The Devil And Daniel Johnston

Oh yeah. Just finished The Devil and Daniel Johnston doc. Highly recommended. Two in a row. Here comes the obligatory opine on the subject matter.
I guess I never really had an opinion of Johnston, and still don’t today. I mean, the dude’s crazy. I think he’d even admit that. And I’ve got a thing for the crazies. Something seems so pure about what they do and those moments of brilliance shine a little brighter when you know that someone isn’t really playing with a full deck upstairs.
But Johnston seemed a bit too precious even for my tastes and that includes the period before he went completely bonkers. It’s the period after he went completely batty that bothers me. From Gibby Haynes ridiculous interview with an obviously-off-his-meds Johnston (to his questionably honest response to the question if Gibby was indeed the one that fed Johnston some LSD, thereby escalating his diminishing mental state). To Steve Shelly attempting to put Daniel on some kind of indie-revival, only to discover that Johnston was not the type of person to follow logic, let alone a fucking itinerary. To Atlantic records for attempting to cash in on a bipolar man-just like any other signing-with almost total disregard for creating a contract that considered this man’s mental state. And to us, really, for expecting Johnston to fall in line like any other alterna-idol. Relishing his aloofness. Secretly hoping for a glimpse of his insanity.
I mean really: any decent person would have just said, “Fuck it. This dude needs help. Never mind SXSW appearances. Forget albums. To hell with Jad Fair collaborations.”
It all ended up the same: disastrous. And in watching the car crash, you can’t help but bark out “Leave him alone!” like some Chris Crocker type.
It seemed like only his parents were versed enough to properly address Johnston’s condition. Their patience is unnerving, particularly his Father. This is a man-a former fighter pilot, no less-that should be enjoying his golden years in peace. Instead, he’s battling his overweight adult son for the controls of his Cessna because Daniel decided he wanted to become Casper the friendly ghost. As stoic, patient, and strong as this man is, retelling the story of this frightening event breaks him into tears.
What’s strange about The Devil and Daniel Johnston is that I didn’t immediately want to run out and get his music. I did want to check out some of his art-cartoonish characters that provide a telling glimpse into Johnston’s mind. It’s a tad overpriced for my pocketbook, but it’s refreshing that he has a creative outlet and doesn’t have to rely on events that can trigger mental instability (Daniel has a tendency to restrict his meds before performances).
The film leaves you wondering: what will happen when his parents pass away? Financially, he made have found some stable footing (his family runs his website and his sellable goods) but one has to consider that his two elderly parents are the most stable sources in his life. When they’re gone, how will their absence impact Daniel and his art?
It’s a question that obviously is left unanswered, but one that isn’t is the story of Daniel’s muse, Laurie. There’s a touching bonus feature on the DVD that shows their reunion. Laurie is charming and very supportive of Daniel’s work. Daniel, on the other hand, is decked out in a stained sweat shirt and is obviously still smitten with Laurie.
“Will you marry me?” he asks within the first few minutes of the meeting.
She politely laughs knowing that Johnston is probably serious about his question, but smart enough to know that being out of reach has provided Daniel with enough material to fuel his entire career.
And Daniel’s career has provided director Jeff Feuerzeig enough material for a totally engaging documentary.