Product Details

• Actors: Janis Joplin, Dick Cavett, Sam Andrew
• Directors: Howard Alk
• Format: NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Mca
• VHS Release Date: July 1, 1991
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300183505
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #99,035 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Janis: The Way She Was FORMAT: [VHS]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent documentary shows the heart, and spirit of Janis, September 26, 2003

By 

Adam Bernstein "sixtiesuniverse" (Northwest, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Janis: The Way She Was [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This 1974 documentary contains some of Janis Joplin's best performances as well as some great spontaneous interviews. It has her incredible performance of Ball and Chain at Monterey ('67), some Cheap Thrills studio sessions ('68), Woodstock ('69), and Calgary ('70). She blows away the audience on Dick Cavett with Move Over and breaks down during the High School reunion interviews. Where she came from in Port Arthur, TX is such a contrast to who she was. And who she was was the incarnation of the Spirit of the 1960s counter-culture.

We get 2 great performances of Piece of My Heart, one of Tell Mama, Try, and Summertime both live and in studio. If you really get into this you might, just might, see God in Janis. She seeps sexuality in her performances, and reveals substantial depth of insight and intellect when interviewed. Even as we are in the midst of our 21st century Brittany Spears culture, we can go back to this and know there was once an unflinching soaring eagle in free flight.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Janis, March 2, 2000

By 

James Alec (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Janis: The Way She Was [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a fascinating documentary. Those who read about Janis in "Buried Alive" will especially enjoy this movie, as the two compliment each other quite well. For example, the high school reunion scene in the movie takes on added meaning if you know what was going on behind the scenes. Musically, I believe the Full Tilt '70 footage is the best in the movie. Strangely, the order of the music footage in the film is as follows: '66, '67, '70, '68, '69. In my opinion, the '69 footage is the weakest, but the director probably wanted to show the amazing contrast between Janis in '67 and Janis in '70 by putting the film together as he did. The film of the recording of "Cheap Thrills" is great too. It sure was fun to watch Janis fooling around a bit for the camera as a take of "Summertime" that we just watched her make is played back for her. Finally, I guarantee you'll get choked up when the photo montage rolls at the end as "Me and Bobby McGee" plays. Janis fan? Buy this video!

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great footage, August 27, 1999

By 

"[e-mail]" (NC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Janis: The Way She Was [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Janis contains footage any Janis Joplin fan will appreciate. There are roughly a dozen killer live performances that really show how she belted out that emotion, including songs performed at Woodstock, Monterey Pop, and the Dick Cavett Show. There are also alternate versions of a few songs, such as a slightly different "Summertime". You get a glimpse into the recording studio and even get to see clips from her ten-year high school reunion. This video is worth every penny, especially since video of Janis Joplin seems so scarce... all that I have found is Monterey Pop VHS, Janis VHS, and the Woodstock DVD. Technically, I guess I could also count American Pop.