Janis: Little Girl Blue
We all became enchanted with the singer
Vibrant, fierce and entertaining, Janis: Little Girl Blue exceeded all expectations. Amy Berg’s documentary shed an eye-opening light on one of rock’s most inspirational singers, who paved the way for women in male-dominated rock culture in the 1960s and '70's. The film featured extensive footage from her live performances, interviews with family, friends and lovers, and studio recordings. It spanned her entire life, from high school through to her heartbreaking death when she was only 27.
The documentary started with the high school years of Janis Joplin’s life, showing the intense bullying she received from her peers and also that same criticism that followed her through to her musical career. It was clear from the outset that she was a woman who outgrew the meaning of ‘strong’; she appeared indestructible. The documentary showed all parts of her life; the up's and down's with different bands and her solo career, the lovers, the family and most importantly, the way she stayed true to what she wanted throughout her life. She strongly advocated living your life in a way that made you happy, something that made her seem so much more incredible. The film showed the iconic and iridescent scenes of Monterey Pop and Woodstock in the '60's, and inevitably the dark, sobering periods of drug and alcohol abuse. However, the documentary emphasized her ability to pull through these times, to a new level of ingenuity and charm, whilst her talent for performing kept growing. It celebrated every small achievement, every laugh, and every friend and fan that she had. This made the ending seem even more brutal and unfair.
This documentary was not like Amy, which it has been compared to in almost all the reviews. Everyone in the audience was laughing, nodding their heads to the music, and crying, we all became enchanted with the singer, just as those had done in her time, proving that the influence of Janis Joplin will not be fading away any time soon.
