The remake of "Sparkle" is expected to draw fans of the late singer Whitney Houston in her final role.Producer says she's excited to see the film come to light after more than 10 yearsDirector talks about casting choices and other challenges in remaking beloved cult classicFilm historian: "We don't have enough stories really dealing with African-American women"(CNN) -- The long-awaited remake of the 1970s cult classic "Sparkle" is finally seeing the light of day as it opens in theaters across North America this weekend.
The film stars season six "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks and the late pop icon Whitney Houston. It's set in Detroit during the 1960s and chronicles the rise and perils of an all-girl R&B group -- a la Diana Ross and the Supremes and the glitzy 1981 Broadway show "Dreamgirls" and its 2006 movie adaptation.The project has been a labor of love for producer Debra Martin Chase for more than a decade. She and Houston, her film producing partner, scored with "The Princess Diaries" films and the made-for-TV movie, "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella." As longtime fans of the original 1976 flick (written by an upstart Joel Schumacher), the duo yearned to bring it to a new audience."Just thinking back to why this movie was important to me as a teenager and I know why it was important to Whitney; it was really the first time we saw the fabulous women of color on the screen, who were glamorous, the men were gorgeous, the clothes were gorgeous," Martin Chase told CNN this week. "In and of itself, it was inspirational."The TriStar Pictures film, which has been virtually kept under lock and key from media for months, had showings this week in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, New York and Los Angeles. It also stars Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter, Mike Epps, Derek Luke and Omari Hardwick, with appearances by Cee Lo Green, Michael Beach, Kem, Terrence Jenkins and Tamela J. Mann."It's surreal. It's hard to believe that it's finally coming into fruition," Martin Chase said. "It's like a lot of life lessons about believing in what you believe in and just sticking with your guns and just keep pushing forward to make it happen."The road to post-production wasn't an easy one for this new "Sparkle."In the late 1990s, Warner Bros. Pictures struck a three-picture deal with then-rising R&B star Aaliyah. One of the star-making vehicles was to be "Sparkle," to which the studio owned the rights. Under their BrownHouse Productions shingle, Martin Chase and Houston were tapped to help bring the remake to life. But shortly after Aaliyah's second film, "Queen of the Damned," wrapped, tragedy struck when the singer died in a plane crash.The project languished for years. "I took the idea to other studios and got a bunch of nos," Martin Chase said. "I never gave up on it."The names of singer/actresses such as Raven-Symone and Ashanti were bandied about at one time or another, but nothing materialized.During a dinner a few years ago at Sony Pictures Chairman Michael Lynton's home, the idea of "Sparkle" once again came up. Unbeknown to Martin Chase, it was a "passion project" for the studio chief, too.From there, the remake received the green light. On the heels of the success of their 2010 feature film debut, "Jumping the Broom," husband-and-wife creative team Salim and Mara Brock Akil -- already established forces in the television industry -- were tapped to direct and write the new movie.Redefining what it means to 'Sparkle'Salim Akil had his trepidation about taking on such a storied work. The original -- which featured a timeless score and soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield -- made stars out of Irene Cara, Philip Michael Thomas, Dorian Harewood and Lonette McKee. The legend of "Sparkle," which predated the fabled musical "Dreamgirls," would be a prized staple in black movie lovers' collections for years to come."I think with having conversations with my wife, Mara, and riffing on 'Well what if I did do it?' and 'I would do this, I would do that,' I felt like it's an opportunity to take us back to a time that was a little bit more innocent in terms of the way that we approached life back then," Akil said. "I thought 1968 was an interesting year for America, and so I thought we could do something and present something that a younger generation could appreciate it."Outside of the relatively small $15 million production budget (period movies usually start at around $50 million) and a marathon 30-day shooting schedule, casting was one of the biggest challenges for the new "Sparkle."Akil said he knew off the cuff he wanted to work with Epps, a renowned comedian, again after "Jumping the Broom." And as far as the leading role, Sparks -- who starred in Broadway's "In the Heights" in 2010 -- was a born natural."Jordin just has this quality about her that lends itself to innocence, and I needed that for 'Sparkle,' " he said. "I needed someone who, in this day and age, there was some innocence left. I wanted someone who was sort of (a) mystery to the public and who can sing her ass off, and she could definitely could do that."However, the role of Sparkle's eldest, wilder sibling, Sister, proved less obvious once Paula Patton, also in the Akils' "Jumping the Broom," couldn't do it because of a previous commitment. The director said he saw just about everybody in Hollywood to portray, what is arguably, the strongest role in the movie.And then a screen test of Ejogo, in full character, came his way. "She had taped herself and it just blew everyone away, and I remember when I saw it, I sent a text to everyone that said: 'This is Sister. She is Sister' and in a lot of ways, you get what you need through blessings like that. I think she knocked it out of the