That way madness...
The Devil and Daniel Johnston at the Prince Charles, 28th June 2006
Sometimes we all think that we’re a little mad, (well actually I have been mad as a hatter a couple of times; when I got dumped, when I got bullied, when I nearly went bankrupt), but watching this film, you realise just how different some people’s perception of reality is to the vast majority of the general public. Basically there’s madness, and then there’s a bunch of girlie romantic meditations on madness. Daniel Johnston is the thing itself, without any kind of pretension or affectation. Creativity oozes from the very pores of his childlike, altar-boy visage (even now when his medication has bloated his body out of all natural proportions), and his imagination and mood swings govern his every waking moment. He is 100% genuine in the sense that he doesn’t censor himself in the way other people do or try to manipulate others. His sensitivity means that the religious upbringing he experienced in his childhood (dispensed by well-meaning but unworldly parents) had a profound effect on him and the mythology of the Christian church, including angels and demons, God and Satan, heaven and hell, are real to him in a very physical way. Because of his illness, he sees angels and demons everywhere. He falls passionately in love with the first pretty girl that’s nice to him (a college student) and idolizes her for the rest of his life as both angel and muse (she knows nothing of his obsession at first, although she obviously must know now). He also turns down a record contract because Metallica are signed to the same label and, as a Christian, he believes they will try to kill him.
Another aspect that the film draws out is the way that the people around Daniel respond to his illness, in particular the outbreaks of mania (trying to baptise people, walking into stranger’s houses, crashing his father’s plane with both of them inside it, nearly killing them). His first agent has him sectioned and taken away to the nearest institution because he can’t deal with the reality of a creative genius who is out of control. Whilst in the institution he meets his second agent who becomes totally devoted to him for the rest of his life in an old school, Colonel Tom Parker, svengali kind of way, even after he refuses to sign the record deal which has taken him seven years to prepare (the most memorable quote in the film is when he describe the first meeting of the parties involved stating that it was ‘as normal as any meeting between a major record label and an aspiring artist can be when the meeting is taking place in a mental institution’). Daniel’s parents, despite initial conflicts and misunderstandings, also stand by him, and support him with real, solid love and compassion. His father’s devotion in particular is extremely affecting and the progress of the illness has obviously been a learning curve for everyone involved.
The film is intensely moving and informative about bipolar disorder, how it develops and reveals itself gradually over time until the first crisis comes. The two phases are both brilliantly conveyed: the charisma and charm of the manic when they’re in the first hyperbolic/ecstatic, ‘I can conquer the world’ phase, thinking they can do everything and know everything, that they’re unstoppable and they will be the most famous person that ever lived…followed by the disappointment and confusion of depression when that other personality seems to be hidden or concealed and the medication gradually dulls the creativity.
Finally I should say that the film is not all dark and depressing. It also has a lot of visual humour in it, especially when The Nightmares, the band that Daniel plays with now, first appear on scream wearing their trademark ‘fuck Satan’ t-shirts. Subtle.
It’s a classy documentary which I’d strongly recommend.
Sometimes we all think that we’re a little mad, (well actually I have been mad as a hatter a couple of times; when I got dumped, when I got bullied, when I nearly went bankrupt), but watching this film, you realise just how different some people’s perception of reality is to the vast majority of the general public. Basically there’s madness, and then there’s a bunch of girlie romantic meditations on madness. Daniel Johnston is the thing itself, without any kind of pretension or affectation. Creativity oozes from the very pores of his childlike, altar-boy visage (even now when his medication has bloated his body out of all natural proportions), and his imagination and mood swings govern his every waking moment. He is 100% genuine in the sense that he doesn’t censor himself in the way other people do or try to manipulate others. His sensitivity means that the religious upbringing he experienced in his childhood (dispensed by well-meaning but unworldly parents) had a profound effect on him and the mythology of the Christian church, including angels and demons, God and Satan, heaven and hell, are real to him in a very physical way. Because of his illness, he sees angels and demons everywhere. He falls passionately in love with the first pretty girl that’s nice to him (a college student) and idolizes her for the rest of his life as both angel and muse (she knows nothing of his obsession at first, although she obviously must know now). He also turns down a record contract because Metallica are signed to the same label and, as a Christian, he believes they will try to kill him.
Another aspect that the film draws out is the way that the people around Daniel respond to his illness, in particular the outbreaks of mania (trying to baptise people, walking into stranger’s houses, crashing his father’s plane with both of them inside it, nearly killing them). His first agent has him sectioned and taken away to the nearest institution because he can’t deal with the reality of a creative genius who is out of control. Whilst in the institution he meets his second agent who becomes totally devoted to him for the rest of his life in an old school, Colonel Tom Parker, svengali kind of way, even after he refuses to sign the record deal which has taken him seven years to prepare (the most memorable quote in the film is when he describe the first meeting of the parties involved stating that it was ‘as normal as any meeting between a major record label and an aspiring artist can be when the meeting is taking place in a mental institution’). Daniel’s parents, despite initial conflicts and misunderstandings, also stand by him, and support him with real, solid love and compassion. His father’s devotion in particular is extremely affecting and the progress of the illness has obviously been a learning curve for everyone involved.
The film is intensely moving and informative about bipolar disorder, how it develops and reveals itself gradually over time until the first crisis comes. The two phases are both brilliantly conveyed: the charisma and charm of the manic when they’re in the first hyperbolic/ecstatic, ‘I can conquer the world’ phase, thinking they can do everything and know everything, that they’re unstoppable and they will be the most famous person that ever lived…followed by the disappointment and confusion of depression when that other personality seems to be hidden or concealed and the medication gradually dulls the creativity.
Finally I should say that the film is not all dark and depressing. It also has a lot of visual humour in it, especially when The Nightmares, the band that Daniel plays with now, first appear on scream wearing their trademark ‘fuck Satan’ t-shirts. Subtle.
It’s a classy documentary which I’d strongly recommend.
posted by gin soaked girl @ 6:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home