'Amazing Grace' concert film in the works

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Aretha Franklin's 1972 album Amazing Grace became the singer's most popular album and held a longstanding record for best-selling gospel album of all time. Now, reports entertainment publicaton Variety, footage of the recording sessions -- captured on film by a team led by late film director Sydney Pollack -- is being edited for a concert film.

Aretha Franklin's 1972 album Amazing Grace became the singer's most popular album and held a longstanding record for best-selling gospel album of all time. Now, reports entertainment publicaton Variety, footage of the recording sessions - captured on film by a team led by late film director Sydney Pollack - is being edited for a concert film.

Franklin's performances for Amazing Grace were recorded over two nights in January 1972 at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Inspired by the success of the concert films Woodstock and Gimme Shelter, Warner Bros. filmed the sessions for a possible joint album/film release, but the film was never completed.

Variety magazine reports that the more than 20 hours of footage have now been taken out of the vault. Producer Alan Elliott is overseeing the film project, "working off Sydney's notes," said Elliott, who acquired the project from Warner Bros. at Pollack's request (the director died in 2008).

The footage apparently includes clips of Franklin's father Rev. C.L. Franklin, her mentor Clara Ward, and Mick Jagger.

A release date is not yet known.

The album Amazing Grace was remastered and re-released in 1999 as Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings, with additional tracks from the Franklin's church sessions.