park."As far as the creative process, Akil left his wife to her own devices. "I gave her five points that I would like to see and then I left her alone. Mara is a competent writer. I wanted her to write the movie because I knew she would do a great script," he said. "And even though she wanted me to read the script before she was finished, I wouldn't because I didn't want to interfere with her process."Some central plot points are different from the original film, but it is a remake in every sense of the term, according to Martin Chase. "We've made some changes. And with approaching a remake, you want to preserve that which is most beloved about the original and you want to adapt it to a modern audience," she said. "But at its heart, it's very much a remake. We've stayed true to the essence and basic plot of the original movie."Outside the usual marketing push, the movie is making an impact in two other arenas: publishing and music. On August 7, Simon & Schuster released a novelization of "Sparkle" by best-selling author and journalist Denene Milner. "It's a traditional triumph story and we knew that it would resonate with the audience similar to the movie," book editor Todd Haynes said. "It had all the properties of love and lost. The product is a tremendous story, and in terms of publishing, that's what we're all about."Last month, RCA Records released the original motion picture soundtrack featuring music from the movie produced by R. Kelly, Harvey Mason Jr. and the Underdogs and featuring what is believed to be Houston's final recordings.Early buzz on the movie has been good, and seeing Houston, whose role of the matriarch was originated by veteran actress Mary Alice, in her final movie role is expected to draw her fans."I'm excited, I'm not nervous," Salim Akil said. "I think when I feel like I've done my job and I've respected the audience and respected the material, there's no reason to be nervous. I don't read reviews so I don't go down that road. So I'm just excited. I'm excited for all of the actors. I'm excited for people to see Whitney. I want them to see her, how beautiful she is and what a wonderful actress she is. This is the closest I think I'll come to giving birth."'"Sparkle" will be shown on more than 2,600 screens, Martin Chase said, which is considered a wide release. Most films catering to African-American audiences average between 1,500 and 2,000 theaters."We still live in an age where we don't have enough stories really dealing with African-American women, and dealing with their tensions and their conflicts," said black film historian and author Donald Bogle, who chronicled the original "Sparkle" and many other films in his seminal tome "Brown Sugar: Over 100 Years of America's Black Female Superstars.""We still need movies about African-American women and not just movies like 'The Help,' where it's all about how they relate, basically, to white people. We need stories that are looking at African-American women and their particular conflicts and not just their romantic tensions but also their professional dilemmas," he said. "I think with this new version of 'Sparkle,' I think people are going to show up. They've been waiting to see something like this."
EDITION: INTERNATIONAL U.S. MÉXICO ARABIC TV: CNNi CNN en Español Set edition preference Sign up Log in Home Video World U.S. Africa Asia Europe Latin America Middle East Business World Sport Entertainment Tech Travel iReport 
Share this on:FacebookTwitterDiggdeliciousredditMySpaceStumbleUponLinkedInViadeo Redefining what it means to 'Sparkle' By Breeanna Hare, CNNAugust 16, 2012 -- Updated 1304 GMT (2104 HKT)if (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(17);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("\'Sparkle\': Then and now", 1);.cnn_html_slideshow_metadata > .cnn_html_media_utility::before{color:red;content:'>>';font-size:9px;line-height:12px;padding-right:1px}.cnnstrylccimg640{margin:0 27px 14px 0}.captionText{filter:alpha(opacity=100);opacity:1}.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:visited,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:link,.captionText a,.captionText a:visited,.captiontext a:link{color:#004276;outline:medium none}.cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{margin:0 auto;padding-right:68px;width:270px}
The original "Sparkle," a film about three sisters who go from singing in the church choir to crooning for a club audience in late-'50s Harlem, has become a cult classic since its 1976 release. This weekend, "Sparkle" will sweep into theaters once again with a new cast and slightly different story. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"\'Sparkle\': Then and now"}
"Sparkle's" story follows the highs and lows of Williams siblings Sister, Sparkle and Delores, as their singing group starts to find success. Even for moviegoers who've never seen the original, R&B classics like "Something He Can Feel," performed fantastically in the film, will likely be familiar. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"The Williams sisters then ..."}
The 2012 version still focuses on the three Williams sisters, but this time the setting is Detroit and the era is late-'60s Motown. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"... And now"}
Irene Cara brought sensitivity and strength to her role as the titular Sparkle, who tries to remain the rock when her family's foundation starts to crack. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"Then: Irene Cara as Sparkle"}
In 2012, "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks takes on the role of Sparkle, a part she feels isn't too great a stretch. "There's a lot of me in her, and our stories are very similar, so it was fun to be able to play that," Sparks said. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Now: Jordin Sparks as Sparkle"}
