Amazing Grace at the Berlinale : In the Church with Aretha Franklin News

Among all the songs that tell of God's grace and the power of faith, "Amazing Grace" probably the most famous. The earth will dissolve at some point, like snow, the sun Shine stop, but who follows the way of the Lord, to waiting for an Afterlife full of joy and peace. So the promise is. Although "Amazing Grace" in the 18th century. Century was written by the former captain of a slave ship, it rose to the black gospel hymn. As in Charleston, nine Afro-Americans had been shot, sang for President Barack Obama to the Song at the funeral.

"Amazing Grace" is the name of the Film, out of competition with a brilliant final point of the competition. He shows how Aretha Franklin on two evenings in January 1972, in the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church of Los Angeles in their eponymous double album, the top-selling gospel record in history. With the Film, for the committed star Director, Sydney Pollack, wanted to build on the Warner - Brothers-Studio on the commercial success of "Woodstock".

However, there were significant technical problems. Sound and image were recorded in different speeds, even with the help of lip readers, no synchronization was possible in post-production. The project was written down to $ 25, 000 loss. That the Film now, one year was completed after the death of the singer, and ten years after the death of the Director, but the producer, Alan Elliott, is a godsend. He documented a magical Moment in pop history.

Every Song is a sermon short, to the prayer

Aretha Franklin with 29 years in the Zenith of her career, had released 20 albums, five Grammy awards won, their Hits were "Respect" or "Think". She was a Queen, as "Lady Soul" and "First Lady of Music" is revered. However, Reverend James Cleveland, would at the same time high, piano accompanist and master of ceremonies of the Show, called "my sister". Soul was the Devout as sinful, because it was based on the spirit of the Spirituals, but it is a praise of earthly love had made.

Franklin, back in the Church, looks stunning. On the first evening, she wears a sparkling rhinestone-studded white gown, pearls dangle on the ears, on the second night, she shows up in a green peacock eye pattern. The singer is an angel who descended from heaven to announce the glad tidings. She sings "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" assures "God Will Take Care of You", conjures up with "Wholy Holy", composed by Marvin Gaye, the value of the community. In times of the civil rights movement is also a political Statement.

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prayer, Every Song is a sermon short, to the shock. Aretha whispers and sighs, closes his eyes, adorned her vocal lines with coloratura. She is accompanied by her Band and the Southern California Community Choir, whose members are ecstatic, as well with Afrofisuren and silver West. Behind them is a massive painting, which shows Jesus as a Fisher of men in the sea of Galilee. Even if the singer often stands behind the pulpit, she denied the Orthodoxy. "Precious Lord, Take my Hand" and "You've Got a Friend", linked to each other to sound more secular than sacred.

Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts are in the audience

in the meantime, the Film jumps briefly back to the samples, once there is a breakdown, as a microphone with water damage fails. The second evening will be for tribute, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts are in the audience. As a guest of honor, Clara acts Ward, an American veteran with a high-getürmter hairstyle. Also got the singer's father, C. L. Franklin, was sold as a preacher of millions of records. He tells how he southern States in the eleven-year-old singing wonder from Detroit took on his tours.

"you left the Church, never," he says, and pats her on the next song the sweat from his forehead. It is talking about Aretha, but Aretha is silent. Amazing Grace“ she sings completely decelerated, syllable to syllable utter humility. "I once what blind, but now I see." It is the song of a conversion. Who "has seen Amazing Grace" belongs henceforth to Aretha Franklin's disciples. Amen.

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