The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Synopsis

Daniel Johnston is a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist.  Director Jeff Feuerzeig depicts an unforgettable example of brilliance and madness going hand in hand.  As an artist suffering from manic-depression with delusions of grandeur, Johnston’s wild fluctuations, numerous downward spirals, and periodic respites are exposed.  As a reclusive teenager, Johnston showed signs of unusual artistic ability and he obsessively recorded his thoughts and stories onto cassette tapes, directed intuitive Super-8 films which starred himself in multiple roles, and created expressive comic book-style drawings and animations in the basement of his family’s home.  Feuerzeig exquisitely melds original footage, vintage performances, home movies and dozens of recorded audiotapes from Johnston’s life.  But it is Johnston’s poetic songs interwoven throughout the film that tell their own passionate and haunting story of what it’s like to have your personal demons as your artistic collaborator.

Director Biography

An independent filmmaker and commercial director formerly based in New York, now living in Los Angeles. Jeff has completed production of his second feature length film, The Devil and Daniel Johnston, about legendary cult musician and artist Daniel Johnston.