One of the newest documentaries on Disney+ showcases the life of Howard Ashman, who was not only the man behind some of Disney’s beloved songs but someone who was largely responsible for the great comeback of Disney’s animated films starting with “The Little Mermaid”.
When I thought of Howard Ashman, I always thought “lyricist”, after all, the shortlist of songs he penned the lyrics for include Disney powerhouses such as “Part of Your World”, “Under the Sea”, “Be Our Guest”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Prince Ali”, and “Friend Like Me”. It’s true he won Academy Awards, Grammys, and Golden Globes for his work as a lyricist, but in the documentary “Howard”, you’ll learn just how deep his roots are in Disney’s films.
It’s safe to say the classic films he worked on for Disney would not be what they are today without his involvement, and he paved the way for the future of Disney feature animation.
“Howard” was produced as a labor of love by Don Hahn, who worked closely with Howard Ashman when he was the producer of “Beauty and the Beast”. One thing I know and respect about Don, is that he puts his heart and soul into every project he tackles, whether it was as producer of “The Lion King”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, or executive producer of the DisneyNature films such as “African Cats” and “Chimpanzee”.
I talked to Don about animation many years before the “Howard” documentary was even conceived, and I asked him about the success of those films, and Don told me, “If you had to choose one person, I’d point to Howard Ashman during that era.” I was surprised, and asked Don, “Wasn’t he the lyricist?” to which Don replied, “He was more than that, he was an executive producer-type person so he would come in and sit on our early recording sessions, he sat in on our casting sessions. Jodi Benson, Ariel’s voice, was in “Smile” which was the show he did with Marvin Hamlisch, so he knew these people. Paige O’Hara (the voice of Belle), he knew from Broadway. We didn’t know her, so he’d bring in these people to audition. He’d never pick them. He’d never override the directors… but, he would lead us to water again and again and again.”
“Howard” is not a film about Disney, but it is an intricate look into the life that ultimately led Howard to Disney, from his early childhood through his untimely death, and his invaluable contributions to now-classic films that have become part of your world.
You can watch the official trailer for “Howard,” below.
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