Whitney

Whitney Houston broke more music industry records than any other female singer in history. With more than 200 million album sales worldwide, she was the only artist to chart seven consecutive U.S. #1 singles. But who was Whitney Houston, the woman? Where did she come from? And what torpedoed her career and ultimately her life at age 48 in 2012? Combining never-before-seen home movies, archival footage, and interviews with those who knew her best, documentary filmmaker Kevin Macdonald strives to unravel the mystery behind “The Voice.” Beginning at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, NJ, the documentary notes that Whitney was a shy tomboy who her friends and family called Nippy. Arista Records’ mogul/mentor Clive Davis recalls hearing Houston perform for the first time: “You got that spine tingle when you know you’re in the presence of genius.” The most shocking disclosure is that Houston was a victim of childhood sexual abuse by her cousin, vocalist Dee Dee Warwick, sister of Dionne Warwick. Dee Dee often cared for Houston and her brothers, Michael and Gary, while their mother, Cissy, worked as a backup singer. Whitney’s assistant Mary Jones recalls Houston saying, “Mommy don’t know the things we went through.” Macdonald almost dutifully includes clips from The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner and Houston’s famous rendition of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV. More compelling is a sad segment about Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina “Krissy” Brown, who died at age 22. Houston’s ex-husband, R&B star Bobby Brown, and former label boss L.A. Reid are obviously uncomfortable here discussing her cocaine addiction/drug abuse. While Macdonald details the arc and highlights (and lowlights) of her life, however, Houston herself remains something of a cipher. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by producer Simon Chinn and director Kevin Macdonald, and a photo gallery. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a somewhat uneven documentary.] (S. Granger)