Kylie Netflix Documentary

VV said:
Kylie has suffered a lot of abuse, but not on the same level as Madonna has.
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I mean I think they both get the last laugh don’t they - 35-40 years into incredible careers.
 
Finn said:
I thought this was great but that it (necessarily) fell in the no-man's land between being for the fans and for the public.
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This is much more aimed at the public /casuals in my opinion. It focused on her transcendental moments, absolute highs and lows and it did a quite good job with it - and there was good depth with those moments that would translate with both groups.
 
I honestly thought it was just ok. As Finn said, it fell into that no-man's land a bit too much for me. It sort of covered everything, but it all felt too slick and polished. It left out so, so much stuff that fans who've been following her for decades would maybe like to have seen or had some insight into.

But yep, perfectly fine overall!
 
It's wild that Pete feels the need to exaggerate considering the very real successes of PWL with I think 60 or so top 10 hits during their reign.
 
lolly said:
And I don't think she still gets it to any significant degree, either.
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Yes, I was surprised watching the documentary at the focus on all the negativity around her career at the start because I really wouldn't have known - although it makes sense. The music press used to have a real thing about authenticity and obviously people are dicks about anything teenage girls like.

She's a bit of a national treasure these days! I think people are broadly quite nice about her.
 
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She got so much shit. And the thing she alluded to - but they didn't actually go into 'we won't play Kylie' on posters - was for a new commercial national radio station in the UK I think - Basically that attitude still prevailed with a lot of people even through the Indie phase (because they likely didn't hear it) - It was Spinning Around and probably doing Kids with Robbie Williams that re-positioned her as, for want of a better word 'serious' pop rather than just the more throw away variety.
 
Her indie period wasn't as bad as they made out. She released some good music during this era, and I think it was necessary for her to come back with such an impact with Spinning around.
 
I always remember seeing her T In The Park set played on STV really late at night back in the day. Quite enjoying the Glasto segment now. Loving Nick once again.
 
Were Kylie fans really pointing guns at Nick Cave when the cameras weren't looking? Crazy considering he gave her essentially one of the most brilliant songs of her whole career AND in between two KM singles that bombed not even entering the top 20.
 
I’m finally watching this now. Nick Cave saying that Kylie fans were giving him evil looks at TOTP was a little hard to believe. That’s not even how the TOTP audience generally works.
 
Main Nick Cave revelation for me was that he's AUSTRALIAN. I had no idea.
 
supermassive said:
Were Kylie fans really pointing guns at Nick Cave when the cameras weren't looking? Crazy considering he gave her essentially one of the most brilliant songs of her whole career AND in between two KM singles that bombed not even entering the top 20.
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Which two songs? The only one not to make the top 20 was Some Kind Of Bliss.
 
Saw the second episode last night. Like Pete, Nick Cave is a great storyteller with a knack for embellishing the truth.

This podcast review took umbrage with him taking the credit for her return to pop...but he definitely had a huge influence.

I think I agree with the general consensus now that this really should have been spread over 4 episodes.
 
It's a fairly common trait for documentaries featuring and focusing on living people, that the story ends remarkably early, only focusing on the most famous early years.

I'd guess for a few reasons - recent history is too recent, interest declines as they get older or it leaves room for a follow-up.
 
I definitely don't agree with those saying that less time should have been devoted to those earlier formative years or to her romance with Michael...I think those aspects are crucial to the narrative that Michael Harte is constructing.
 
The juxtaposition at the end by skipping 13 years between Showgirl Homecoming and Glastonbury was weird. Yes, Glastonbury was postponed in 2005 but acting like she had doubts over the size of the crowd in the Sunday Legends slot, just because she was a Pop act, when Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie and Barry Gibb had only just recently smashed it, is a bit far fetched.
 
