The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006)

Folktales are comprised of legends and are seldom rooted in truth. Often, they deify men and make overcoming the impossible seem plausible. Daniel Johnston's life has been riddled with such extreme triumph and tribulations that most would relegate his story to myth, had his journey not been so well documented. It also makes the intrinsic value of his folk music and art that much more valuable. It's easy to write his extensive catalog off as simple work from a simple mind, but after watching the well-orchestrated documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005) its evident that Johnstons brilliance is co-morbid with his disabilities. The rudimentary form his craft takes ties into his perceived understanding of the world and leaves his fans bewildered at the profoundness of his genius; especially because all other arenas of his life are plagued by his struggle with manic-depressive behavior and delusions of grandeur. The film, directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, serves as an instrument in helping audiences attain a better understanding of Daniel's disposition by utilizing post-production techniques to imbue the audience with same sense of mania that Johnston lives with from day to day. His disorder bore a neurosis that left behind an abundance of archival ephemera. The authenticity of his a visceral and auditory journaling, though music and other musings, create a first-person perspective through Johnston's eyes, which helps motivate the story when seamlessly woven into the narrative. It helps the audience understand the fantasticness of his irrationality by making them live through these severe circumstances. Presentation of the memorabilia through editing and Feuerzeig's direction also helms psychosis, as the each segment is ripe with strife to the point of cerebral saturation. However, the intensity of the segments are juxtaposed with stagnate close- ups of a tape recorder, where we just hear Daniels unnerving voice talking about the events as he experiences them. The paradox in pace creates the elusive mental-states of eccentricity and depravity in the audience. It's sort of like trying to describe to someone what it feels like to ride a roller-coaster; it's a lot easier just to let them ride themselves. Feuerzeig artfully captures Daniels essence as an unpredictable and mentally unstable individual, yet manages to garner adoration for the protagonist by surmising that Daniel is not the sum of his disorder. This film could have spun in any number of directions, exploiting the travesty's that ensued with Johnston's inherent proclivity toward the eccentric, but the director maintains tact and decency that gave the film a level of material that couldn't be created by any sort of misdirection. As style usually prevails over substance, The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005) lags in neither; it's an articulate film about an unarticulable condition.

This, the story of the very living and breathing Daniel Johnston, is a well-made shot at capturing the spirit of his work until 2005, when the documentary was made.Even if you haven't heard his music, or even if you don't like it, this is a remarkable person and makes for a bigger film than most sci-fi can lay claim to.Johnston started making music while living in his parents' basement. His mother berated him with not being a good Christian while he drew, painted and filmed with unrestrained zeal, and suddenly he started playing the piano and writing lyrics. He released his own music on cassette and started getting known.At the same time, his mental problems started surfacing; he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has gone through major periods of manic behaviour, often connected to visions of The Devil.His songwriting is monumental, and this documentary follows him well through bouts of creativity, friendship, his One Love, his relationship with his mother, working with other musicians, his long-standing job at McDonalds and his incarceration with mental institutions.This documentary provided me with a peep-hole into everybody's soul, not just Johnston's. He's a lovable guy

The Devil and Daniel Johnston -ok I have seen this movie before(Jandek/Wesley Willis promo reel/Rodney on the Roq)- but this movie about the creative outsider artist Daniel Johnston was well done and kept my interest the whole time.Mixing his drawings,home movies and cassette recordings with recollections by his friends and family.A lifelong Beatles fan -he started by writing songs and playing them on his piano- then he moved to Austin and switched to guitar- his approach to music is very stripped down- and not an easy listen at first- but when he is in the zone- there is a simple beauty to his pain-his voice while not conventionaly pretty or always pitch-perfect is so honest and bracing that it reeled me right in.The movie captured his brief glimpses into fame( hijacking a MTV BBQ and getting his name out) to his struggles with his manic depression - including a harrowing plane ride with his father.The DVD has some great extras also- including 3 of Daniel's early short films,his first meeting with his college muse in a decade and an broadcast on WFMU.A good documentary with tons of extras. B+

Sorry folks there is no genius in Daniel Johnston. As an illustrator he's got some talent. Genius no. There was one or more of those in the colleges I attended. Even better. Musically he's a hack. His writing is immature at best. And his singing is uncontrolled noise. To subject an audience to this kind of mumble jumble and try to pull it off as genius in insulting. By the end I didn't even feel sorry for him. I'm glad he has parents that are supportive and caring. But lets call it what it is. A bi-polar uncontrolled somewhat talented man who may have been a good artist if he were stable enough to be disciplined. Just because you cut off your ear doesn't make you a Van Gogh.