This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.
Direction
Feuerzeig crafts intimacy without exploitation — rare for mental illness docs.
Production
Incredible archival treasure trove: home movies, audio tapes, basement recordings.
Director
Jeff Feuerzeig
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Kurt Cobain famously wore Johnston's 'Hi, How Are You' frog shirt to the 1992 MTV VMAs, introducing him to millions who had no context for his brilliance.
The film's title references Johnston's own obsession with eternal damnation — he genuinely believed his music was a battle between God and Satan, and that he was losing.
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