Posted: Tuesday 8th January 2008

White Diamond is a documentary following Kylie’s recovery from breast cancer and subsequent return to the stage. In 2005 Kylie had to postpone a series of concerts scheduled for her Showgirl tour in order to battle cancer. This documentary focuses on the period after Kylie’s treatment and finishes in 2007 as Kylie resumes her hectic touring schedule.

The documentary, directed by long-time friend and creative director Will Baker, was promised as a warts and all style film. In actuality it is a very carefully edited and controlled piece of film. Kylie remains as guarded as ever about her personal life and for the majority of this documentary we only see small glimpses of the real Kylie. Most of the time Kylie appears as she always does – smiley, happy and determined – and at times this documentary presents a very one-sided view of Kylie. There are a handful of honest moments where Kylie confides that she is losing her confidence and there is heartbreaking footage of her having to be carried off stage due to her ailing health.

Perhaps the most telling sign of the documentary’s careful editing is the sole appearance of Kylie’s then boyfriend Olivier Martinez. He would have been with her a lot during the period when this was filmed but oddly he only appears once. Maybe Kylie didn’t want her relationship to become the focus of the film or maybe she was worried she’d give viewers too much access to her personal life. There is a point in the film when Kylie speaks candidly with William Baker and explains why she has never allowed someone to document her life in the way she has allowed him to.

As a bonus for the DVD release, White Diamond has been coupled with a second DVD containing the Showgirl Homecoming Tour shot in Melbourne in December 2006. The 31 track setlist features songs from throughout Kylie’s career and it’s impossible to tell that Kylie was fighting cancer only months earlier. As always she puts on a remarkable show and she is in impressive form considering what she had been through that year. The show is a lavishly-produced, visually stunning affair with Kylie on remarkable vocal form. No one can say that she didn’t return to the stage with a bang.

Extras across the two-disc set include a live performance of Kids featuring Kylie’s sister Dannii and some additional performances from one of her London tour dates.

White Diamond is a must for all Kylie fans but be warned it’s not quite the unique insight we were hoping for. Whilst Kylie always come across as bubbly and likeable it’s the lack of vulnerability that we have access to that causes the most problems. On the occasion that Kylie gets personal she comes across like a little girl and you get the impression she’s so fragile she may just break. The main focus of the film is Kylie’s battle to get back on stage in the face of adversity and you have to admire her for her determination and drive.