It was just in November when I traveled out to Detroit for a day on the set of Sparkle, Whitney Houston’s posthumous film about music, growing up in church, and finding your way. A remake of the 70’s movie, it is set at the height of the civil rights movement and Motown boom in Detroit, and chronicles a family whose daughters form a singing group—modeled after The Supremes—and their journey to find success in uncertain times. It is apparent that those in charge are dedicated to making the film authentic and successful. American Idol winner Jordin Sparks plays the title character Sparkle, the dark horse in the singing group. Houston, in her anticipated return to the screen, stars as the girls’ mother. Though the plot may feel familiar, after having talked extensively with the cast and crew, it is clear that there is a personality to this story. The film is rooted in family values, and has an elevated, sophisticated tone. More after the jump.
If you haven't seen the trailer yet, watch it below:
The project was truly fueled by the passions of producer Debra Martin Chase and Houston, who also served as an executive producer. The duo, who had a kindred, almost sisterly relationship, teamed together on The Preacher’s Wife and the TV movie Cinderella. Chase, a tour de force who has been commercially successfully in niche family driven films (The Princess Diaries, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants), spoke with a fervent but wisely subdued exuberance about ...
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