A documentary presenting Aretha Franklin with choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles in January 1972.
I just knew this documentary was not only going to be good, but it would deeply touch everyone in the room, and it did. This is not a film about the life of Aretha Franklin. It does not tell a story of her childhood and how she began singing. You will not get a glimpse of her piano lessons or private childhood home videos, none of that is going to happen. This documentary will give you a moment, an experience of behind-the-scenes footage of Aretha performing live for an album at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1972. You feel like you are at a private concert but it’s just for you and your extended family members. This is one of those films where you completely forget where you are because you are lost in her voice which is powerful, emotional, and magnetic. Reverend James Cleveland guides us along with the choir, they are spiritual, uplifting and the church members are asked to participate. You feel the spirit of each and every person in the room.
Each song was sung with such heart and soul and you could see the church members crying, getting up to dance, and what Baptists would call “catching the holy ghost.” Her father, Minister Clarence Franklin, comes on stage to say a few words about Aretha, which were honest and heartwarming. He speaks about her youth singing in the church and mentions her most influential singers which included Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward who was in the front row and moved to tears by her performance.
You will see surprise footage of many greats like Alexander Hamilton, Mick Jagger, Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, and others. I absolutely loved this film, I felt like I got to witness a special moment in time, and for the first time ever in my life, I stayed to the end of the credits, hoping they would show more or allow me to see just a glimpse of her childhood or some home videos of a voice lesson, just anything. And it wasn’t just me. I looked around and not one person moved. We were all just paralyzed as the words appeared on the screen but you could still hear her singing. You will be blown away.
In theaters April 5th
