FEATURE:
Houston, We Have a Problem?
Will the Planned Biopic of Whitney Houston Strike the Balance and Remain Respectful?
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THERE has been a bit of a slowdown…
regarding planned music biopics. I guess it is inevitable, given the fact there is no filming right now. I am not sure when cinemas will reopen, so there might be some films held back that shine a light on a famous musician. Last year, Elton John got his own biopic with Rocketman – Taron Egerton played John. The year before, the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, came out, and it received a lot of praise. That said, both films suffered some criticism because there was a holding back of the truth. Elton John and Freddie Mercury are passionate and flamboyant musicians, and, in both films, their more hedonistic sides were not really covered; their sexuality was not explored, and I think a lot was missing from both films. I guess it is hard to produce a biopic and get everything right. In the case of the films I have mentioned, maybe being too revealing would lead to censorship or sensualism. It is important to concentrate on the music and getting facts right but, also, filmmakers need to delve into the personal lives of their subjects. I know there are plans to make an Amy Winehouse biopic, so I wonder whether the film will stick to her records and music, or whether her drink problems and run-ins with the press will also be mixed in. Another prodigious talent who lived with addiction was Whitney Houston.
It is always weird when a biopic is announced for a departed artist, as you never know whether they’d approve of a biopic or be happy with it. The latest artist to get the biopic treatment is Whitney Houston. This article from The Guardian explains more:
“Whitney Houston’s life is set to be the subject of a big-screen biopic from the Grammy-winning producer Clive Davis and the singer’s estate.
According to Deadline, the film, to be called I Wanna Dance with Somebody, will be scripted by Anthony McCarten, who will also act as producer. McCarten has received Oscar nominations for his screenplays for the fact-based dramas The Two Popes and The Theory of Everything. His writing credits also include Bohemian Rhapsody and Darkest Hour.
Davis, who discovered Houston in her teens and worked with her for many years, recently said he was “very disappointed” with two documentaries about the singer: Nick Broomfield’s Whitney: Can I Be Me and Kevin Macdonald’s Whitney. In January, when speaking of a potential biopic, he said he had no interest in “whitewashing” either the singer’s struggles with addiction or her romantic relationship with Robyn Crawford.
In a new statement, he claims that McCarten has committed to a “no holds barred, musically rich screenplay that finally reveals the whole Whitney”.
The project will also be produced by Pat Houston, the singer’s manager and sister-in-law, who will act on behalf of the estate. She has promised an “uplifting and inspiring” film. No director has been confirmed yet but producers are negotiating with Stella Meghie, who recently made the romantic drama The Photograph.
A recent tour, backed by the estate, featuring a hologram of the singer was widely criticised, with the Guardian’s Dave Simpson calling it “deeply unsettling” and Entertainment Weekly’s Emma Madden describing it as “tacky”.
I was not a fan of the hologram tour, as it seems ghoulish to have a projected image of the late Houston played to fans. A biopic is different in that someone else will be playing her but, importantly, will the filmmakers manage to encapsulate all sides of Whitney Houston? The biopic could go down two paths: one that omits Whitney Houston’s addiction and personal issues and focuses just on her music highs and lows; the other that tries to blend the two together. In terms of her turbulent years, I have looked on her Wikipedia page and selected a few passages of times where Houston faced struggle:
“She then met R&B singer Bobby Brown at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards. After a three-year courtship, the two were married on July 18, 1992.[103] Brown would go on to have several run-ins with the law for drunken driving, drug possession and battery, including some jail time.[104][105][106] On March 4, 1993, Houston gave birth to their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown (March 4, 1993 – July 26, 2015),[107] the couple's only child. Houston stated during a 1993 interview with Barbara Walters that she had had a miscarriage during the filming of The Bodyguard.[108]
Though Houston was seen as a "good girl" with a perfect image in the 1980s and early 1990s, her behavior had changed by 1999 and 2000. She was often hours late for interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals, she canceled concerts and talk-show appearances, and there were reports of erratic behavior.[203][204] Missed performances and weight loss led to rumors about Houston using drugs with her husband. On January 11, 2000, while traveling with Brown, airport security guards discovered half an ounce of marijuana in Houston's handbag at Keahole-Kona International Airport in Hawaii, but she departed before authorities could arrive.[205][206] Charges against her were later dropped,[207] but rumors of drug usage by Houston and Brown would continue to surface. Two months later, Clive Davis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Houston had been scheduled to perform at the event, but was a no-show.[208]
In May 2011, Houston enrolled in a rehabilitation center again, citing drug and alcohol problems. A representative for Houston said that the outpatient treatment was a part of Houston's "longstanding recovery process".[258]
IN THIS PHOTO: Whitney Houston in 1980/PHOTO CREDIT: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo
The filmmakers are saying that, unlike other biopics, they will not whitewash Houston and stick only with the music. It is important, to an extent, that they are truthful and show all sides of Whitney Houston. Although there are going to be scenes depicting addiction and marriage woes, how far will the filmmakers be allowed to go before it is censored? I also wonder whether I Wanna Dance with Somebody will go a bit too far with Houston’s addiction problems and sensationalise things. There is that balance where you need to show the complexities of the artist, but also be respectful and not spend too much time pouring over the scars and headlines. The title suggests there will be a lot of fun in the film and we will see Houston grow from the fresh-faced woman on the cover of 1987’s Whitney to the more mature artist on 1998’s My Love Is Your Love. Whitney Houston is an icon who boasted an incredible vocal range. So many artists owe her a debt of gratitude, and she released so many classic songs. I wonder whether her pre-fame days are going to take precedence; where she grew up and how music first struck her. As there have been slightly disappointing documentaries about her, will the biopic redress some of the perceived wrongs? It is hard to get a full and comprehensive study of an artist in a single film.
There is a danger that some sections and periods of her career will be rushed, and too much time will be spent lingering on Houston’s darkest days. That said, so many biopics skip over artists’ addiction and personal problems and give this lopsided portrait. I think transparency and respect are the two words that need to dominate I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The film will draw diehard fans and those fairly familiar with her work alike. Whitney Houston wasn’t perfect but, at the same time, she had her demons and had a lot of pressure on her shoulders. If the filmmakers can get the balance right and shine a light on Houston’s genius but also look behind closed doors, then it will be one of the most honest and balanced biopics of recent years. I am not sure why Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody shied away from drug and sexual content; I suppose the producers wanted to strike a particular tone and portray their subjects in a certain way. I am a fan of Houston, and I will be interested to see how the biopic turns out and whether the actor who plays her will be singing or miming. It will be fascinating to see who is chosen to play Houston, as I think that is important regarding credibility and authenticity. Although production will not start for a while, when things are underway, more details will come to life. Let’s hope I Wanna Dance with Somebody shows Whitney Houston’s highs and lows but, above all…
DOES her full justice.