Few individuals had as much of an impact on the resurgence of Disney Animation than lyricist and screenwriterHoward Ashman. Ashman, whose brilliance was well-known thanks to the Off-Broadway musicalLittle Shop of Horrors, which he worked on with composerAlan Menkenand later adapted for an equally brilliant film byFrank Oz, brought an element of theatricality and storytelling stability to projects likeThe Little Mermaid,Beauty and the BeastandAladdin. The key to Ashman’s success wasn’t just his ability to write a catchy tune, but his innate sense of story and character. He didn’t just come in and write songs, he suggested ideas, refined characters, and impacted the narrative. He was a force of nature. And he was gone too soon.
Thankfully, writer/producer/directorDon Hahnhas crafted a feature-length tribute to Ashman with the new documentaryHoward. While the movie had been in development for a while (there were early screenings as far back as 2017 and the film premiered at Tribeca in 2018) and we knew it was coming to Disney+, but now we have a release date and a trailer. August 7 might be right around the corner, but after watching the trailer, it feels very far away.
Howardpromises to cover Ashman’s childhood in Baltimore, his Broadway and film work, and (of course) his defining work on a trio of unforgettable Disney classics. (He also, it should be noted, contributed lyrics to “Once Upon a Time in New York City,” theHuey Lewissong that opensOliver & Company, but I doubt that will be covered in the doc.) Ashman was diagnosed with AIDS halfway through production onThe Little Mermaidand died from complications related to the disease shortly beforeBeauty and the Beastwas released and became a widely celebrated game-changer. The text in the trailer (“He gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul”) was from the dedication at the end ofBeauty and the Beast. No you’re crying!
Howardfeatures new interviews with Menken (who also scored the documentary),Paige O’Hara(fromBeauty and the Beast),Jodi Benson(fromThe Little Mermaid), and people who were pivotal in Howard’s life, including his longtime partner Bill Lauch and his sister Sarah Gillespie (we also recognized the voice ofAladdinandLittle MermaiddirectorJohn Muskerin the trailer).
Quite frankly, the importance of Ashman’s legacy cannot be overstated. And it’s so great that Hahn (whose amazingWaking Sleeping Beautydoc covers some of the same territory and is available on Disney+ right now), is giving him the documentary that he deserves.Howardis easily one of our most anticipated movies of the summer (or, heck, the whole year) and we cannot wait for it to drop on Disney+ next month.
