I saw the National Geographic Genius mini-series entitled "Aretha" starring Cynthia Erivo and now I can compare it to Respect, the film version starring Jennifer Hudson. The advantage of course of the mini-series is that a lot more can be told in the eight episode format stretching out over a few weeks as opposed to the film with a running time of 145 minutes.
Indeed Aretha's early life is given short shrift in the film glossing over very important events including the death of her mother Barbara (Audra McDonald-seen only briefly) and childhood pregnancy. Those fly by in an instant and we're left confused as to what impact they had on Aretha and the rest of her family. The TV version also fleshes out Aretha's siblings much more successfully along with her relationship to her children.
As Aretha's father, Forest Whittaker doesn't fare as well as Courtney B. Vance in the TV version, as we virtually lose track of him for most of the second half of the film. Both actors convey that the father was a control freak and sometimes abusive, but Whittaker is saddled with a script that makes him almost completely unlikable (whereas Vance shows a bit more subtlety). Only when C. L. Franklin mourns the death of Martin Luther King Jr. And asks Aretha for forgiveness, do we see his more vulnerable side.
I think Marlon Wayans in the film as Franklin's abusive Ted White is more convincing than Malcom Barrett in the TV series. Both the film and the mini-series make the point that Aretha basically married her father and it took her years to emotionally overcome the demons that arose due to the abuse from both her father and husband.
Both Erivo and Hudson do a similar job in portraying Aretha's tormented life, depicting the difficulties she had to overcome due to domestic violence and the pressures of becoming a star in the music business. The difference here is that Hudson's voice towers over Erivo and you can hear that Hudson was influenced by gospel music just like Aretha.
If I might be permitted to say this, the big production number of the song Respect in the film is even better than Aretha's version (this is principally due to modern recording techniques, which tower over the recording capabilities of the 1960s).
In dealing with Aretha's childhood the child actors who play her in both versions prove to be equally effective (despite their markedly different demeanor). Also similar in tone and presentation are David Cross and Marc Maron (who look alike) both conveying Jerry Wexler's talent as a producer and one who always had to play diplomat when dealing with the abusive and controlling Ted White.
Perhaps the weakest character in the film version is Aretha's second hubby, Ken Cunningham (Albert Jones) whom we learn next to nothing about with the role being filled out much better in the mini-series. Mary J. Blige is excellent in a cameo as Dinah Washington who gives Aretha some "tough love" advice. For all those Kimmie Schmidt fans, Titus Burgess shows up as gospel artist James Cleveland and gets to sing a few entrancing bars.
Respect is basically a by the numbers biopic. Listening to interviews with Aretha later in life she comes off as sassy, extremely knowledgeable about music and with a great sense of humor. Aretha's humor is not conveyed is this film but maybe during her formative years she was the unhappy militant as the film scenarists depict her here.
Unlike the mini-series, the film ends in 1972 when Aretha overcomes her alcoholism and returns to her gospel roots-producing on her own a gospel album that sold the most copies of all her records she ever released.
The depiction of Aretha's downward spiral is a little hard to take but at least the film ends on a happier, inspirational note. Fortunately there are Jennifer Hudson's vocal chops that absolutely save the day.
Indeed Aretha's early life is given short shrift in the film glossing over very important events including the death of her mother Barbara (Audra McDonald-seen only briefly) and childhood pregnancy. Those fly by in an instant and we're left confused as to what impact they had on Aretha and the rest of her family. The TV version also fleshes out Aretha's siblings much more successfully along with her relationship to her children.
As Aretha's father, Forest Whittaker doesn't fare as well as Courtney B. Vance in the TV version, as we virtually lose track of him for most of the second half of the film. Both actors convey that the father was a control freak and sometimes abusive, but Whittaker is saddled with a script that makes him almost completely unlikable (whereas Vance shows a bit more subtlety). Only when C. L. Franklin mourns the death of Martin Luther King Jr. And asks Aretha for forgiveness, do we see his more vulnerable side.
I think Marlon Wayans in the film as Franklin's abusive Ted White is more convincing than Malcom Barrett in the TV series. Both the film and the mini-series make the point that Aretha basically married her father and it took her years to emotionally overcome the demons that arose due to the abuse from both her father and husband.
Both Erivo and Hudson do a similar job in portraying Aretha's tormented life, depicting the difficulties she had to overcome due to domestic violence and the pressures of becoming a star in the music business. The difference here is that Hudson's voice towers over Erivo and you can hear that Hudson was influenced by gospel music just like Aretha.
If I might be permitted to say this, the big production number of the song Respect in the film is even better than Aretha's version (this is principally due to modern recording techniques, which tower over the recording capabilities of the 1960s).
In dealing with Aretha's childhood the child actors who play her in both versions prove to be equally effective (despite their markedly different demeanor). Also similar in tone and presentation are David Cross and Marc Maron (who look alike) both conveying Jerry Wexler's talent as a producer and one who always had to play diplomat when dealing with the abusive and controlling Ted White.
Perhaps the weakest character in the film version is Aretha's second hubby, Ken Cunningham (Albert Jones) whom we learn next to nothing about with the role being filled out much better in the mini-series. Mary J. Blige is excellent in a cameo as Dinah Washington who gives Aretha some "tough love" advice. For all those Kimmie Schmidt fans, Titus Burgess shows up as gospel artist James Cleveland and gets to sing a few entrancing bars.
Respect is basically a by the numbers biopic. Listening to interviews with Aretha later in life she comes off as sassy, extremely knowledgeable about music and with a great sense of humor. Aretha's humor is not conveyed is this film but maybe during her formative years she was the unhappy militant as the film scenarists depict her here.
Unlike the mini-series, the film ends in 1972 when Aretha overcomes her alcoholism and returns to her gospel roots-producing on her own a gospel album that sold the most copies of all her records she ever released.
The depiction of Aretha's downward spiral is a little hard to take but at least the film ends on a happier, inspirational note. Fortunately there are Jennifer Hudson's vocal chops that absolutely save the day.