I really enjoyed watching a DVD of the new documentary "
The Devil and Daniel Johnston".
It's the story of a West Virginia artist and musician who was incredibly prolific in his youth and then became a cult figure among many musicians in the early '90s. Dozens and dozens of people recorded his songs, he produced many albums ( almost all duped on cassettes) and then he was instututionalized with manic depression.
It's a very moving story about being driven by the impulse to make stuff against all odds, the problems this obsession can cause within a family who has other ambitions for their child, the lure and heartbreak of fame, and the tragedy of mental disease. It's sort of a modern-day Van Gogh story, and Daniel Johnston's music is raw and sweet and goes directly to the heart. (I admire how productive he is with his drawings, though they're not completely my cup o' tea).
Rent it if you can (I got it on Netflix).
