Diary accounts of Frida’s life make the documentary “Frida” seem autobiographical; paired with animations of her paintings, the doc takes you through the mind of the legendary artist. Premiering March 15th on Amazon Prime Video, “Frida” is an artist’s story that the world should see. Her exuberant way of loving, her rebellious way of living and her life-changing accident garner deep attachment to her ancestral spirit. Frida fought for her life, and the praise we give her posthumously, by being herself. Nothing about Frida was normal, from her boyish way of dressing to her love of women, she defied all societal rules. Her peers at school would say, “Frida is a little strange.” The biographical accounts from friends and lovers offer insight on how she was perceived and treated.
The documentary is bright and historical. In addition to learning about Frida, Gutierrez draws attention to Diego Rivera, famed muralist and husband to the artist. Her self-portraits, highlighted throughout the documentary, are reflections of her reality. Frida used the essence of the world as her inspiration to create. “Deciphering the world was like a game,” she writes. Frida was a communist, surrealist, and despiser of stuck-up gringos. The variants in her lifestyle are thrilling to understand while watching the flowing picture. “Frida,” the documentary, is a lovely piece of art to further her legacy.
As the episode opens, Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction sits in the middle of a room surrounded by a projected desert landscape as he goes through a retrospective process of the creation and impact of Lollapalooza, while drinking wine straight from the bottle. The traveling music festival was intended to be a farewell party for Jane’s Addiction, but has since turned into an annual festival based solely in Chicago. The episode features interviews of band participants, as well as footage of the festival and its creation. Aspects of the festival including social activism before internet access, rebellious youth, and limitless access to drugs and alcohol are highlighted in the episode. Farrell recalls getting “so f*cked up,” he missed a groundbreaking introductory moment for his band, Jane’s Addiction. An audience member is spotted saying, “My mom loves me even though I do drugs.”