Thank you so much for the info about YouTube! I watched this last night.
Oh my Lord.
My jaw was hanging open and my eyes were brimming with tears. That was one of the MOST moving things I have ever seen! And I am usually NOT a fan of the divas, the excessive riffing (you get what I'm saying). But this was something else...the wailing came from the depths of her character's soul! I couldn't take my eyes off of her, and her powerful voice gave me chills, not an earache (as many of the melisma queens tend to do, who belt it to the rafters because they CAN rather than for emotional impact or to tell the story). Yeah, I get how people can be freaked out by the facial expressions, but here it all worked. Damn, I'm Jewish and this woman took me to church! I'd disagree about the actress part--at least in this role--I bought her story hook, line and sinker! I adore Jennifer Hudson, but she's got a lot to live up to. I can't wait for the movie.
And seeing a young Loretta Devine...that was a real treat, too (Effie, I'm TIRED)!
Updated On: 6/23/06 at 09:53 AM