The Self-Destruction of Gia (2003) User Reviews (3)

A Raw Documentary

[lambiepie-2 · 9/10 · 10 October 2006]

This is a documentary that will tear your heart out.

You will see and hear much about "Gia Carangi", for this is the primary focus of the film. But what is more important is that the filmmaker makes it clear that the sad story is not exclusive to just this supermodel.

In this documentary there are no bells, no whistles, and no polish - just people telling you what they knew, what they experienced and sharing what they knew of one of the first supermodels of the late 1970's early 1980's, Gia Garangi.

You will be touched by this. The documentarian, JJ Martin, has put together "in your face" interviews of some of the people who were closest to Gia at certain times of her life, and they are as honest as can be. This is not fiction, these are the facts as they experienced it.

There are those in that are tops in fashion who give their perspective, those that are/were hard line drug addicts that will give you some insight, but the most riveting interviews are from her mother Kathleen, who speaks of Gia's last days; Janice Dickinson, also one of the first supermodels who worked with Gia on MANY shoots (and to me, gives one of the most heartbreaking revelations about how she felt for Gia's situation); Sandy Linter, a make-up artist and one of the loves of Gia's life; Zoe Lund, also a famous model, talented screenwriter and heroin addict (who died herself in 1999 of complications of long term drug abuse so there is history as well); Francesco Scavullo, one of the most famous fashion photographers in the world who you will find not only worked with Gia but cared about her as far as he could and the most important interview with Gia's drug therapist, Robert Hilton. Robert Hilton's recollections and admissions in this documentary will ... make you cry.

The interviews are purposely in black and white, the cameras are up close in the subjects faces for they reveal every emotion of those recalling memories or trying to take you into a world of addiction you hope to never experience. Between these interviews are home photographs of Gia as well as professional modeling shots, home movies, a TV commerical Gia stared in and the ABC Television 20/20 interview. You get the opportunity to know more about this famous model's rise at 17, who turned hard-line drug addict and died of AIDS at 26 years old.

The story will be hard to accept. A beautiful woman with "everything" who dies with "nothing". You'll no longer wonder whether or not that beauty is only skin deep. You'll want to know why Gia couldn't be helped, why anyone didn't help - or DID they? You'll get an insiders view on hard drug addition and what it does to you, and you'll actually see what it did to Gia.

For those who have seen the HBO movie, you'll know that that was a movie having many combined elements of Gia's life. This gives you much more, from those who actually experienced it. A must see.

Very powerful and stunning film. Brilliantly told by those who knew her

[jblues-3 · 10/10 · 20 March 2007]

This film has probably helped to saved lives.

This is not some Hollywood schlock from the likes of HBO, but instead a thoughtful well intentioned, asking and telling of the facts of Gia's short, but brilliant life. She was truly a Shooting Star.

Zoe Lund tells in loving detail how wonderful shooting Heroin can be, until you think you my might just want to try it yourself, and she follows up with just what it's like when you run out. The conclusion you reach, as you listen to Zoe, is that the only way to successfully take Heroin is to NEVER start.

If you only see the HBO film "Gia", you'll notice that Angelina never looked worse and the film is thin and uninteresting.

You must see "The Self-Destruction of Gia" if you are any kind of Gia Carangi fan, period! I was lucky enough to get tickets when it showed on the last day at the Tribeca Film Festival, and the theater was totally packed. After the film ended, everyone sat thru the credits and seem mesmerized and totally quite as the house lights came up. I've never heard such a dead silence after a film. This film made it past hundreds of other films to be chosen to show at the Tribeca Film Festival, so I guess Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese must have liked it, as you will too.

I bought the DVD online and will be holding on to this baby! Also I'd like to say I think the Directing and Editing is constantly intriguing as you wait for the next probing question and honest revelation.

You don't have to know Gia before you see this film, but you will know her after you have seen it.

Awful

[JackGrace · 1/10 · 26 January 2007]

I feel for the director who I'm sure cared very much about this project, but this "documentary" is an object lesson in incompetence. He did get some good interviews with key people in Gia's life ... but you better know who they are because he doesn't identify any of them. It's completely raw footage mixed in with a montage of photos and long, long clips from an interview Gia did. Even the opening credits are terrible. He stayed on the first photo of Gia for so long that I thought the DVD was broken. There are occasional stabs at a soundtrack. I'm sure any kid could put together a more professional tribute on YouTube. It's a sad, sad story, and again, I'm sure the director did his best, but this isn't something that should qualify as a film. Stick to the book or the Angelina Jolie movie.