Thursday 23 July 2015

Film: 'Amy'

Documentary of the short, busy, spotlit life of 'jazz-singer', Amy Winehouse, who died four years ago at the age of 27 - featuring substantial home-movie footage and private snippets taken by others, with major talkover contributions from a number of those involved in her life, most notably her father, Mitchell, in addition to her friends, her music associates and collaborators - as well as her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil.
Her father has disowned this film on its release, despite his significant hand in providing material for it, on the grounds that it doesn't give a fair and balanced view, he claims, of the relationship between him and his daughter.

The film's director or, more accurately, compiler of the sequence of footages, is Asif Kapadia who made the well-received 2010 documentary 'Senna' (which, incidentally, bored me rigid). This 'Amy' is. for me, considerably more interesting.
There are no complete songs performed though we do see her at various venues, in the recording studios, sometimes singing privately. One aspect I really did like is that her words, otherwise practically indecipherable when she's singing, are shown on screen - and reveals what a profound and lyrical imagination she owned. Great shame that without knowing what she's singing about it gets lost in her warbling and wandering vocal style and mannerisms, which is for me one of the curses of today's pop-singing generation generally. This comes out markedly when, near the end of the film, we are shown her duetting with one of her life's idols, Tony Bennett. It's only very brief but the contrast between her and Bennett's singing style is so marked. With the latter one can hear every word, every syllable, but when she takes over it just becomes a fog of sound where articulation is relegated to unimportance, almost as though it's too much of a nuisance to be bothered with. It is indeed a tragedy because otherwise her voice, from the very start, had such power and weight. (With Ella Fitzgerald, another of her idols, one always could make out, although staying within the parameters of the jazz idiom, just what that great lady was singing about).

Apart from when Ms Winehouse is singing, there's hardly a moment when we see her without a glass of something or a cigarette (or something) in her hand. Her fighting against drugs and alcohol addictions and her attempts to become 'clean' are detailed, just about all of which has been well-publicised in the media - as well as her slavish and, perhaps, fatal adulation of her eventually imprisoned (for drug possession) husband, Fielder-Civil, who doubtless played a major part in her troubles. Her most spectacular decline in the full glare of cameras, was widely mocked by comedians of the time, some of whose clips are shown - and I must admit that then I most certainly would have at least smiled at the put-downs. She could hardly avoid her situation becoming public knowledge, though she and her minders did vainly try to shelter against them. There can hardly be any doubt that her premature death was a major loss of talent - as well as a dreadful loss to the world of show-business and music, the cause of which being not directly through drugs but rather through alcohol, though the former had, of course, played a major part in the weakening of her body's defences. Although there was an element of inevitability in her death, hers is yet another case of leaving us wondering how it all could have been so much different and so much better.

I think a lot of people will, like me, have known of Amy's life in broad terms. The film fills out some of the detail but I didn't think I learned anything significantly new about her. On the whole, though, I can think of worse ways to spend a couple of hours.........................................6.

18 comments:

  1. I have watched the full tony/amy video of "body and soul"; OMB, she was either drunk or high or both during it. I couldn't make out a damn word of the song. tony was spot-on, of course. tony is the last one standing of his era.

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    1. She was certainly spaced out on something or the other for a lot of the time, A.M., which made her unpredictability a risky proposition when interacting with anyone not in her close circle. However, she also did manage to hold it together for many of her interviews, some of which are remarkably lucid and revealing. But towards the end a 'couldn't care less' attitude began to take over, mirroring her decline, while at the same time one could see her struggling to remain with a certain level of poise, which made her eventual fate more sad than it otherwise already was.
      As for Mr Bennett, well there you're talking about 'class' writ large. A humble man who seems have remained immune to the temptations of fame and wealth, the downfall of many a celebrity both before him and since. And, of course, what style! I saw him live just the once, and that almost by accident. About 35 years ago Dusty Springfield was trying to make a big-time comeback and had optimistically booked Oxford' largest theatre, a 1200-seater, for a once-only appearance. Unfortunately for her, and for a lot of us, she'd over-reached herself and, because of poor advance takings the evening had to be cancelled just a few days before the actual date. By chance, Tony Bennett was over here doing a national tour, and he stepped in. The theatre gave us the option of seeing him instead of Dusty, or accepting a refund. Well, of course I went - but what a disappointment to find the large theatre only about a third full! Nevertheless, he came on, seemingly oblivious to the sparseness, and he gave us his ALL - both standards he was famous for and other more unlikely inclusions - and at the close of the show doing salaams of obeisance down on his knees to we audience as we rose to give him a standing ovation. What a night that was - but even now I feel embarrassed at the memory of how the small numbers failed to reflect the general regard so many of us had - and still have - for him. As you say, the last of the TRUE greats!

