The Devil and Daniel Johnston - movie review
To say that Daniel Johnston is a songwriter or a performer or an artist somehow doesn't come out right, because though he does all these things he does them in such a way that is so direct and intense that it defies any conventional label. Some people might say that this film is about a troubled but highly creative fellow, obsessed by demons, and up against the demons of mental illness....but that isn't quite right either.
Mr. Johnston performs a rough magic with songs, beautiful, intense, fantastic. There is a segment in the film where record company execs are in a bidding war to sign Daniel Johnston, but it is so obvious that he cannot function within a corporate structure, it is hilarious watching people try to make him into a product.
The film is respectful, beautiful, funny disturbing and sad. It reminded me a little of the film Dig, about the bands The Brian Jonestown Massacre and their rivals The Dandy Warhols, in that both are films about creative people surfing perilously close to the reef. I didn't know anything about Daniel Johnston at all before seeing The Devil and Daniel Johnston, but when I saw the film I realized that I had heard some of his songs before covered by others. As usual, I'm 20 years behind being hip to anything.
On the 5 fish anchovy scale, The Devil and Daniel Johnston gets close to 4 salties.
2 comments:
I LOVED the movie DIG...(you must see Grey Gardens!)
I doubt I will see this movie because the trailer reminded me actually of CRUMB, once is enough. But you made it sound elss scary/creepy than Crumb...is it? Or Frances...it looks so depressing the trailers did anyway.
It is nothing like CRUMB at all. It is sad, but it is also very joyful in lots of ways.
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