Howard: The Howard Ashman Story (Documentary)

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Sotiris
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Howard: The Howard Ashman Story (Documentary)

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Don Hahn is working on a new documentary about Howard Ashman.
Hahn, whose documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty also spoke extensively about Ashman, told us, “I haven’t talked about this a lot, but I’m working right now on a documentary about Howard… he’s one of the great songwriters of our generation and of the 20th century, and his life was cut short, and there’s so much of him in this film.” He added, “To be able to pay tribute through a documentary or through a film like Beauty and the Beast is terrific, and most of the audience will know Howard or his name, but to you and me he means a lot and he means so much of a huge part of the kind of Disney legacy that’s what our generation grew up with as filmmakers or as audience members.”
Source: http://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/201 ... rd-ashman/
In the interview, Hahn first explains why he was so interested in telling Ashman's story, which is both triumphant and tragic. Hahn notes the incredible impact Ashman had on some classic Disney films, saying, "Howard's the one who taught us how to tell stories in musicals, Howard's the one who brought Alan Menken in." He later added, "Howard was responsible for so much of what we think of as 'Disney' now — not just in terms of the 90s but in terms of today." The Waking Sleeping Beauty director also says he currently has a rough cut of the documentary completed and plans on finishing it by the year's end. From there, he hopes to take it to film festivals before it will be available to everyone.
Source: http://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/201 ... cumentary/
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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Looking forward to it. I imagine his sister is involved?
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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:up:

That's cool.
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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Disney's Divinity wrote:I imagine his sister is involved?
Yes, she is.
Sarah Ashman-Gillespie wrote:Don Hahn’s new documentary is, if not in the can, damn near the can. It’s been an extraordinary three years watching Don research the film, answering his questions, pulling out photos and home movies, suggesting other people he might want to interview.

Don and his producer, Lori Korngiebel found some long-forgotten talks – one at the 92nd Street Y and one during a round robin interview session publicizing Mermaid. They also discovered a tape of a phone call between John Musker, Ron Clements and Howard shortly before Howard died. It just about did me in when I first heard it. Not because of what Howard says but how he sounds.

I recently had the opportunity to see the film at a private screening – the first time I’d seen it with any kind of audience. It wasn’t quite finished but close enough. Don Hahn reminded me of Howard at previews of his shows, pacing in the back and looking slightly nauseated. Unlike Howard, Don was not gnawing at a pencil or chewing a piece of paper (a habit since childhood) but other than that I couldn’t help thinking back to so many previews and opening nights – good and bad ones.
Source: https://www.howardashman.com/blog/always-a-goodbye
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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How fitting. You can watch the trailer, here.

Alan Menken Scoring Don Hahn’s ‘Howard’
http://filmmusicreporter.com/2018/03/27 ... ns-howard/
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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Sotiris wrote:How fitting. You can watch the trailer, here.

Alan Menken Scoring Don Hahn’s ‘Howard’
http://filmmusicreporter.com/2018/03/27 ... ns-howard/
No one better than him to score the documentary.
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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Great trailer- thanks for sharing! Is this officially a Disney documentary? If so, I imagine it's coming to DVD...
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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blackcauldron85 wrote:Is this officially a Disney documentary?
No, however Disney gave their approval and let them use copyrighted content.
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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^ Thank you! Still hope it comes to DVD!
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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Sotiris wrote:How fitting. You can watch the trailer, here.

Alan Menken Scoring Don Hahn’s ‘Howard’
http://filmmusicreporter.com/2018/03/27 ... ns-howard/
It's fitting, indeed. And synergy ;)
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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blackcauldron85 wrote:^ Thank you! Still hope it comes to DVD!
Is there a reason it might not have a physical release? I didn't even think about that. I definitely plan to get it, too, just like Waking Sleeping Beauty.

