 11” and the first film from Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “American Factory,” have made the short list for the International Documentary Association’s 2019 Ida Documentary Awards, the Ida announced on Thursday.
The announcement narrows the field to 30 feature films and 21 shorts that will move on to a second round of voting.
The IDA’s short list of 30 feature films contains 10 films that were on Doc NYC’s recent 15-film list of the year’s likeliest nonfiction awards contenders: “American Factory,” “The Apollo,” “Apollo 11,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “The Cave,” “Diego Maradona,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “For Sama,” “Honeyland” and “One Child Nation.”
Additional films on the Ida’s list include “Amazing Grace,...
The announcement narrows the field to 30 feature films and 21 shorts that will move on to a second round of voting.
The IDA’s short list of 30 feature films contains 10 films that were on Doc NYC’s recent 15-film list of the year’s likeliest nonfiction awards contenders: “American Factory,” “The Apollo,” “Apollo 11,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “The Cave,” “Diego Maradona,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “For Sama,” “Honeyland” and “One Child Nation.”
Additional films on the Ida’s list include “Amazing Grace,...
- 10/10/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Joyous Aretha Franklin music doc Amazing Grace has sold around the world for Endeavor Content.
The stirring Doc NYC and Berlin Film Festival title charts the Queen of Soul’s brilliant 1972 performance at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles. Neon released the film in U.S.
Deals have closed with Metropolitan in France, Weltkino in Germany, You Planet and Caramel Films for Spain, NonStop Entertainment in Scandinavia, Iceland and Baltic States, Paradiso in Benelux, Alambique in Portugal, Seven Films in Greece, and Salim Ramia in the Middle East.
The film has also landed with Edko in Hong Kong, Shaw in Singapore, Jinjin in South Korea, Movie Cloud in Taiwan, Spi International in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Czech, and Captive for airlines.
Neon released stateside on April 5 and StudioCanal released in the UK on May 10 and will launch Australia/Nz later this year.
The stirring Doc NYC and Berlin Film Festival title charts the Queen of Soul’s brilliant 1972 performance at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles. Neon released the film in U.S.
Deals have closed with Metropolitan in France, Weltkino in Germany, You Planet and Caramel Films for Spain, NonStop Entertainment in Scandinavia, Iceland and Baltic States, Paradiso in Benelux, Alambique in Portugal, Seven Films in Greece, and Salim Ramia in the Middle East.
The film has also landed with Edko in Hong Kong, Shaw in Singapore, Jinjin in South Korea, Movie Cloud in Taiwan, Spi International in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Czech, and Captive for airlines.
Neon released stateside on April 5 and StudioCanal released in the UK on May 10 and will launch Australia/Nz later this year.
- 5/17/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
A new trailer for Amazing Grace, the long lost Aretha Franklin concert documentary set for an April 5 release by Neon, showcases the late singer delivering a stunning performance of the title song.
Filmed by Sydney Pollack in 1972 at the then-29-year-old Franklin’s concert in the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, the film was mired in legal technicalities for decades before getting screenings last year at Doc NYC and AFI Fest for Oscar-qualifying runs. Neon has now set the April 5 theatrical release in select theaters prior to expansion.
Neon acquired the North American rights in December. The film was produced by Alan Elliott, Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
In a December, Spike Lee hosted a private screening of the film in Los Angeles, calling Amazing Grace “One of the greatest concerts ever put to film. As we know,...
Filmed by Sydney Pollack in 1972 at the then-29-year-old Franklin’s concert in the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, the film was mired in legal technicalities for decades before getting screenings last year at Doc NYC and AFI Fest for Oscar-qualifying runs. Neon has now set the April 5 theatrical release in select theaters prior to expansion.
Neon acquired the North American rights in December. The film was produced by Alan Elliott, Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
In a December, Spike Lee hosted a private screening of the film in Los Angeles, calling Amazing Grace “One of the greatest concerts ever put to film. As we know,...
- 3/6/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Neon previously acquired Us rights to long-gestating concert film.
Studiocanal has acquired Aretha Franklin concert documentary Amazing Grace for the UK, Australia and New Zealand ahead of its European premiere out of competition at the Berlinale on Friday (15).
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also licensed Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King. Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which took nearly five decades to make.
Amazing Grace depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland and The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
Warner Bros Records...
Studiocanal has acquired Aretha Franklin concert documentary Amazing Grace for the UK, Australia and New Zealand ahead of its European premiere out of competition at the Berlinale on Friday (15).
