Finally! The "lost" Aretha gospel concert film

[Muskrat]

Should be worth the wait.

The legal wrangling created the appearance of enmity between camps, and the late singer was not always an easy read when it came to business matters. But in the midst of the imbroglio, Franklin told the Detroit Free Press that she “loved” the movie, a DVD edit of which Elliott had sent her years ago. The quality of the film itself was never at issue, as it straightforwardly documented what many Franklin buffs consider to be her greatest performance, a two-night stand of pure gospel music recorded with an ace band of Atlantic Records musicians and the Rev. James Cleveland’s choir at a South-Central L.A. church in January 1972 — as released in audio form later that year on what is still the bestselling gospel album of all time.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

OH HELL YES

[Muskrat]

Funny how things start happening when the estate takes over business matters.

[Charlie O.]

Yeah, I'll see that.

[GoogaMooga]

I am enjoying the hell out of the new Atlantic mono singles collection.

[sloopjohnc]

I am enjoying the hell out of the new Atlantic mono singles collection.

Me too.

[Muskrat]

Rolling Stone review

The evidence of Franklin’s physically overwhelming singing, apparently dangerous when encountered at close range, continues to mount. The gospel great Clara Ward throws her head into her hands, stunned by the force of Franklin’s improvisations just a few feet away. [Rev. James] Cleveland expresses his appreciation by throwing his handkerchief playfully at the singer; he misses Franklin and dings the camera lens instead. At another moment, the camera zooms to the back left corner of the church, where Mick Jagger can be spotted bopping along with the choir and clapping vigorously.

[Charlie O.]

I thought I saw Jagger in the trailer, but then I looked again and decided it wasn't him. Should have worn his Omega cape.

[Muskrat]

I thought I saw Jagger in the trailer, but then I looked again and decided it wasn't him. Should have worn his Omega cape.

Wait -- there's a trailer?

[Neige]

Wow!!

[BARON CORNY DOG]

This is in theaters now. It won’t last long. Go now.

I can’t over emphasize how stoked I am for this.

[Muskrat]

Here's the, how can I put it?, official trailer:

[BARON CORNY DOG]

I saw it last night and plan to go again soon in the week. It's easily one of the best music films I've ever seen. It is Aretha Franklin at the peak of her powers in a nearly ideal situation, and it is almost purely focused on the performance. No silly talking heads, commentary, or contrived narrative arc. Just music. There's also the time capsule element and the lovely texture of the early seventies on film (though I'm sure it is a digital projection). My only complaints are some curious edits. I mainly listen to this as the "unabridged" double cd version, so there were some real clunker edits, particularly on "Mary Don't You Weep," where they cut out the best bit of the performance. It could've been 25 minutes longer, but these are minor quarrels.

Despite the lip service we give Aretha Franklin as "Queen of Soul" and all that, I think we really undervalue her actual gifts. If the whole religion trip creeps you out, just think of her as a Coltrane or Duane Allman figure, blowing it out with her voice instead of a saxophone or guitar. Phenomenal.

[Six String]

I'm going to go sometime this weekend. Looking forward to it.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Here’s a more ... academic take.

http://bostonreview.net/literature-cult ... zing-grace

[Minnie the Minx]

Saw it tonight!
Fuck, what a voice.

[Minnie the Minx]

Here’s a more ... academic take.

http://bostonreview.net/literature-cult ... zing-grace

Ed Pavlic : not to be invited to parties

[Muskrat]

Here’s a more ... academic take.

http://bostonreview.net/literature-cult ... zing-grace

Ed Pavlic : not to be invited to parties

I’m sure he’s too busy at faculty mixers, anyway. Or reading his thesaurus.

Ed Pavlić is author of eleven published or forthcoming books. His most recent work includes Live at the Bitter End (Saturnalia Books 2018), Who Can Afford to Improvise?: James Baldwin and Black Music, the Lyric and the Listener (Fordham UP 2016), Let’s Let That Are Not Yet: Inferno (Fence Books 2015) and Visiting Hours at the Color Line (Milkweed Editions 2013). He is Distinguished Research Professor in the English Department and in the Institute for African American Studies at the University of Georgia.

[modharper]

I saw this last month during SXSW. It was a transcendent experience.

I'd been having a pretty bad week, was feeling ill and very low, had barely left my AirBNB all week, and as I began to emerge from under the black cloud that Saturday morning, I felt like a little visit to the cinema - where I can sit in the dark for a couple of hours and not have to talk to anyone - would be quite the tonic.

And it was. I was moved to tears. I felt spiritually cleansed. It elated me. I realised at one point I'd sunken so deep in my chair that I was almost horizontal; it was almost like a baptism.

Afterwards, I actually needed an hour to compose myself until I felt ready again to communicate with another person.

As the Baron said, it's simply a fly on the wall document of the two church performances, with no other narrative or plot or contributions from elsewhere other than the short paragraph of context at the very beginning. In that, I feel like I was in the perfect time, place and mindset to see this film. I don't doubt that it wouldn't be as effective if watching alone at home, or consuming on the phone while on the go, but to spend one afternoon captivated in a theater surrounded by likeminded soul and gospel fans that were surely feeling the same joy as I was, it was pretty special.

Oh, and it definitely IS Mick Jagger that you saw; he and Charlie Watts are soaking up the atmosphere at the back of the hall in footage from the second night.

Exquisite.

[Minnie the Minx]

I saw this last month during SXSW. It was a transcendent experience.

I'd been having a pretty bad week, was feeling ill and very low, had barely left my AirBNB all week, and as I began to emerge from under the black cloud that Saturday morning, I felt like a little visit to the cinema - where I can sit in the dark for a couple of hours and not have to talk to anyone - would be quite the tonic.

And it was. I was moved to tears. I felt spiritually cleansed. It elated me. I realised at one point I'd sunken so deep in my chair that I was almost horizontal; it was almost like a baptism.

Afterwards, I actually needed an hour to compose myself until I felt ready again to communicate with another person.

As the Baron said, it's simply a fly on the wall document of the two church performances, with no other narrative or plot or contributions from elsewhere other than the short paragraph of context at the very beginning. In that, I feel like I was in the perfect time, place and mindset to see this film. I don't doubt that it wouldn't be as effective if watching alone at home, or consuming on the phone while on the go, but to spend one afternoon captivated in a theater surrounded by likeminded soul and gospel fans that were surely feeling the same joy as I was, it was pretty special.

Oh, and it definitely IS Mick Jagger that you saw; he and Charlie Watts are soaking up the atmosphere at the back of the hall in footage from the second night.

Exquisite.

Lovely write up, modharper!