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 Jeff Feuerzeig wrote, directed and edited The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006), a profile of alternative musician and outsider artist Daniel Johnston. The documentary feature film was released theatrically by Sony Picture Classics and has earned ecstatic reviews all over the world, for which he was awarded the Best Director prize for a documentary at the Sundance Film Festival 2005. His earlier films include the feature documentary Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King (1994) and PBS’ Jon Hendricks: The Freddie Sessions (1990). He began his career as a film editor working out of Red Car, New York before taking the helm as director. His ability to elicit compelling performances from real people, as well as his work in the realm of comedy have made his commercial work some of the most memorable. Commercial clients include IBM, Wal Mart, Budweiser, Cache Valley Cheese and One Touch. In addition, he recently completed the screenplays God Bless Tiny Tim, a feature biopic about the legendary singer of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips," and The Bayonne Bleeder, a feature biopic about boxer Chuck Wepner, who in 1975 went fifteen rounds with Muhammad Ali and inspired the Sylvester Stallone film Rocky. He is currently writing Devil Town, a biography of Daniel Johnston with Paul Cullum for Henry Holt, to be published in 2010. “The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a masterpiece that will haunt you long after you’ve left the theater.” - Mira Jeff, Ain’t It Cool News “Jeff Feuerzeig's tremendous documentary runs on the motive force of intelligent fandom and radiates an ineffable grace.” "The most harrowing and aesthetically keen portrait of madness and artistic inspiration since Crumb." - Noel Murray, Onion A.V. Club “A thoroughly engrossing look at music and madness. As nakedly emotional as it is startling.” - Bruce Diones, The New Yorker “The razor's edge of art and madness.” “A moving portrait of the artist as his own ghost.” - Dana Stevens, NY Times “A true nonfiction film, a movie that tries to do with sound and image what journalists like Nick Tosches (Dino) and Norman Mailer (Armies of the Night) tried to do with prose, bending prose into poetry to find a more subjective route to truth.” “Like watching the dysfunctional families of Crumb and Capturing the Friedmans." "It's the way Feuerzeig walks with him on the line between creativity and madness that digs this haunting and hypnotic film into your memory." “Opens a window on the nature of art and the power of myth. A hot line to the REAL!” “As a stylist, Feuerzeig is a man of rare talent and startlingly original storytelling. If Johnston is Joe Buck, Feuerzeig is his rambling, audacious Enrico Rizzo.” - Chris Cabin, Contactmusic.com “The Devil feels like something a brilliant schizophrenic might produce during a rare period of clarity.” - Matt Zoller Seitz, NY Press The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a documentary that will haunt you all the way home, and into the night.” - Kurt Loder, MTV “The picture is something of a ballad, an ode to an elusive character who's both quintessentially human and so outlandish he almost seems unreal.” - Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com “Everything a good documentary should be - is a story of family, friendship, art and fame, as seen through the prisms of exceptional beauty and deepest pain.” "The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a documentary with all the suspense, comedy, pathos and surprise of a great narrative film. It is unfailingly fascinating and tremendously entertaining.” “The rare documentary possessed with an artistry that transcends its subject." “Dare I say even Dave Eggers would consider this film a heartbreaking work of staggering genius?” "Devil leads us into that dark, uncharted valley where evil, genius, divine inspiration, insanity -- and other unfathomable mysteries -- commingle.” - Desson Thomson, Washington Post “The Devil and Daniel Johnston somehow has the power to be both emotionally resonant and completely entertaining. A definitive statement of an artist who can’t get rid of the monsters in his head.” - Chris Cabin, Contactmusic.com |
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