In her debut film role, Lonette McKee played the arresting Sister Williams, whose hunger for bigger things threatens to undo her talent. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Then: Lonette McKee as Sister"}
In the remake, Carmen Ejogo ("Lackawanna Blues," "Away We Go") has been cast as the captivating Sister Williams. Ejogo said earlier this month that in her view, "Actresses wait their whole careers for a role like this because it's such a meaty role."cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"Now: Carmen Ejogo as Sister"}
As portrayed by Dwan Smith, Delores' central quality was a fire and pride that caused her to butt heads with her mother, a housekeeper for a white family. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"Then: Dwan Smith as Delores"}
in a post on The Daily Beast in February that Sumpter was a "revelation" as Dolores. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto009" style="margin:0 auto;display:none" width="640"/>"Salt" and "Think Like A Man" actress Tika Sumpter has earned the praise of original story creator Howard Rosenman with her version of this character. He said in a post on The Daily Beast in February that Sumpter was a "revelation" as Dolores. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"Now: Tika Sumpter as Dolores"}
Mary Alice's Effie was mom to the three singers at the heart of the film. A wise, concise woman who worked as a maid, Effie tried her best to steer her daughters on the straight and narrow. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"Then: Mary Alice as Effie"}
In the update, Effie is now Emma, and instead of a housekeeper, Houston's character is a former R&B singer who left that world for the more wholesome enviornment of the church. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":11,"title":"Now: Whitney Houston as Emma"}
Before he was Tubbs on "Miami Vice," Philip Michael Thomas portrayed Stix, an aspiring singer/songwriter with a serious crush on Sparkle and the foresight to form the girls into a singing group. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":12,"title":"Then: Philip Michael Thomas as Stix"}
Stix is still Sparkle's love interest in the new version, as played by Derek Luke, who had nothing but the highest compliments for his cast members. "It's going to open doors," he said of "Sparkle's" potential impact. "I think it's going to show people in a different light." cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":13,"title":"Now: Derek Luke as Stix"}
Tony King portrayed the chillingly cruel hustler Satin, whose relationship with Sister is one of the difficult parts of the film to watch. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":14,"title":"Then: Tony King as Satin"}
"Sparkle" devotees will be watching closely to see how lighthearted comedian Mike Epps will fill the shoes of the villanous Satin, who definitely wasn't known for a sense of humor in the original. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":15,"title":"Now: Mike Epps as Satin"}
Dorian Harewood's Levi was an up-and-comer who aspired to have the success that Satin had acquired. Levi finds how quickly things change the more he attempts to take on greater responsibility. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":16,"title":"Then: Dorian Harewood as Levi"}
"The A-Team" actor Omari Hardwick is hoping that the new "Sparkle" will inspire the same devotion in fans as the 1976 version. "I really want it to be as classic in its following, in its fanfare, as the original," he said earlier this month. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":17,"title":"Now: Omari Hardwick as Levi"}HIDE CAPTION'Sparkle': Then and nowThe Williams sisters then ...... And nowThen: Irene Cara as SparkleNow: Jordin Sparks as SparkleThen: Lonette McKee as SisterNow: Carmen Ejogo as SisterThen: Dwan Smith as DeloresNow: Tika Sumpter as DoloresThen: Mary Alice as EffieNow: Whitney Houston as EmmaThen: Philip Michael Thomas as StixNow: Derek Luke as StixThen: Tony King as SatinNow: Mike Epps as SatinThen: Dorian Harewood as LeviNow: Omari Hardwick as Levi<<<
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"'Sparkle' cast: Then and now");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSMara Brock Akil wrote the script for the remake of "Sparkle"She says she feared backlash from fans who loved the originalThere are some slight tweaks to the characters in the 2012 version
Whitney's 'swan song' in 'Sparkle'var currExpandable="expand25";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/08/09/mxp-jordan-sparks-sparkle.hln';mObj.videoSource='HLN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="D:\Other\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Rich Network\CNN entertainment\120809030117-mxp-jordan-sparks-sparkle-00002521-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand25Store=mObj;
'Sparkle' star tears up over Houston var currExpandable="expand35";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='showbiz/2012/08/06/bts-sparkle-cast-and-whitney-houston.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="D:\Other\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Rich Network\CNN entertainment\120807064254-bts-sparkle-cast-and-whitney-houston-00011825-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand35Store=mObj;
Houston 'lived 100 lives in one life'var currExpandable="expand45";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/08/06/sbt-sparkle-cast-remembers-whitney-houston.hln';mObj.videoSource='HLN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="D:\Other\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Rich Network\CNN entertainment\120806101323-sbt-sparkle-cast-remembers-whitney-houston-00005603-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand45Store=mObj;
