Amazing Grace, the documentary film by the late Sydney Pollack on the making of Aretha Franklin’s live gospel album of the same name, has been sitting unseen for 39 years. If the Queen of Soul has her way, the Warner Bros film will sit a little longer. Franklin’s attorney Alan Reed intends to seek an injunction preventing the film’s release, reports TMZ. Her camp says that the film’s producer Alan Elliott wants to release it this year and claims the soul diva’s permission is required before the film can be rolled out. The double album, recorded at L.A.’s New Temple Missionary Baptist Church, is Franklin’s biggest selling album and the top selling gospel album of all time. Elliott is an accomplished film and TV composer and music exec, and stepbrother of producer-manager Benny Medina. No reply yet on a call to Warner Bros to clear up the rights issue.


Benny… what should Alan do?
please no jokes about Miss Franklin eating the film stock.
Why wouldn’t she want this shown…
There’s a scene where scene where she shares a joint with a young immigrant bodybuilder from Austria.
AccomPlished composer? Where?
Youuu sure doooo sound like ahhhh…
pub-lici-ty stu-unt!
I’ve seen a rough cut and it is one of the amazing music documentaries I’ve ever seen. Aretha is at the height of her powers. I’m not sure why she’d just its release since it is a celebration of her music, her legacy as a child of gospel music, and the black church. It can only help her and the culture. I hope someone in her camp understands how important a film this is.
Typical selfish move from a sistagirl diva.
I believe this is one of the few albums ever made that will find a new audience with each new generation-it’s just that powerful. Very best gospel album I have ever heard. I certainly hope this can be resolved soon.
I would think that the possible reason why she doesn’t want this show to be seen is because of vanity.
As someone earlier pointed out, in 1972 Aretha was at the top of her game, especially when it comes to facial beauty and body size.
Now we have the older, much heavier Aretha Franklin of today, and the contrast is just too dissimilar.
The way I see it, Aretha is a truly amazing woman who has earned the right to look any damn way she chooses after surviving this long in the music business, and I can’t blame her for not wanting to be constantly compared to the “old” youthful Aretha Franklin again and again and found wanting.
Show the movie after she has passed away if those are her wishes.
I was thinking, vanity also. And when you consider she wanted Halle Barry to to play her in a proposed film, well…