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    2. LUCKY YOU!

      have you ever seen tony's paintings? simply FABU!

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    3. I hadn't until now, A.M. I knew he was an amateur artist but only now, via Google, have I glimpsed any - and I've got say that they really are remarkable, a cut above what one might expect from a run-of-the-mill amateur. Thanks for the pointer.

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  2. I am a huge fan, and really want to see this.

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    1. I can't imagine that you'll feel let down, Bob. It's a warts-and-all documentary and though there are hardly any surprises at all it's a neat, satisfying package.

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  3. She annoyed the hell out of me, but had a wonderful voice. The self destructive part of her was very frustrating to see. I can see how it would be interesting to delve a bit deeper into what was behind it all, but it certainly doesn't sound like fun!

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    1. Craig, because we could follow the path of her life, thanks to media scrutiny, almost as much as she could see it herself (though perhaps we were better placed) it's clearly a terribly sorry tale.. With a potential which was barely scratched, the negative influences that she succumbed to were almost pre-ordained to destroy her. I agree she could be - and often was - totally maddening, so much so that I personally find it hard to forgive her as, for example, when during a TV panel show, she slowly and deliberately spat on the studio floor in front of a live audience. (Not shown in this film.) But as for talent? Crikey, she had it by the lorryfull!

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  4. I want to see this.. But i suspect it will be difficult viewing
    Thanks for the review x

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    1. Actually, J.G. I didn't find it as difficult to watch as it might have been. You might have had, or indeed be having, closer experience to those who've gone through similar dependencies so it might cut deeper with you - though I have done voluntary work with those with alcohol or drug-related problems. Neither issue has affected me personally in my own life (I've never even been tempted to try any (non-medicinal) drug ever, so maybe I could feel more detached than some, But do go. I can't see you regretting it.

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  5. Ray,
    I don't know if you received my previous comment. At the risk of a duplication let me say thanks for yet another great review. Your reviews are always so well informed, articulate and well balanced. I too have a problem with the indecipherability of some of today's singers and actors but I too can detect the inherent talent beneath all the mannerisms.
    Thanks again for the great review.
    Ron

    P.S.
    My apologies but I'm way behind in my blog readings.

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    1. Ron, thanks again for that, for me, totally unwarranted praise, but it is received with gratitude.
      My computer continues its deterioration. Not only am I seemingly not getting all others' comments but my own comments on their own blogs (i.e. when I'm able to open them up at all and add something) seem to disappear into the ether to an increasing extent. Of course I'll persevere as long as I can but it looks as though it can really only end one way, sadly.

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  6. I wanted to say I still enjoy reading all your entries even when I don't comment (for I don't see the movies much).

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    1. I always hope that it's still the case, Dr Spo, even though the frequency of my own cinema visits has declined markedly due to a number of factors. But if I can provide you and others with a little diversion now and again then I'll be content.

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  7. Yes Amy is indecipherable, part style but I think mostly drunk and high. These days I'm sober, but the old video footage of me its amazing how one can't understand me back in my day. I'm only interested in seeing it to see her father. While I know her husband enabled her, I have a strange feeling her father did too, I always have.

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    1. F.B., I'm quite surprised at the extent to which Amy's father took against this film. It doesn't show him in a glaring exploitative light as regards her talent. I think that a lot of criticism that he used her for his own benefit comes through hindsight at what was to happen following the events seen here, but it's not absolutely condemnatory of him. In fact for just about the whole film it shows him as a loving parent. I can only think that he wanted the film to be used to whitewash him completely, but life (for everyone) just isn't like that.

      As for being drunk on film, although I've never seen myself in such a state (I was never thoroughly inebriated on a regular basis - maybe about twice a year in the 80s) I think it would confirm how ugly one looks to anyone who is not drunk him/herself at the same time as oneself. I should imagine that much the same happens when one is 'high', something I've not been, having never tried 'recreational' drugs even when offered. So I suppose in that sense I've never truly 'lived'.

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  8. Such a talent, my whole family agrees... Heard about this documentary but haven't watched it yet. So, this comes in as a reminder. :)

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    1. It's a must for all admirers, F.S. - among which I was, at least to some extent, though with reservations. I think the film does her justice, despite her dad's 'antis'. I do hope you'll find somewhere to see it on the big screen.
      Thanks very much for your visit, my friend.

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