Janis (1974)

Director:

Howard Alk

Writers:

Howard Alk (writer)
Seaton Findlay (writer)

Release Date:

18 October 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography | Music

Plot:

The life and music of Janis Joplin.

Plot Keywords:

Performance | Woodstock | Memory | Profile | Concert Footage

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Janis Joplin	...	Herself (archive footage)
Peter Albin	...	Himself
Sam Andrew	...	Himself (Big Brother and the Holding Company; Kozmic Blues Band)
David Getz	...	Himself
James Gurley	...	Himself
Brad Campbell	...	Himself
Roy Markowitz	...	Himself
Terry Clements	...	Himself
Snooky Flowers	...	Himself
Luis Gasca	...	Himself
Richard Kermode	...	Himself
Richard Bell	...	Himself
Ken Pearson	...	Himself
Clark Pierson	...	Himself
John Till	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Janis: A Film

Runtime:

USA:96 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany

Company:

Crawley Films

Movie Connections:

Features "The Dick Cavett Show" (1968)

The only piece of Janis we have left

Well, this isn't the best of Janis ever captured on film, but it is the lone document of the best female singer ever! I just wish they had more Big Brother clips. There are many other TV shows, concerts, etc. that were filmed, so this is incomplete, but it does highlight some of the best: Monterey Pop Festival, the best performance I think Janis ever gave; Woodstock, but she isn't in it very much (there was so much more filmed!); Cheap Thrills recording sessions, and The Dick Cavett Show. But seriously, Laura Joplin needs to release a complete documentary, with all performances uncut and unedited! A lot of the concert footage is severely edited, either cut in half or the last fraction of a song is heard, which is disappointing from such a talent as Janis. Most of the Frankfurt concert (with "Maybe", "Summertime", "Ball and Chain", "Piece of My Heart") is horrible and only an interview from the excellent Swedish special is present. For more live Janis, try COMIN' HOME, BALL AND CHAIN, and a few compilation videos have stuff from the Swedish special. Try this movie out if you're a budding Janis fan, but I think you'll be sorely disappointed when you discover how much more perfect performances could have gone into this one.