What is the obsessoin with Daniel Johnston?

eurojax · 03-26-2007, 12:08 PM

I just watched the indy film "The Devil and Daniel Johnston."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436231/

CN of the movie: It's a biography of a guy named Daniel Johnston. He begins his life being super creative and smart, then eventually goes kinda cooky, then he takes a hit of acid and has a baaaad trip, that ****s him up even more and he eventually goes nuts and does some weird stuff. It mainly focuses on his art work, music, drawings, paintings, etc.

Anyway, the movie was great, well edited, kept my attention, but throughout the movie I kept wondering why the hell the world was paying attention to him.

His art was laughable, something 12 year olds create in junior high. Comic books, super heroes, eyeballs, etc. Yet people were collecting it like it was an original Van Gogh. Most of it wasn't even HIS artwork, it was his version of captain america or frankenstein.

His singing was literally the worst thing I've ever heard. Off tune, off beat, annoying shrill voice.

His guitar playing consisted of three chords, off beat strumming, and atrocious sound.

About the only thing he did well is play piano, but even then it wasn't nearly good enough for him to be popular.

I'm all about abstract art, without it, all art would be too similair. Innovation is great, no matter how off-the-wall. However, abstract art should come with TALENT. He has none. The amount of fans he has is astounding. Kurt Cobain loved his work, Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, and a ton other bands.

I just.... don't get it.

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24 · 03-26-2007, 12:11 PM

Obsession? If there was a general obsession with the guy, why is it just an indy film?

eurojax · 03-26-2007, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24

Obsession? If there was a general obsession with the guy, why is it just an indy film?

It's an indy film that got some great reviews and made some good money. It was popular enough to be at blockbuster.

24 · 03-26-2007, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eurojax

It's an indy film that got some great reviews and made some good money. It was popular enough to be at blockbuster.

I've never heard of it. Not that I should be a barometer of pop culture.

eurojax · 03-26-2007, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24

I've never heard of it. Not that I should be a barometer of pop culture.

I never heard of him or the movie before watching it either. However, his lyrics have been in a Target commercial, and one of his drawings was worn by Kurt Cobain in a whole lot of publicity pictures:

tardypizza · 03-26-2007, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eurojax

I never heard of him or the movie before watching it either. However, his lyrics have been in a Target commercial, and one of his drawings was worn by Kurt Cobain in a whole lot of publicity pictures:

Holy carp! I had no idea what you guys were going on about until I saw that t-shirt.

That is a stupid piece of graffiti that was done on the side of an old record store across from the UT campus here in Austin. A few years ago, the record store closed and sold the building to a restaurant. When the restaurant wanted to remodel, the local population got in an uproar and forced the owners to protect the graffiti. Now we have a fairly modern looking restaurant with an odd frame on the side to emphasize that worthless graffiti.

http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/...og_mural_saved

wrigh003 · 03-26-2007, 01:29 PM

I really need to start self-promoting as an artist. Seeing what that guy's getting for badly drawn cartoons of others' actual creative output is incredible. I'm sure he's a tortured soul and all that BS, but still.

In other (not so newsworthy) news, artists are weird.

edkwon · 10-16-2009, 01:22 AM

I just watched this documentary as well, and while I enjoyed the film, I cannot understand how the f--- this guy was considered an artistic and musical genius. Yes yes my tastes in music and arts are narrowminded, I'll say it before you do. Still, don't get why people think he was so great.

AugustusMaximus · 10-16-2009, 02:00 AM

I was going to say "maybe he is only popular in Alaska?" but he seems more famous then that. Is he dead? That always helps artists/musicians?

brendan_mac · 10-16-2009, 02:04 AM

That shirt (and wall) was in Whip It.

edkwon · 10-16-2009, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AugustusMaximus

I was going to say "maybe he is only popular in Alaska?" but he seems more famous then that. Is he dead? That always helps artists/musicians?

Think he's still alive and he was alive while his crap was really popular.

