Janis Joplin Movies
- 2003
First-time director Samuel Benmchetrit's 2003 debut Janis et John (Janis and John) follows the comedic exploits of a down-on-his luck insurance salesman as he attempts to make up for some very poor financial decisions. Pablo Sterni (Sergi Lopez), the aforementioned insurance salesman, has, until recently, been an honest business man. As of late, though, Pablo had been siphoning money from one of his more successful client's accounts -- one that covers a very expensive sports car. When that client, Mr. Cannon (Jean-Louis Trintignant), turns in a loss claim for that car for a half-million francs, Pablo finds himself in a tight spot. Inspiration strikes when Pablo learns that his hippy-dippy cousin Leon (Christopher Lambert, billed as Christophe Lambert) has just inherited a million francs from his recently deceased father. Leon, a perpetually stoned record store owner, lives solely for the day his 1973 vision of John Lennon and Janis Joplin's Christ-like return to Earth is fulfilled. After visiting with his cousin, Pablo decides to assist Leon in reliving his dream -- as well as parting him with much of his inheritance -- by convincing his wallflower wife, Brigitte (Marie Trintignant, murdered mere weeks before the film's debut, thus marking her final film appearance) and an out-of-work actor (François Cluzet) to impersonate Janis and John. Janis et John was selected for inclusion in the 2003 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sergi López, Marie Trintignant, (more)
In 1970, with seemingly every North American city of any size holding a rock festival after the success of Woodstock, Ken Walker and Thor Eaton, a pair of Canadian entrepreneurs and music buffs, had an idea: instead of setting up one massive show with a bunch of top-name acts, why not stage a series of them across the country? With this in mind, Walker (then only 22 years old) and Eaton (whose family owned one of Canada's most successful department store chains) signed up Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, the Band, Buddy Guy, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and several others and hired out a private train that would carry the musicians in high style for a string of five shows from Toronto to Calgary. The jaunt was called "The Festival Express," and a camera crew tagged along to capture the shows on film, as well as the constant party that took place en route. The tour proved to be a financial bust and, as a result, the footage sat on the shelf for over thirty years until director Bob Smeaton recut the material into Festival Express, which not only documents the glorious folly of the tour, but offers a hindsight look at the events from some of the surviving participants. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- The Band, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, (more)
- 1995
- R
In this twisted black comedy, blackmailer Billy has chosen the son-in-law of a prominent business man to become his meal-ticket -- but first he must lure Arthur into his trap. For some time, Billy has known that Arthur has had a thing for Billy's lover Jessica. Lately Billy and Jessica have had troubles in the boudoir, and no matter how many games they play or fantasies they enact, Bill just can't seem to get sufficiently aroused. One night he decides to go out rather than spend another futile night entertaining Jessica. She ends up inviting Arthur over for some fun. As soon as he arrives she is at him like a pitbull on a pot roast. She has just finished ripping his clothing off when Billy steps in and shoots an incriminating Polaroid. While the embarrassed Arthur apologizes, Billy ties him up and then demands a large sum of money in exchange for silence. To ensure he gets it, Billy decides to leave Arthur tied up for the entire weekend. Suddenly, Billy finds himself terribly excited by his captive audience and proceeds to make frequent and vigorous love to Jessica while poor Arthur looks on. The two are rather inept lovers and Arthur is somewhat disgusted. In the end, the story takes a darker turn and mayhem ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ron Eldard, Kari Wuhrer, (more)
- 1995
Produced by Time Life Video & Television, History of Rock 'n' Roll: My Generation is part 6 in a 10-tape documentary series that depicts the history of rock from its inception to punk and beyond. The music of The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Santana are featured in this segment. Other tapes in the set include: History of Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll Explodes, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Good Rockin' Tonight, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Britain Invades, America Fights Back, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Plugging In, History of Rock 'n' Roll: The Sounds of Soul, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Guitar Heroes, History of Rock 'n' Roll: The 70's, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Punk, and History of Rock 'n' Roll: Up from the Underground. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, Rovi
- 1995
In the 1960s, the sound of rock & roll music became more amplified and electric. Part of the ten-volume series The History of Rock 'N' Roll, this installment chronicles the development of the electric sound. Highlights include interviews and archival and concert film footage of various rock icons, including Bob Dylan at Newport in 1965, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits, the Mamas and the Papas, the Byrds, Pete Townsend and the Who, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix.