'Sparkle' cast remember Whitney HoustonScreenwriter Mara Brock Akil, who penned the script for the 2012 remake and is also a co-producer, believes "Sparkle" owes its longevity to the heft of its story and the filmmakers' attention to detail."When you look at the original, especially in the context of when it was released and even throughout the years, the approach to these characters' stories, they took them seriously," Brock Akil said. "They took their problems, their angst, their dreams, their hopes, their desires, their failures, seriously. They didn't have to tell jokes through it. That translates to the audience."So when the film's director, Salim Akil, who is also her husband, pitched her the opportunity to revive "Sparkle's" tale, Brock Akil admits she was a bit fearful of the wrath she might incur for tweaks made to the story's original characterizations.But, she added, "It was the fear that led me to do it.""I think anything that makes me feel that challenge, that's exactly where I want to be," Brock Akil said. "It did give me pause, and Salim and I both were like, oh, heck no, we're not doing this. But we were driving around talking about 'What if.' ... And it was like we were already hooked and wanting to take on that challenge."Take it on they did. For starters, Brock Akil said, she and Akil wanted to give the three sisters at the heart of the story more power."[Salim] wanted the women to be empowered. He thought in the original that they were a little victimized. That's one of the core changes that he wanted to make, and if that was the case, then he wanted to have me write it because I'd been writing about women in my work -- our empowerment, our vulnerabilities, our humanity and all those sorts of things, and he thought I'd do a good job with that," Brock Akil said.Once she moved past her initial trepidation, "The Game" and "Girlfriends" creator was excited by the possibilities.The story is now set in Detroit in 1968, and rather than do a spin on the "rags-to-riches" concept the original explored, the family is now a part of a thriving black middle class.Brock Akil said she and her husband, who led the charge for the new vision, re-imagined the film's mother character as an entrepreneur rather than the housekeeper named Effie who actress Mary Alice played in '76.In a role filled by the late Whitney Houston, the new "Sparkle's" mother, Emma, is a former R&B singer whose mistakes and trials in the music industry led her to turn away from that world and embrace the church.Emma, now a dressmaker, also has the means to "provide a certain life, an aspirational American dream life," Brock Akil said, something Detroit has exemplified."It was hard being there knowing what a great city this was, " Brock Akil added, "a great American city that was thriving because of the car industry, because of Motown. It wasn't foreign for a black person to live that. ... It was very important for us [to show that]."Although this is a period film, Brock Akil knew that this also needed to be a story for the modern woman.Instead of simply being a singer, Sparkle is now a singer/songwriter who can draw comparisons to legend Smokey Robinson. The third sister, Delores, who in the original often gave voice to the racial injustices of the time, is now focused on a future in medicine."The Dee character, I'm very proud of this character and the changes I've made. She got the best out of [her mother] Emma," Brock Akil said. "I think that Dee is now an aspiring doctor, and music is just something fun to do."In addition to creating more empowered female characters and setting the story in a period filled with the hope for societal changes to come, it was also important to director Akil to re-cast the movie's villain, Satin. Played by Tony King in the original, the character was a violent yet alluring high-living hustler who had no qualms about physically assaulting or verbally debasing women.Portrayed by Mike Epps in the remake, the role of Satin is now "a bit of a commentary on how much do you sell yourself out to entertain," Brock Akil said. "We made sure the Satin character got all his riches making jokes off the black community and selling it to the white community, and he's living a really wonderful life, but inside, he's torn up, he's insecure. And that energy has to come out somewhere, and unfortunately it comes out on Sister in a domestic violence way."What of Sister, the tough-talking scene-stealer who in the original had a persistent thirst for the riches in life?"People love Sister; you can't mess with Sister too much," Brock Akil said with a laugh. "I certainly tried to answer what was motivating her, and what she was trying to do." Adding in these details, she added, "was a lot of fun for me, and I hope it translates to the audience. "
.cnn_strycrcntrnwsp .cnn_mtpmore { padding:10px 0px 1px 0px; }.cnn_stryccnwsp2 .cnn_stryccnwsp3 { width:100% }Most PopularToday's five most popular storiesOfficial: British director Tony Scott dead after jumping from California bridgeIndonesia earthquake leaves 6 dead, officials say Hurricane Gordon makes landfall in Azores Saudi support for Syrian rebels shaped by tribal, religious tiesCoffee good for you, but it's OK to hold back
Home | Video | World | U.S. | Africa | Asia | Europe | Latin America | Middle East | Business | World Sport | Entertainment | Tech | Travel | iReport Tools & Widgets | RSS | Podcasts | Blogs | CNN Mobile | My Profile | E-mail Alerts | CNN Radio | CNN Shop | Site map | CNN Partner Hotels CNN en ESPAÑOL | CNN Chile | CNN México | ??????? | ??? | ??? | Türkçe 
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of service | Privacy guidelines | Ad choices
| Advertise with us | License our content | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help CNN TV | HLN | Transcripts