Howard

This biography tells the story of Howard Ashman, the writer behind a ton of classic Disney songs. Up front, I don't think this was a good movie. The story is told completely through voice over of people that knew him, as you would expect, but almost all of it is behind still photographs. It teases you with some of the Disney songs, but we get barely any of that. Most of it is his time coming up through stage musicals, and also his fight with AIDs, which he actually died from at age 40.  Obviously important to his story, but I selfishly just wanted to watch videos of him cooking!

This was the video I was aware of before starting this movie, what I was expecting to get more of, and honestly watching it makes me emotional. She is an incredible singer, but watching him pop into the frame and give this direction is pure genius. I remember when we were in Florence looking at Michelangelo's David, our tour guide said something I have heard many times since but was extremely profound to me at the time. He said something about how Michelangelo describe carving as "revealing", as if the David was already inside the stone and he was just pulling away the stone to uncover it. My uncreative brain was completely overwhelmed by the genius of that idea, and there are several recorded instances of Howard doing exactly that. He has these songs in his head and he knows exactly what to do to bring them to life.

Is comparing the David to songs from Aladdin or The Little Mermaid insane? I don't think so at all! These songs continue to stand the test of time, moving me even though these were movies I hardly cared about as a kid! The stories they tell, the lasting impact on multiple generations, I don't think it can be overstated. This is true art and he is a true artist.

The other thing I loved were the glimpses of the entire creative team! Howard the songwriter sitting in on storyboard sessions with animators and musicians and directors, a room full of talented people coming together to create magic. I felt the same way watching the making of Hades videos, a game that won't have the same impact but gives you a glimpse into creative collaboration. This fusion of animation and music and storytelling is exactly what movies are, I am just so blown away by all the moving pieces it takes for a masterpiece to form, geniuses from many disciplines making something unforgettable.

I think its easy for me to be so impressed because I am also so jealous of the artistic talent on display. My brain just feels so uncreative, and seeing these people seemingly effortlessly pour out their souls into these lasting monuments fills me with envy. I think every human wants to leave a legacy, and I am becoming more and more convinced that the only thing to outlast us is our art, the thing that can connect people across time. I never thought hearing someone sing "Part Of Your World" would spark this in me, but here we are. This doesn't even touch on the the meaning behind these songs, how they parallel what he was going through in his life, putting his person into his music.

Skip the doc, search for clips on Youtube.