~ Steve Blackburn, Rovi
~ Steve Blackburn, Rovi
- 1990
This documentary looks at the careers of various stars who died from drug and alcohol abuse. ~ Rovi
- 1990
Woodstock: The Lost Performances is a video collection of highlights from the 120 miles of footage used to make the original 1970 film. Included here are "Work Me Lord" by Janis Joplin, "We Shall Overcome" by Joan Baez, and "Let's Go Get Stoned" by Joe Cocker. This compilation also contains performance footage from Arlo Guthrie, Country Joe McDonald, and the Band. The video was compiled and released during the 20th anniversary of Woodstock. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Joan Baez, Joe Cocker, (more)
- 1988
This musical extravaganza features the sights and sounds of the sixties and archival footage of some of the most brilliant musical performers, like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, CSNY, The Dead and many others - raw and uncensored. ~ Rovi
- 1986
Director Jean-Luc Godard pokes fun at the follies and injustices of small-time filmmaking in this drama-comedy about two apparent has-beens who are trying their best to get together the funds and the cast for a last, desperate bid for cinematic fame and fortune. The duo (Jean-Claude Mocky and Jean-Pierre Leaud) and their assistants mull over the meaning and purpose of cinema, but at the same time, the cattle-call for their proposed new production does not rise above its bovine metaphor. While eyeing beauteous new actresses with a dash of lasciviousness, the pair are also keeping track of would-be backers with more than a dash of cunning manipulation. Along the way, everything from hypocrisy to Roman Polanski gets a drubbing. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Léaud, Jean-Pierre Mocky, (more)
- 1974
- R
The short, electrifying career of singer Janis Joplin (1943-1970) is chronicled in this 96-minute documentary. Using family photos, interviews and concert clips, a fairly thorough portrait is painted of the dynamic, self-destructive R&B singer. With Joplin, what you saw was what you got: she is as volcanic and unpredictable off-stage as on. Janis Joplin's family had a lot of input in this production; thus, Joplin's music is given precedence over her private demons and her fabled substance abuse. Even so, the language is extremely raw at times, so you may want to preview the film before showing it to your kids. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1973
This grim German psychological drama unveils the process by which an innocent man can be so damaged by interactions with the criminal justice system that the smallest incident can trigger a murderous fury. Matthias (Matthias Eysen) is already a misfit and has trouble meeting society's expectations. When he is picked up by the police for a minor crime, the brutal indifference with which he is treated wounds him in ways which are not healed by his being found innocent and being released. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1970
- PG
A performance video that features excerpts from the singing stars of the 1960's. ~ Rovi
The first concert film of the rock & roll era, Monterey Pop is an invaluable record of some of the major musical figures of the late 1960s. The organizers of the Monterey International Pop Festival, held June 16-18, 1967, wisely chose to record the proceedings on film for commercial distribution. Even if some of the festival's big acts -- The Byrds, The Grateful Dead, and Buffalo Springfield -- didn't make the final cut for various reasons, the roster of performers who did reads like a who's who of the era: Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company (featuring Janis Joplin), Simon & Garfunkel, and The Mamas and the Papas (that group's leader, John Phillips, was one of the festival's principal organizers). The festival's "international" tag is well-earned by one performer in the film: Ravi Shankar, whose final-day performance was one of the festival's highlights and closes the movie on an exuberant note. Though the festival seemed to be anticipating nearby San Francisco's Summer of Love, the film chooses to concentrate on the musical performers, with only brief intimations of the burgeoning counterculture. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi
- 1967
The group that hit it big with their gritty sound led by Janis Joplin is the focus of this film. They are shown rehearsing and recording songs like "Ball and Chain" and "Down on Me." The film was shot before the group made their name at the Monterey Pop Festival. ~ Rovi
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