Amazing Grace Review: The Gospel According to Aretha Franklin

Its the closest thing to witnessing a miracle just some cameras, a crowd and a voice touched by God. Over two days in January of 1972, Aretha Franklin got up to sing out her gospel at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts, backed by the Southern California Community Choir. A film crew was there to catch the Queen of Soul blow the roof off the place. Not to get closer to the Lord surely He was already listening but to testify to his glory with the black church music that helped form her and fired her faith. The live recording of the concert became Franklins biggest bestseller. Eight months after Franklins passing at the age of 76, it still is.

Inside Aretha Franklins Amazing Life

So why in the name of all thats holy did it take so long to get the film of that concert into theaters? Its a long story, mostly involving daunting technical problems. Director Sydney Pollack, more than a decade before hed win the Oscar for Out of Africa, failed to properly synchronize image and sound, rendering the film unreleasable. And then, after another four decades, another miracle happened. Digital experts stepped in under the guidance of producer Alan Elliott, and worked out the kinks. So heres Franklin decked out in a caftan, pounding her piano and making a joyful noise to the heavens with image and sound in perfect harmony. Its an unforgettable experience watching her up there, shaking the rafters with What a Friend We Have in Jesus and Marvin Gayes Wholy Holy and finding the ecstatic beauty and forgiveness in the title song. Word has it that good things are worth waiting for. This shining light of a film proves it.

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You should know that Amazing Grace lacks any semblance of visual pow. Theres no special effects, no showing off. The cameras barely move. They dont need to. The Queen is present, singing her heart out. Revolving around this supernova is Rev. James Cleveland, openly weeping while choir director Alexander Hamilton waves his hands in air to match the singers energy. Theres the Rev. C.L. Franklin, Arethas father, wiping the sweat off his daughters brow. Drummer Bernard Purdie, guitarist Cornell Dupree and bassist Chuck Rainey are all in thrall, as is the choir itself as its members help Franklin lift her message to the heavens with How I Got Over and The Old Landmark. Theres a glimpse of the young Mick Jagger cheering his ass off in the back row. Even Pollacks team of camera operators look awestruck as they stalk the stage to record a once-in-a-lifetime event for posterity. The result is a concert film to rank with the best, including Martin Scorseses The Last Waltz and Jonathan Demmes Stop Making Sense.

But even those masterpieces didnt have the Queen of Soul. And here she is, barely saying a word to the congregation, knowing instinctively that her singing is all that matters when the time comes to worship and to preach. That truly is amazing grace. How sweet the sound.