It's an amazing doc.

I too came away with this exact feeling you had. I was astounded by the number of people close to her who watched her disintegrate so publicly, but to see her own father use her for selfishly and thoughtlessly for his own benefit as she crumbled was horrific and hard for me to comprehend.

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I didn't think it was possible for there to be a parent in real life who was as bad as Wee Bay's wife in The Wire. Focking Mitch Winehouse passes Delonda Brice in that category in third gear.

However, I disagree with this.

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That being said, I don't think Amy's demise can be blamed on the people around her (e.g. Blake) or the rapid acquisition of fame and money (and the consequences that often flow therefrom). She had demons that weren't taking no for an answer.

It's impossible to know what would have happened without the sudden fame and celebrity, but I find it equally impossible to not think that her discomfort with many aspects of that brought some of those 'demons' to the forefront or at the least greatly increased their influence. When I watched the film it did not appear to me that her issues were nearly as pronounced before she rode the fame rocket. I cannot imagine what that experience must be like. I found myself actually feeling physically shocked by the when they would show her being hounded by paparazzi and all the camera flashes would go off. It was like she was being shot at in a war zone, and her expression showed it.

I found the most poignant scene to be the one where she was onstage I assume in London and she stops the show to watch the Grammy presentation. The look of awe on her face, first as she watched one of her idols presening the award and then the stunned expression of disbelief when her name was announced as the winner.. I watched it on DVD and I just kept going over that part again and again. I really appeared to me that she honestly thought she had no chance of winning, and makes me wonder if she really knew how talented she was compared to most of the other nominees. I suspect one of those demons you mention was a lack of self esteem or confidence that alcohol helped mask.

I have to admit I was never much of a fan of her musically. The timbre of her voice is just not pleasing to my ear. But I really had no idea she was such a strong songwriter and lyricist. I was left with a much greater respect for her talent and a profound sadness for it's loss.

This post was edited on 12/29/15 at 11:12 pm

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Posted by SystemsGo

Member since Oct 2014

2774 posts

Posted on 12/29/15 at 10:50 pm to Sayre

quote:
t's impossible to know what would have happened without the sudden fame and celebrity, but I find it equally impossible to not think that her discomfort with many aspects of that brought some of those 'demons' to the forefront or at the least greatly increased their influence. When I watched the film it did not appear to me that her issues were nearly as pronounced before she rode the fame rocket. I cannot imagine what that experience must be like. I found myself actually feeling physically shocked by the when they would show her being hounded by paparazzi and all the camera flashes would go off. It was like she was being shot at.

I agree with this. I think that the rapid onset of fame and money essentially fed her demons and she quickly -- I mean, really quickly -- spiraled past a point of no return. It accelerated her demise without question.

But what struck me was how much of a complete trainwreck she was even before she was famous. Hell, putting aside the fact that she was bulemic -- again, seriously great parenting Mr. and Mrs. Winehouse -- the girl was starting her days off with bottles of liquor in her late teens and early 20s when she was barely even regionally famous. I mean, it's impossible to say what might have come to be. Perhaps if she hadn't gone so far and so fast down the road she did then a 70 day trip to a treatment facility might have turned her life around for the better. But I think it's more likely that, in the absence of her fame, she would have just drank herself to death (slowly) rather than (quickly) killing herself with crack and heroin.

But at least in the proposed alternative she makes more music. And that last sentence may come across selfish or heartless, but I don't mean it that way. Girl had a freaking gift. Better off shared than cut short, right?

This post was edited on 12/29/15 at 10:51 pm

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