The subtitle of this film is 'A revealing look at the life of Janis Joplin', but anyone expecting a thorough documentary will be disappointed. This film teaches little about the person behind the raw stage beast. Most of Janis The Way She Was is filled with live footage shot at the Monterey Pop Festival, in the rehearsal room and on two tours. Joplin and her band play long adaptations of blues and
… soul crackers. In those songs, Janis 'professional backing band always builds to ecstatic highlights that Janis' raw voice thrives in. Apart from an interesting report of the singer's visit to a school reunion in her narrow-minded Texas hometown, only a few short interviews with the singer are featured on this DVD. Those interviews also excel in clichés ('Making music is the same as making love'). Janis The Way She Was is mainly a compilation of the best live recordings of the singer available. (PdK)more
