Whitney Houston Estate Gives ‘Authentic’ Doc The Go Ahead
A NEW documentary on the life of iconic singer Whitney Houston has been authorised by the late star’s estate.
The untitled film will offer the “unvarnished and authentic” story of Houston’s life, from her early days singing in her church’s gospel choir to her meteoric rise as a global pop star, a statement revealed.
The film will include interviews with the late singer’s friends, family and collaborators, including famed record executive Clive Davis, who helped launch the singer’s career, Rolling Stone magazine reported.
Viewers will be treated to never-before-seen footage of Houston, as well as demo recordings and rare performances from her archives.
“The story that is never told about Whitney is just how brilliant she was as an artist; by many measures, she had the greatest voice of the last 50 years,” said Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald who is set to helm the project.
He added: “She changed the way pop music was sung — bringing it back full circle to its blues and gospel roots. She was also completely unique in being a black pop star who sold in countries where black artists don’t traditionally sell.”
Macdonald has assured fans that the documentary would “shy away from the darker parts of Houston’s life, including her tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown and struggles with drug abuse.
Houston died in 2012 with an autopsy report naming accidental drowning as the cause of death, though cocaine use and a heart condition were listed as contributing factors.
Macdonald’s Houston documentary will be pitched to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival next month by Altitude Films.
The production company also handled the acclaimed 2015 Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy.
The Macdonald-directed project isn’t the only Houston documentary in the making.
Filmmaker Nick Broomfield – known for his controversial documentaries like Kurt and Courtney and Biggie and Tupac – is also creating a film about Houston for BBC Two that “goes in search of the forces that made and then destroyed the singer.”
A spokesperson for Houston’s family has clarified that the estate has “no involvement in this program whatsoever.”
Broomfield confirmed that the Houston estate has contacted interview subjects and asked that they not participate in the Showtime project
“It probably says more about them than about my production,” Broomfield said.
“Not only is it a defensive move, it’s something that I don’t respect. The kind of behaviour you don’t normally get in the documentary community. I don’t know if it’s had much of an effect on me, other than a few sleepless nights. It hasn’t changed the film I wanted to make.”
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