Sparkle- Whitney Houston's Last Film
Losing "the voice" in Whitney Houston is tragic in all senses of the word. Her iconic rendition of Dollie Parton's, " I Will Always Love You" done in the movie, The Bodyguard and since remain the best ever done. When it was a single in 1992-3, it was number one for months and remained on the charts for six months and by some reports sold 55 million copies. That is staggering! Whitney wanted to do the song after hearing Linda Ronstadt's 1975 version.
Fans will get to see Whitney one last time in her last movie, which is now in post-production, a remake of the 1976 film, Sparkle at a cost of $17 million. Sparkle covers the well told story of fame, fortune and downfall. How ironic is this? It mirrors Whitney's own experience which is why according to the director, she was riveting in the role since it was personal. Whitney's rendition of the song, "Sparrow", deeply moved the cast to tears when it was done just as her other famous song. In Sparkle, Whitney plays a mother of a family of girls who form a singing group, become famous and then struggle with fame and drug addiction and abuse.
Art mirrors life or maybe vice versa, whatever, to those members of the cast there was no doubt that Whitney was back and this movie should've greatly help her tarnished reputation had it not been for her death. Jordin Sparks also stars in the movie. This remake is due out in August, but odds are, it will be sooner.