Glitter (2001)

Glitter is a 2001 American romantic musical drama film produced by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures, starring pop singer Mariah Carey and featuring rapper Da Brat. The film was written by Kate Lanier and directed by Vondie Curtis Hall. Set in 1982, Carey plays Billie Frank, who wants to be a famous singer, and along with her friends Louise and Roxanne, is a club dancer. Timothy Walker (Terrence Howard) offers them a contract as backup singers/dancers to a singer. In the premiere of the song they recorded, Frank meets Julian "Dice" Black (Max Beesley), who is a DJ in a night club, and helps her in her solo career. In the process, Frank and Dice fall in love with each other.

Carey began working on a film and soundtrack project titled All That Glitters in 1997. However, during that period, her record company Columbia Records pressured Carey to release a compilation album, in time for the favorable holiday season in November 1998. Consequently, Carey put All That Glitters on hold. Following this, Carey aimed to complete the film and album project for the summer of 2001. Shooting began in Toronto and New York at the end of September 2000. Carey utilized the time to work on the soundtrack of the film, along with Eric Benét and Da Brat, who also appeared on the film.

The film was released on September 21, 2001, ten days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Before its release, Carey was suddenly hospitalized, citing "extreme exhaustion" and a "physical and emotional breakdown". Due to this, the film and its soundtrack were postponed for three weeks. Glitter was a major commercial failure and critical flop. Reviewers were highly disappointed with the film, and Carey's performance as an actress was considered by many to be amateur. This also caused the film to receive negative commentary along social media sites. Some went on to call it one of the worst films to be released. Glitter opened in 1,996 American theatres, and grossed $2.5 million in its first week. Its worldwide total was about $5.3 million. The accompanying soundtrack of the film had some commercial success and it went on to sell three million copies worldwide, considerably less compared with Carey's previous releases.

Synopsis

Lillian Frank is a performer at a nightclub. Lillian tries to rouse the crowd with her torch song, "Lillie's Blues", with her daughter Billie Frank accompanying her on vocals. The plot fails and Lillian is fired. Lilian feels defeated and lights a cigarette, accidentally falls asleep with it and starts a fire, causing the building to be evacuated. Due to her mother's actions, Billie is fostered.

Actors