Documentaries about the lives and times of great artists are a cottage industry at this point, but last year’sAmy, as directed byAsif Kapadia, seemed to give the sub-genre a much-needed shot in the arm. In detailing the short, sad life of the greatAmy Winehouse, the film made a point of underlining how the demands of fame on a young woman, especially one prone to abusive masculine influence, can quite literally destroy her, to the point that Kapadia nearly overplays his hand by the end of the film.
After that film’s unexpected success and Oscar win, it should come as no surprise that Altitude, the company behind that film’s release, are now working on a documentary on the life ofWhitney Houston, the iconic pop musician who lost her life to drugs in 2012. AsTHR reportstoday, the documentary will be directed byKevin Macdonald, who is known primarily as the filmmaker behindThe Last King of Scotland, the dramatic telling ofIdi Amin’s tyrannical, grotesque rule that wonForest Whitakeran Oscar for his portrayal of the dictator, alongside co-starsJames McAvoyandKerry Washington. The director, who won the Oscar himself forOne Day in September, has apparently been working on the project for a bit, calling it simplyThe Voicein conversation,
This is not Macdonald’s first rodeo in terms of this kind of movie, as he took an extensive look at the life and death ofBob MarleyinMarley, which was originally supposed to be aMartin Scorseseproject. The director and Altitude have confirmed that the film will look at both the high and low points of the singer and actress' career, and will feature interviews with the likes of chief creator officer of Sony Music EntertainmentClive Davisand Houston’s family. There’s no tentative release date for the film as of yet but it seems to be a priority for both the director and Altitude, and though its unlikely that the project will be as stylish and thoughtful as Amy, upon the evidence ofMarley, it’s still sure to be an engrossing bit of pop history at the very least.