Really sweet that Menken came back to do the music for this. :up:
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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I think it may be more honest and in-depth as a non-Disney documentary so I'm glad that's what it is.
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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A clip from the documentary has been released: http://ew.com/movies/2018/04/11/angela- ... ward-clip/

Disney Duster wrote:I think it may be more honest and in-depth as a non-Disney documentary so I'm glad that's what it is.
I agree. Disney documentaries are great, but they're of course a bit biased, and sometimes omit the info that doesn't suit them.
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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Re: Howard: The Howard Ashman Story (Documentary)

Post by JeanGreyForever »

Love the poster. Looking forward to this and I also hope it gets a physical release.
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Re: Howard Ashman Documentary

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The poster looks really great. It's serious but happy at the same time. And my, Howard was cute.
D82 wrote:Disney documentaries are great, but they're of course a bit biased, and sometimes omit the info that doesn't suit them.
I agree.
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Re: Howard: The Howard Ashman Story (Documentary)

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Articles

Inside the Tragedy and Triumph of Disney Genius Howard Ashman
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/20 ... lan-menken

The heartbreaking story behind Disney’s ‘Aladdin’
https://nypost.com/2018/04/20/the-heart ... s-aladdin/

Jodi Benson and Don Hahn on the Genius Behind Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast
http://www.playbill.com/article/jodi-be ... -the-beast

The Little Mermaid's Jodi Benson on Working with Lyricist Howard Ashman
https://broadwaydirect.com/the-little-m ... rd-ashman/

Don Hahn on Telling Lyricist Howard Ashman’s ‘Brilliant, Too Short’ Story in New Documentary
https://variety.com/2020/music/news/how ... 234727250/

Alan Menken On Losing Disney Lyricist Howard Ashman To AIDS: ‘It Was Crushing’
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/howard-a ... c99fdf2c60

Remembering beloved ‘Little Mermaid’ lyricist through the Disney+ documentary ‘Howard’
https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/the- ... ard-ashman

How Disney's Howard Ashman documentary honors The Little Mermaid songwriter's 'heroic' story
https://ew.com/movies/disney-plus-howar ... y-preview/

12 things we learned from the Disney+ documentary Howard
https://ew.com/movies/howard-ashman-dis ... e-learned/

‘Howard’ Director Don Hahn on Making the First Disney Film with a Gay Protagonist
https://collider.com/howard-director-do ... interview/

“Howard” – Disney Doc Salutes a True Hero of its Storybook Kingdom
http://www.animationscoop.com/howard-di ... k-kingdom/

Lost & Found: Don Hahn Talks About Telling Howard Ashman’s Story Through Rare Photos and Videos in Disney+ Documentary
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/article ... cumentary/

Don Hahn Discusses His Documentary, Howard (Part One)
https://www.howardashman.com/blog/don-h ... ary-howard

Don Hahn Discusses His Documentary, Howard (Part Two)
https://www.howardashman.com/blog/don-h ... d-part-two

Don Hahn Discusses His Documentary, Howard (Part Three)
https://www.howardashman.com/blog/don-h ... part-three
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Re: Howard: The Howard Ashman Story (Documentary)

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Sotiris wrote:Jodi Benson and Don Hahn on the Genius Behind Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast
http://www.playbill.com/article/jodi-be ... -the-beast
I completely understand why Benson would be invited to have a part in this.

It's just really sad she holds such an awful view towards gays because Howard is gay too. I pity her. For Howard who gave her so much and yet she still holds this awful belief....I pity her.


It's fine. I tell myself Glen and Howard were the vital parts of that film anyway. :lol:
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Re: Howard: The Howard Ashman Story (Documentary)

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I have never understood how Jodi's view on gays didn't conflict with her being in The Little Mermaid. I would have thought she wouldn't do The Little Mermaid knowing Howard was gay and he was practically inventing Ariel and other parts of the film and they worked soooo closely together and she seemed to love him.
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Re: Howard: The Howard Ashman Story (Documentary)

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It's possible that she doesn't have a problem with other people identifying as gay, but she just doesn't approve of it in her own life. I know some Christians like that who don't really have an issue with it if it doesn't affect them. Which is somewhat hypocritical imo.
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