Beaverboy · 10-16-2009, 11:24 AM

The trailer for this is on the Sketches of Frank Gehry DVD that I watched last week. It's on our NetFlix queue currently. Looked worth watching.

.. and WhoTF is Kurt Cobain?

ekw · 10-16-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eurojax

His singing was literally the worst thing I've ever heard. Off tune, off beat, annoying shrill voice.

waitaminnit . . . .
he's the guy from Syndrome of a Down?

I thought he was named "Serge"

03-26-2007, 12:08 PM	#1
eurojax Review Crew Member#: 34269 Join Date: Mar 2003 Chapter/Region: AKIC Location: Alaska Vehicle: Only marginally funny.	What is the obsessoin with Daniel Johnston? I just watched the indy film "The Devil and Daniel Johnston." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436231/ CN of the movie: It's a biography of a guy named Daniel Johnston. He begins his life being super creative and smart, then eventually goes kinda cooky, then he takes a hit of acid and has a baaaad trip, that ***s him up even more and he eventually goes nuts and does some weird stuff. It mainly focuses on his art work, music, drawings, paintings, etc. Anyway, the movie was great, well edited, kept my attention, but throughout the movie I kept wondering why the hell the world was paying attention to him. His art was laughable, something 12 year olds create in junior high. Comic books, super heroes, eyeballs, etc. Yet people were collecting it like it was an original Van Gogh. Most of it wasn't even HIS artwork, it was his version of captain america or frankenstein. His singing was literally the worst thing I've ever heard. Off tune, off beat, annoying shrill voice. His guitar playing consisted of three chords, off beat strumming, and atrocious sound. About the only thing he did well is play piano, but even then it wasn't nearly good enough for him to be popular. I'm all about abstract art, without it, all art would be too similair. Innovation is great, no matter how off-the-wall. However, abstract art should come with TALENT. He has none. The amount of fans he has is astounding. Kurt Cobain loved his work, Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, and a ton other bands. I just.... don't get it. Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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03-26-2007, 12:11 PM	#2
24 Scooby Specialist Member#: 39142 Join Date: Jun 2003 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Vienna, VA Vehicle: 2007 18ft Power Cat 2007 15ft Welded Aluminum	Obsession? If there was a general obsession with the guy, why is it just an indy film?

03-26-2007, 01:29 PM	#7
wrigh003 Scooby Newbie Member#: 13997 Join Date: Jan 2002 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Birmingham, AL	I really need to start self-promoting as an artist. Seeing what that guy's getting for badly drawn cartoons of others' actual creative output is incredible. I'm sure he's a tortured soul and all that BS, but still. In other (not so newsworthy) news, artists are weird.

10-16-2009, 01:22 AM	#8
edkwon Scooby Specialist Member#: 453 Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: 小さい { Vehicle: 2007 korean car white	I just watched this documentary as well, and while I enjoyed the film, I cannot understand how the f--- this guy was considered an artistic and musical genius. Yes yes my tastes in music and arts are narrowminded, I'll say it before you do. Still, don't get why people think he was so great.

10-16-2009, 02:00 AM	#9
AugustusMaximus Scooby Specialist Member#: 63060 Join Date: May 2004 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: New York Vehicle: 2000 RS Sedona Red Pearl	I was going to say "maybe he is only popular in Alaska?" but he seems more famous then that. Is he dead? That always helps artists/musicians?

10-16-2009, 02:04 AM	#10
brendan_mac Scooby Specialist Member#: 125055 Join Date: Sep 2006 Chapter/Region: VIC Location: Victoria Vehicle: I've got Ham, But I'm not a Hamster.	That shirt (and wall) was in Whip It.

10-16-2009, 11:24 AM	#12
Beaverboy Scooby Guru Member#: 44501 Join Date: Oct 2003 Chapter/Region: South East Location: W. NC Vehicle: '16 Nissan 510 Brown	The trailer for this is on the Sketches of Frank Gehry DVD that I watched last week. It's on our NetFlix queue currently. Looked worth watching. .. and WhoTF is Kurt Cobain?