The Man Whose Mind Exploded (2014)

Was battling depression at the time i came across this film by Toby Aimes. I decided to watch it purely because of the title and cover photo, i didn't even read the description.I knew INSTANTLY that this would be an amazing film....the first minute or so showed me the artsy side of this film and I was immediately hooked.Drako, whom this film is about, had an outlook that was so genuine it helped me find ways to rid myself of this ugly depressed state i had been in for the three years prior...Everything Drako said, did and wore (clothing) made me realize that my depression was unnecessary and irrelevant to my life. Since having watched this film, i have reopened my eyes to the world, stepped completely out of my comfort zones, regained friendships, and am no longer battling any depressed thoughts and feelings. I owe a great thank you to Toby for seeing something in this man that was so great he felt inspired to create a film about him. I absolutely recommend this to anyone with an open mind. Close minded people might not understand the values this film has to offer.

Director TOBY AMIES has created a fascinating portrait of a survivor. But not the predictable, poor-poor-me survivor that one would encounter in most documentaries."THE MAN WHOSE MIND EXPLODED" does not dwell in the past, nor does it wallow in a parade of sordid sob stories and tragedies. DRAKO, the seventy five year old eccentric subject of the film is not a victim. He is a vibrant individual who lives in the now. By his own rules. Wildly. Colorfully. Unabashedly. With no guilt or shame (or short term memory, for that matter).Having lived through the 60's as a jazz ballet dancer and one time model for Salvador Dali, he was a performance artist BEFORE there were performance artists. Heavily tattooed, pierced and with a Dali-esque waxed mustache, he is a a kind of S&M version of Quentin Crisp. Although experiencing 2 suicide attempts, a number of brain injuries, a few near death experiences and a series of nervous breakdowns---too many to count, he remains positive, and firmly in the present. Living life as Art --- with the world as his Theater.The Director doesn't handle him with kid gloves, but as an equal. And that is why this film is so magical and REAL. A bold portrait of a man whose mind exploded, but his personality and outlook on life remained strangely intact . . . positive . . . looking to the future!To quote the tattoo on his wrist: "TRUST ABSOLUTE UNCONDITIONAL"

This documentary brings you into the life of Drako Oho Zarhazar and brings Drako directly into your heart. Sometimes in life you find characters that change your perspective and inspire pure love and faith, this is one such character and this film is just a snippet of his full and free life. Filmed over 4 years in and around his home, this documentary allows the viewer into Drako's most personal space and gives them a very real and very raw look at some of his most personal and trying medical conditions, one of which is a type of amnesia that doesn't allow him to record new memories. Watching this film one can't help but to truly care for Drako, laughing with him when he laughs and feeling the fear and frustration that his family and friends feel when he does what he has always done and just disappears only to return with no memory of where he's been. Drako leaves us with a message that may become your mantra, "Trust. Absolute. Unconditional." "Life has it's own validity, but you must make an effort."

The man who's mind exploded is a perfect insight in to life behind the scenes of a well know Brighton eccentric suffering mental illness. The film doesn't follow a narrative often enforced by such documentaries and as such we get a real insight into the daily repetition of Drako's life and the frustrations his family have to deal with trying to look after him whilst allowing him to retain his dignity.My only criticism would be that it would have been better to use a wider angle lens for some of the shots inside the flat.And please....this is an independent film. Don't stream it from youtube or torrent sites. Due to the number of penis's in the film, I doubt it will get a TV showing!! This is my favorite, he's dressed for dinner!