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Amy, Asif Kapadia's 2015 documentary about the rise and demise of the impressive 21st century vocalist and songwriter Amy Winehouse, delivers a film that is, like its subject, both lovely and lively. At 128 minutes, Amy is longer than most such biopics, yet it flows along so gracefully and rapidly that one wants, if anything, more. Fantastic!
Amy Winehouse carried forward the torch of the great blues and jazz diva procession listed, in part, below. Above all, Amy shared with them an edgy realness combined with powerful vocals and catchy songs.
Bessie Smith (1894-1937), 43.
Ma Rainey (1886-1939), 53.
Billie Holiday (1915-1959), 44.
Édith Piaf (1915-1963), 47.
Dinah Washington (1924-1963), 39.
Janis Joplin (1943-1970), 27.
Amy Winehouse (1982-2011), 27.
All of these singers have been characterized as "old souls" at one time or another. In Amy, Tony Bennett quips, "If she had lived, I would have said: 'slow down -- you're too important . . . Life teaches you, really how to live it -- if you could live long enough...'" (See IMDB for a slight variation in punctuation). To them all, a salute!
Today's Rune: Possessions.
2 comments:
I really must watch this. During her life, her demons overshadowed her amazing musical gifts and it's only fairly recently that I have come to appreciate how gifted she really was. Thanks for this.
Erik-Watched this recently and totally was enthralled. Amy was an amazing talent and I wish she could have shared more of it with us.
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