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also licensed Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King. Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which took nearly five decades to make.
Amazing Grace depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland and The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
Warner Bros Records...
- 2/12/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Studiocanal takes UK, Australia and New Zealand; Endeavor also inks Japan and Israel.
Ahead of the film’s European premiere at the Berlinale, Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace has been picked up by Studiocanal for the UK and Australia / New Zealand.
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also sold Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King.
Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which has taken 47 years to be completed.
It depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland & The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
Ahead of the film’s European premiere at the Berlinale, Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace has been picked up by Studiocanal for the UK and Australia / New Zealand.
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also sold Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King.
Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which has taken 47 years to be completed.
It depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland & The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
- 2/12/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
The Americana Music Association U.K. (Ama-uk), a self-described “little sister” of the Nashville-based Ama, recently held their annual conference in London, with last weekend’s U.K. Americana Awards ceremony the centerpiece.
At the gala, staged at Hackney Empire in East London, Mary Gauthier was named International Artist of the Year, while Brandi Carlile’s powerful “The Joke” took home the award for International Song of the Year. Courtney Marie Andrews’ May Your Kindness Remain was crowned International Album of the Year.
Winning U.K. artists — most of whom...
At the gala, staged at Hackney Empire in East London, Mary Gauthier was named International Artist of the Year, while Brandi Carlile’s powerful “The Joke” took home the award for International Song of the Year. Courtney Marie Andrews’ May Your Kindness Remain was crowned International Album of the Year.
Winning U.K. artists — most of whom...
- 2/5/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
Producer Alan Elliott has been nothing if not dogged in his pursuit of finishing and releasing Sydney Pollack’s 1972 documentary “Amazing Grace.” But until now he has not told the whole story about some of the wrangling that went on behind the scenes in order to get the movie made.
Back in 1972, a year after their massive hit “Woodstock,” Warner Bros. exec Ted Ashley set out to produce another music documentary with the help of Pink Floyd producer Joe Boyd, director of music services at Warner Bros. So Boyd set out to find someone to shoot the Aretha Franklin concert movie in Watts, which required someone who understood how to shoot multiple cameras with sync sound.
Boyd wanted to hire James Signorelli as his director of photography, who shot “Super Fly” and went on to shoot the first 35 years of commercials for “Saturday Night Live,” until Ashley talked up the...
Back in 1972, a year after their massive hit “Woodstock,” Warner Bros. exec Ted Ashley set out to produce another music documentary with the help of Pink Floyd producer Joe Boyd, director of music services at Warner Bros. So Boyd set out to find someone to shoot the Aretha Franklin concert movie in Watts, which required someone who understood how to shoot multiple cameras with sync sound.
Boyd wanted to hire James Signorelli as his director of photography, who shot “Super Fly” and went on to shoot the first 35 years of commercials for “Saturday Night Live,” until Ashley talked up the...
- 12/11/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Producer Alan Elliott has been nothing if not dogged in his pursuit of finishing and releasing Sydney Pollack’s 1972 documentary “Amazing Grace.” But until now he has not told the whole story about some of the wrangling that went on behind the scenes in order to get the movie made.
Back in 1972, a year after their massive hit “Woodstock,” Warner Bros. exec Ted Ashley set out to produce another music documentary with the help of Pink Floyd producer Joe Boyd, director of music services at Warner Bros. So Boyd set out to find someone to shoot the Aretha Franklin concert movie in Watts, which required someone who understood how to shoot multiple cameras with sync sound.
Boyd wanted to hire James Signorelli as his director of photography, who shot “Super Fly” and went on to shoot the first 35 years of commercials for “Saturday Night Live,” until Ashley talked up the...
Back in 1972, a year after their massive hit “Woodstock,” Warner Bros. exec Ted Ashley set out to produce another music documentary with the help of Pink Floyd producer Joe Boyd, director of music services at Warner Bros. So Boyd set out to find someone to shoot the Aretha Franklin concert movie in Watts, which required someone who understood how to shoot multiple cameras with sync sound.
Boyd wanted to hire James Signorelli as his director of photography, who shot “Super Fly” and went on to shoot the first 35 years of commercials for “Saturday Night Live,” until Ashley talked up the...
- 12/11/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Neon has acquired the North American rights to “Amazing Grace,” the Aretha Franklin documentary film that made its world premiere at Doc NYC and then screened at the AFI Film Festival in November, the distributor announced.
The company is planning a March 2019 theatrical release, and it has already opened in New York and Los Angeles for an Oscar-qualifying run.
