This is a fantastic film.
Of course I know who Allee Willis was. But I never met her, she was never my friend, I certainly never went to any of her parties. But people would talk about her. And what they constantly conveyed was that she was OUTRAGEOUS, LARGER THAN LIFE!
But I did not know she was tortured.
Those childhood wounds... They run very deep. Her mother ran interference, but her mother died when Allee was a teenager and her father married someone with two daughters who were girly. Allee was never girly. She was a tomboy. But even deep into her years, she could not admit she was gay. It was unacceptable, to society, and probably her dad. She always wanted to impress her dad, an impossible feat.
Her aunts and their kids were coming to visit her and...she couldn't hear that their daughters had married doctors, the Jewish dream. The fact that she sold millions of records, that didn't stack up, there was no comparison.
Allee was looking for love. Not just from a person, but from all of society. She was in endless pursuit of it. But fame never makes you happy, never in and of itself. But those with a deep hole inside pursue it, they believe it's the only way out of their internal hell.
And it's not always hell, but you just don't feel like everybody else, you just don't feel accepted, but if you're famous...people will love you, right?
Ultimately in this doc they reveal the fact that Allee had loads of ambition, and acted upon it. I forgot that she had an album on CBS, after being a secretary for the company, that doesn't happen by accident. You've got to need it.
Most people don't need it that badly.
They think it's about writing a song, getting lucky, after all, they're talented, they DESERVE IT!
Well, at most talent is fifty percent. But what you've got to know, your heroes, the icons, are some of the most f*cked up people in the world. Sure, they might love what they do, but they need to do what they do to fill a hole deep inside, and without acclaim, there's no chance of that hole being filled.
Not that anybody realizes this. They think an artist is someone who appears on "The Voice." Hell, most of the judges on "The Voice" are not artists, because in truth you can't corral an artist, even if they agree to do it they're going to jump the fence, you can't push them around, at some point they have to do it THEIR WAY!
And usually they know better. Everybody else has learned how to conform, they see the world through those eyes, but the artists, they're outside society, they've got insight the average person does not, but when the average person is exposed to it...
So this is not the usual low budget hagiography of most rock docs. Nor is it a big budget biopic. No, the talking heads don't rag on Allee, but her flaws are evident.
And one thing they emphasize is she can't stand still, she can't stand on her laurels, she can't keep doing the same thing. That truly is the mark of an artist.
So you've got famous talking heads, the now deceased Paul Reubens who looks incredibly dignified. Julie Brown. Mark Mothersbaugh. But Lauren Wood? I saw her opening for some act at the Troubadour when she was part of Chunky, Novi and Ernie. I even bought Lauren's solo debut. But I did not know she was involved with Allee.
Nor did I know Allee tried to create a social network called "Willisville" with Mark Cuban. Allee was ahead of her time. Many greats are. Allee knew the hoi polloi could create great entertainment, she foresaw the power of social media.
And sure, you'll learn about the music business, the big bucks eighties.
But even more you'll find out about this talented one of a kind person who just needed attention, that's why she dressed like that. Was she warm and fuzzy? I never thought so from afar, and I'm not sure she was after watching this doc, then again most true artists are very sensitive, but can be one-minded and prickly.
The theatrical exhibition window is over, and now you can pay to see this movie on demand, but really, most people will never see it until it's available as part of the fare on one of the big services.
And it's not going to be a cult item that grows to be part of the cultural fabric, and it's not going to jet Allee into the stratosphere, do for her what "Wayne's World" did for Queen, but...
It will be inspirational for the loose nuts and bolts, those who don't feel accepted, those with a need to express themselves.
And unlike the Anita Pallenberg doc, unlike so many music documentaries, you don't have to be a fan of Allee Willis or even know anything about the music industry to enjoy this.
Allee wants to be remembered for her work, for what she left behind, physically and musically. But after this movie what she will be remembered for, if at all, and essentially none of us lasts for the ages, is being one of a kind, a human being who didn't hew to the accepted path, who insisted on being herself, however difficult that was.
I hope it's not too difficult for you.
--
Visit the archive: lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, Unsubscribe
To change your email address this link
No comments:
Post a Comment