LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) “Amazing Grace,” a long-postponed documentary on Aretha Franklin, is finally getting a full theatrical release after making its debut in New York City last year.
The documentary was filmed in 1972 during Franklin’s performance at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles but technical problems stopped the film from being released. It was expected to be a companion piece to the similarly titled album by Franklin, according to Pitchfork.
Franklin apparently objected to the film’s release but it’s not sure why. One rumor is that she “knew it amounted to a eulogy.” Also, there were plenty of setbacks, with about 20 hours of footage to sync to audio.
It was only with Franklin’s recent passing that the family allowed for the film to be distributed.