Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Devil Town


Have any of you guys seen The Devil and Daniel Johnston?
I hope so cuz I'd like to talk about it amongst the group. I love it. Such a great look into the mind of an artist and a manic depressive. I was wondering if any of you could relate to any of it. Any thoughts. Give it a watch if you haven't already.

8 comments:

Gary's third pottery blog said...

shoot, makes me cry to see it, and sure do the my own self reflected there (although I am a cheerful potter, not depressive artist)---thanks KC, will look at it some more!

Reverend Awesome said...

As this blog is our safe house and I'm all for full disclosure I do suffer depression. I am on medication now and have gone to counseling. I tried not being medicated for awhile cuz I had convinced myself it was making me less fun. I lasted longer than I figured I would! About a year. Then it hit and it hit hard and I didn't realize it had hit until my Mom said, "you need to go back to the doctor, I think" I try to keep most of my blah-ness to myself though.
I am mostly a cheerful person (I think/try).
Unlike Mr. Johnston I do not have the gall to call myself an artist.

Gallow said...

I'm amazed at the film. I'm not sure if it's pulled from old home movies or just made to look that way. If it was created from old movies, there's a lot of incredible footage.

My Dad and I are very different, and I felt those differences when I watched this video. He was very much into sports in his youth, and wanted me to follow. I grew tall very quickly, and had no coordination. I felt that sports was for fun. He felt it was to win. (And his Dad before him, felt that sports was a waste of time.)

That being said, when I told him that I didn't want to play Little League any more, he supported the decision, and has been incredible supportive in whatever I pursued.

I think I have more Midlife crises depression than anything else. Our house is starting to become an empty house with our youngest going off to college. I'm really going to miss having kids around the house.

Reverend Awesome said...

A lot of the films in the movie were made by Daniel. He just always seemed to be creating. Always.

I'm glad your parents were supportive. Mine were too and I was in the same boat as you! My Dad was a star baseball player. My mom was a cheerleader. I have 2 brothers and a sister, all good at sports. My parents knew that sports weren't for me. I tried basketball. That didn't take. But my parents were always okay with whatever I did and still are really.

I would get a lot of questions around town, "why aren't you in sports?" "I suck at them." "You're a Baker though!" Well. Yes. That much is true.

My parents are nearing an empty house. I don't know how that will go for them. It's weird to think about. New chapter in their life. New chapter in yours! It'll be hard, but it could also be great.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

Stevo has ME of course, acting childish down the street, although his own kids are a lot more fun :)
KC, many Bakers do sports, and you eat cereal. You have your own special and unique talent :)

Gallow said...

I forgot to mention in my previous post. My card says "Photographer Wannabe". I don't think I've achieved Artisthood yet.

Reverend Awesome said...

Stevo, I'm calling you an artist. You may not want to say it, but you are. That'll be something you'll have to come to terms with.

Liz said...

I haven't watched the film yet, but I get the gist of it. I have a very old friend who is a brilliant artist, and manic depressive. His meds take away his art, so he crashes from time to time. and makes brilliant art, but in the end, I am not sure it is worth the toll on his life, and on those who love him.