HBO moves up Carrie Fisher – Debbie Reynolds documentary ‘Bright Lights’ after tragic deaths
Carrie Fisher and her famous mother Debbie Reynolds left us with a tremendous amount of of wonderful footage cementing their legacy, but in addition to that, they also left us with many things still left on the table. How networks and studios choose to unravel much of that remains to be seen in the weeks to come.
For HBO, what we’ve learned today is that they are going to be airing “Bright Lights,” the previously-planned documentary about the two women, is going to premiere now on Saturday, January 7 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The documentary already made the festival circuit most of last year, so moving forward its premiere likely did not pose too much of a creative challenge.
If you have not heard too much about the film to date, HBO’s logline describes it as follows:
“The story of a family’s complicated love, this documentary is an intimate portrait of Hollywood royalty in all its eccentricity. Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, live in the same Beverly Hills compound. The 83-year-old grand dame still has a Las Vegas act, but performing is taking its toll. Carrie’s response is both hilarious and heart-rending. Featuring vintage family films that bring iconic old-world Hollywood to life, as well as extensive vérité footage, the film is directed by Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens.”
This marks a chance to get a more intimate portrait into what life was like for these women before their sudden deaths, and with perspective now in mind, it is easy to determine precisely how much more emotional this is all going to be to watch. While you can argue that this decision was one made in part with ratings in mind, it is also one that is agreeable. When this airs, the departures of these two icons will still be fresh, and the curiosity will be there to explore further how they continued to live and work through their final years.
In looking forward now into 2017, we know that Fisher in particular still has two episodes of “Family Guy” to air, coupled with another installment of “Catastrophe.” There will be further chances to celebrate her legacy as a result every step of the way.
Do you think this is the right time for HBO to air “Bright Lights”? Share in the comments below. (Photo: HBO.)