Watch: Whitney Houston Lends Tragic Power to Glossy Sparkle Trailer

How much has Whitney Houston's tragic death propelled the musical remake of Sparkle into the spotlight? Consider: I'm 99% sure Matt Lauer has never seen "the 1976 movie called Sparkle," but even the Today Show did a segment on the first trailer for the August release, which prompted robo-Kathie Lee Gifford to exclaim "I was flooded with emotions as I watched it." See if you feel the same after watching Houston's churchgoing mother attempt to help her daughters navigate the pitfalls of fame, Dreamgirls-style.
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Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks Set for Sparkle Remake

Before there was Dreamgirls the musical (let alone Dreamgirls the movie) there was Sparkle, the deliciously melodramatic 1976 R&B musical about the ups and downs of a trio of singing sisters from Harlem who make it big in 1950s New York. The tale was loosely, infamously based on the real-life experiences of The Supremes and lead singer Diana Ross's ascent to solo stardom, but Sparkle had a dark edge, with threats like drugs, criminals, and jealousy around every corner.

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