February 26th, 2008 New Releases
February 26, 2008
Three events coming up that you should attend:
Monday, March 3rd at 7:30 PM at the State Theater
The Devil and Daniel Johnston, presented by Cinema Curiosa
Directed by: Jeff Feuerzeig Runtime: 110 minutes Rated PG-13
"The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience." 5 Stars **** -The San Francisco Chronicle
2005 Sundance Film Festival, Winner - Best Director
"The Devil and Daniel Johnston" is a stunning portrait of a musical and artistic genius who nearly slipped away. Director Jeff Feuerzeig exquisitely depicts a perfect example of brilliance and madness going hand in hand with subject Daniel Johnston.
As an artist suffering from manic depression with delusions of grandeur, Daniel Johnston's wild fluctuations, numerous downward spirals, and periodic respites are exposed in this deeply moving documentary.
As a reclusive teenager growing up in New Cumberland, VA, Johnston began showing signs of unusual artistic ability at an early age. He religiously recorded his thoughts and stories onto cassette tapes, directed intuitive Super- 8 films starring himself in multiple roles ala Peter Sellers, and created expressive comic book-style drawings and animation in the basement of his family's home. However, in the eyes of his fundamentalist Christian family, Daniel simply wasn't contributing to society in a useful or productive way. After running off on a moped and joining a carnival, he landed in Austin, Texas, broke and alone. It was there he began to hone his musical career, recording folk songs on a series of homemade, lo-fi cassettes, which Daniel handed out free to fans, friends and journalists in the early 80s. With the help of a timely break and the thriving Austin music scene, Daniel managed to secure a brief spotlight on MTV making him a minor celebrity. But just as he was beginning to make a name for himself, his inner demons began to surface and Daniel1s ongoing struggle with manic depression became more and more evident in his songs and drawings.
"The Devil and Daniel Johnston" artfully melds current footage, vintage performances, home movies, and dozens of recorded audiotapes from Daniel's life. Testimony from supportive friends and a deeply committed family adds a rich layer to his personal history, but it is Daniel1s poetic songs interwoven through out the film, that tell their own passionate, haunting, and truly unforgettable story.
$8.00 and you can buy tickets here.
There's also a preview showing of Semi-Pro, the new Will Ferrell movie, tonight at 7:30.
Friday, March 7th, there's a showing/sale of vintage Cuban and Soviet propaganda posters. Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to attend this event because I'll be out of town, but it sounds like it'll be pretty cool. It's at the Inside Out Gallery from 7:00 to 12:00. For more information contact Andrew Anderson at 231-633-4835 or Mike at 231-929-3254.
Come out Thursday night to the Loading Dock to celebrate DJ Nesta's 37th birthday. He'll be spinning a lot of vinyl from your very own local record store. Maybe I'll actually make it out this time.
-aaron
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