I think this isn't unusual in music documentaries - they do the early years, the crazy success, the inevitable dip, and then the phoenix from the flames bit - but then if you just carry on for 10-15-20 years doing more or less the same level of 'stuff' in a similar way then yeah it's just skipped. I think I'd have liked more on her come back following the first cancer diagnosis, and also it would have been interesting to cover the making of and challenges of the DIsco era during a lockdown.
 
Also, was Jason acting by getting a bit upset at the end? It was a long time ago and he’s had a pretty stable and successful marriage, so it’s all worked out really well.

I liked their home movies a lot and it’s quite crazy how many insignificant moments of their lives that they filmed considering the time.
 
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Perhaps I missed it, but the documentary didn’t mention the end of her relationship to Olivier, even though he seemed to be there for her throughout the first cancer diagnosis.
 
I’m only just really catching up with the rest of this thread so commenting in bits and bobs.

What struck me mostly about the press vitriol is that I knew they did that with almost everyone in the tabloids at the time. She was an easy target, but what came across most is how well she dealt with all of it. I kept thinking that Britney got it far worse (and as you may know, I have very little appreciation for Britney’s music). Madonna got it worse too, but Madonna is insanely intelligent and articulate, and Kylie is the same with a wonderful family behind her. Britney has neither of those advantages and suffered more because of it.
 
hyperwoof said:
I think this isn't unusual in music documentaries - they do the early years, the crazy success, the inevitable dip, and then the phoenix from the flames bit - but then if you just carry on for 10-15-20 years doing more or less the same level of 'stuff' in a similar way then yeah it's just skipped. I think I'd have liked more on her come back following the first cancer diagnosis, and also it would have been interesting to cover the making of and challenges of the DIsco era during a lockdown.
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I haven't seen the last part yet but given what you learn at the end, it would have perhaps been more conducive to a more fulfilling arc if they had covered the Disco era...particularly when she was likely recording and promoting the record whilst she was ill (unbeknownst to her).
 
Jark said:
maybe she didn't want to talk about him
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Most likely. But I also find that a failing of sorts in these kind of celebrity documentaries. It’s why I find most of them a bit vaccuous and surface level. Of course it’s absolutely her right not to talk about whatever she doesn’t want to talk about, but as a viewer it’s also my right to feel like too much is left out. She’s always been very guarded and for better or worse(better for her I’m sure), that hasn’t changed.
 
I think of all the anecdotes provided in the series, when Kylie gives them they are the most sincere and likely the most honest (I include Dannii's recollections in this)...which is what really highlights how absolutely grounded she is.
 
I think it's interesting that both Will and Olivier are shown but not named by her - sort of like if you know then you know in terms of their importance - so they are not not there, but I guess they are paths not taken in this documentary.
 
Ellie said:
I’m only just really catching up with the rest of this thread so commenting in bits and bobs.

What struck me mostly about the press vitriol is that I knew they did that with almost everyone in the tabloids at the time. She was an easy target, but what came across most is how well she dealt with all of it. I kept thinking that Britney got it far worse (and as you may know, I have very little appreciation for Britney’s music). Madonna got it worse too, but Madonna is insanely intelligent and articulate, and Kylie is the same with a wonderful family behind her. Britney has neither of those advantages and suffered more because of it.
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Was the criticism of Madonna and Britney ever directed at their music though? I'm old enough to recall Madge being lambasted for courting controversy and with Britney it was about her private life but did either of them face accusationss of being talentless by leading figures in the industry or music press (and not just online trolls)?
 
Eddie said:
Was the criticism of Madonna and Britney ever directed at their music though? I'm old enough to recall Madge being lambasted for courting controversy and with Britney it was about her private life but did either of them face accusationss of being talentless by leading figures in the industry or music press (and not just online trolls)?
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Of course they did! Britney's voice is one of the most parodied in history.

To be honest I think this argument that Kylie is the single most victimised woman in pop music is really quite ridiculous. She had some really cruel knocks, and she handled it with remarkable grace and aplomb. But she's part of a much wider pattern of female pop stars having their talents and creative input diminished by the press. Her story is far from unique in that regard.
 
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