JULY AT THE MOVIES

The Hoopla’s queen of the screen Lisa Hensley has been to the flicks and – shock, horror – walks away liking Katy Perry.

Part of Me

After sitting through Katy Perry’s engaging documentary Part Of Me, I began to wonder why so few artists had employed this form of filmmaking to influence public perception and indeed sway it in their favor.

Madonna famously lead the way with her 1991 documentary In Bed with Madonna: Truth or Dare, which was intoxicating for its fly-on-the-wall exposure of a petulant, demanding star, a difficult brother, and a predilection for eating clear soup out of a huge silver soup bowl. I loved every minute of it! It was a heady collision of reality and fantasy that allowed little old me to see the flaws, and in turn the likability and vulnerability, of one of the world’s most-famous female singers.

Twenty one years later Katy Perry, quite ingeniously, decided to tread the same path.

I say ingeniously because Katy Perry really means nothing to me. She doesn’t add to my life musically and my overall perception was that of a spoilt little girl who was upset and confused by how much work and commitment a marriage would require… Hers lasted just 14 months! Go away.

So enter the power of film, a good director and and central character who is really quite likeable, talented and displays a terrific work ethic. The documentary while not nearly as well made as Truth or Dare, is entertaining and plays greatly to Perry’s strengths – her candidness, generosity, loyalty and, of course, music. The disintegration of her marriage adds the much-needed meat to the sandwich.

For Perry fans this is a no brainer but for those like me… shock, horror, you might just walk away really liking the girl! Clever.