Y’all, I have no cool.I started bawling during the trailer. Legendary Disney lyricist Howard Ashman was responsible for some of the most amazing songs in animation during the 1990s. He unfortunately passed away from AIDS and his contributions were underplayed for quite some time. While the documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty covered some of his work, the now documentary Howard is at least a step in the right direction for highlighting his importance and putting Ashman back in the spotlight he deserved.
Howard is directed by Don Hahn and features interviews for the people who know him best, such as musical collaborator Alan Menken.
Here is the official synopsis:
Directed by Don Hahn (“Beauty and the Beast”), “Howard” is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the brilliant lyricist behind Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and creator of musicals including “Little Shop of Horrors.” Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, personal films and photographs, as well as interviews with Howard’s friends and family, the film is an intimate look at the Disney Legend’s life, his creative drive, and the process behind the music. Spanning his childhood in Baltimore, to his formative years in New York, and his untimely death from AIDS, “Howard” goes in-depth to explore his journey to become the lyricist behind some of the most beloved and well-known classic family films in the world.
“You may not know his name, but you sure know Howard Ashman’s music,” said Director, Writer and Producer Don Hahn. “He’s one of the greatest storytellers of the twentieth century who helped to revitalize the American musical and re-energize Disney Animation. He left us a songbook that still lives on in us today, yet his personal story has never been fully told until now.”