Directed by the late Sydney Pollack and produced by Alan Elliott, the 1972 concert film presents Aretha Franklin with a choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts back when the legendary queen of soul was 29 years old and at the peak of her vocal powers.
The late soul singer previously brought legal action against the film in 2015, successfully blocking it from screening at several film festivals and arguing that the concert footage couldn...
The company is planning a March 2019 theatrical release, and it has already opened in New York and Los Angeles for an Oscar-qualifying run.
Directed by the late Sydney Pollack and produced by Alan Elliott, the 1972 concert film presents Aretha Franklin with a choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts back when the legendary queen of soul was 29 years old and at the peak of her vocal powers.
The late soul singer previously brought legal action against the film in 2015, successfully blocking it from screening at several film festivals and arguing that the concert footage couldn...
- 12/7/2018
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Late singer’s estate rep and niece says, ’This film is authentic and is my aunt to her core.’
After decades of delays and an eleventh-hour intervention by the late singer herself, Us viewers will finally get the chance to see the Aretha Franklin concert doc Amazing Grace in theatres. Neon announced on Friday (7) it had picked up North American rights and has set an Oscar-qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles
Amazing Grace premiered at Doc NYC and went on to play AFI Fest. Neon, who launched awards contender and box office hit Three Identical Strangers earlier in...
After decades of delays and an eleventh-hour intervention by the late singer herself, Us viewers will finally get the chance to see the Aretha Franklin concert doc Amazing Grace in theatres. Neon announced on Friday (7) it had picked up North American rights and has set an Oscar-qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles
Amazing Grace premiered at Doc NYC and went on to play AFI Fest. Neon, who launched awards contender and box office hit Three Identical Strangers earlier in...
- 12/7/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Neon has acquired the North American rights to the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace,” a month after the movie premiered at Doc NYC.
Neon said it’s planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, was originally planned by Warner Bros. Pictures as a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,...
Neon said it’s planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, was originally planned by Warner Bros. Pictures as a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,...
- 12/7/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Boutique Neon has picked up the North American rights to “Amazing Grace,” the long-delayed concert documentary that follows Aretha Franklin during a seminal 1972 show. The film had its world premiere at Doc NYC and also screened at AFI Fest. Neon will release the film theatrically in 2019, although it has already received an Oscar-qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles.
Per its official synopsis, the long-awaited documentary has now been “realized by Alan Elliott” and “presents Aretha Franklin with choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, when the legendary queen of soul was 29 years-old and at the peak of her vocal powers. Elliott produced alongside Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.” A young Sydney Pollack was hired to direct the project, though it remained unfinished for decades.
As IndieWire’s Anne Thompson wrote earlier this year, “Pollack captured...
Per its official synopsis, the long-awaited documentary has now been “realized by Alan Elliott” and “presents Aretha Franklin with choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, when the legendary queen of soul was 29 years-old and at the peak of her vocal powers. Elliott produced alongside Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.” A young Sydney Pollack was hired to direct the project, though it remained unfinished for decades.
As IndieWire’s Anne Thompson wrote earlier this year, “Pollack captured...
- 12/7/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Neon has acquired North American rights to Amazing Grace, the Aretha Franklin concert film that has taken 45 years to get to a big screen. The 1972 concert documentary, shot by Sydney Pollack, chronicles Franklin’s famed performance with the choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts when she was 29, which became the genesis of the biggest-selling gospel album of all time. It has been mired in legal technicalities ever since.
The pic finally had its world premiere at Doc NYC and then screened at AFI Fest as part of an Oscar-qualifying run that began last month in L.A. It continues that run beginning today in New York at the Film Forum. Neon is now planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
Alan Elliott produced alongside Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
“Amazing Grace is the heart and soul of Aretha Franklin,...
The pic finally had its world premiere at Doc NYC and then screened at AFI Fest as part of an Oscar-qualifying run that began last month in L.A. It continues that run beginning today in New York at the Film Forum. Neon is now planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
Alan Elliott produced alongside Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
“Amazing Grace is the heart and soul of Aretha Franklin,...
- 12/7/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
AFI Fest has added a screening of the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace” on Nov. 15 at the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres.
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, premiered Monday at the Doc NYC festival. Warner Bros. Pictures captured the footage for a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,...
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, premiered Monday at the Doc NYC festival. Warner Bros. Pictures captured the footage for a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,...
- 11/14/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
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