Janis: Little Girl Blue

Janis Joplin (1943-1970) narrates her life story through the voice of Chan Marshall (aka singer Cat Power) in this affectionate but clear-eyed documentary from director Amy Berg, which aired on PBS's American Masters series. Marshall reads from letters that Joplin wrote to her parents, chronicling her rise from outcast to rock star. Joplin's siblings, Laura and Michael, remember Janis as being self-conscious about her looks, but eager to make a mark. Her friend, Karleen Bennett, recalls that she couldn't wait to escape Port Arthur, TX, where high school classmates bullied her for supporting integration (Austin college students also voted her "ugliest man"). After singing bluegrass in Texas, Joplin moved to San Francisco where she joined Big Brother and the Holding Company, part of the Haight Ashbury music scene that also included the Grateful Dead, which led to a relationship with founder Pigpen. Clive Davis of Columbia Records cites the Monterey Pop Festival as a turning point for the band, since their well-received act led to a record deal—and their 1968 debut, Cheap Thrills, went gold. Documentarian D.A. Pennebaker and talk show host Dick Cavett here recall Joplin with fondness. But as her star rose, she and the Holding Company grew further apart, so she eventually left and formed the Kozmic Blues Band. On her own, however, Joplin's drug use increased, although she was heading towards sobriety when she formed the Full Tilt Boogie Band and recorded Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee." This would become her biggest hit—months after the accidental drug overdose that claimed her life. Berg effectively captures Joplin's highs and lows, as well as the some of the impassioned performances that made her reputation. Extras include deleted and extended scenes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)