HBO releases Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds doc Bright Lights early

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

I don't like subscribing to the "F*ck 2016" bandwagon. Not that this hasn't been a rough year, just that this isn't 1939 in Poland or something. Then again, Trump winning the presidential election and the simultaneous deaths of Carrie Fisher and mother Debbie Reynolds within a day of each other definitely makes it feel that way, possibly even worse.

Coincidentally (or else HBO just has really shrewd psychics), there was a documentary about the lives of Fisher and Reynolds called BRIGHT LIGHTS that was being developed, which was described as "an intimate portrait of Hollywood royalty in all its eccentricity". Here's the official synopsis:

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.

Reportedly the film is getting some solid critical acclaim, with a successful showing at Cannes earlier this year. It was always scheduled to air sometime on HBO, but the channel has decided to push the release up after news of each of their untimely deaths to January 7th, 2017 at 8pm ET/PT.

Meanwhile, HBO is also doing an encore presentation of Carrie Fisher's fun and irreverent feature-length one-woman stage performance WISHFUL DRINKING on New Years Day at 9pm ET/PT.