Review of The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006) by Joshua H — 31 Dec 2008

One of the best documentaries I think I have EVER seen, beautiful cinematography, the old footage from concerts and the audio from the tapes is just use in ingeniously. The story is achingly tragic...made me emotional and whatnot.

The ups and downs are just very real and painful to watch, his concert in the big stadium will just rip your heart out and make you cheer for him, and his lyrics are genius, like...Beatles + Dylan + Cobain + Karen O but even better, and his music is AMAZING.

I guess some people just have their ears to full of pop shit to hear sheer, raw emotion when it's played for them. I have never seen a performer with the charisma and powerful pull of DJ when he played in the Platter, and literally weeped on stage.

..just empathetic and overwhelmingly lovely. For a documentary featuring a mentally ill genius, it was alarmingly objective and clear-cut and never condescending. My only moment of annoyance was when they interviewed the lead singer of the Butthole Surfers, he was getting his nasty-ass teeth done or something in the dentist's office.

..the angles were claustrophobic and he was grungy and I hate the sound of teeth getting drilled. But...maybe it was a cinematic metaphor for what a dick he is. Mmm. Anyway, five stars, don't hate on amazing music when you listen to shitty pop crap anyway.