[Jandek] jandek on corwood

[chthonic streams]

>I saw the Jandek on corwood documentary recently, and i have to say 
>that I really didn´t like it. All my respect to the filmmakers and 
>there efforts for this film, but it all feels like a jandek 
>commercial. They talk for an eternity about the tuning of his 
>guitar, they describe and dissecrate his music, so that everyone can 
>understand. They try to explain, but why? Somethings are 
>interesting, like the talk about blank spaces, and the telephone 
>interview, but most of the time it´s just a explanation of his 
>music. And that something that shouldn´t be done, I belive.

i'd say this is a movie for jandek newbies rather than confirmed 
fans.  to someone not at all or barely familiar with the man, the 
myth, or the music, it serves as a decent introduction.  the 
interviewees' over-exposition is simply a testament to the fact that 
some people seem to be fairly obsessed with dissecting meaning and 
searching for so-called "clues".  in the end it reveals more about 
the people talking than about the artist, which i think is part of 
the point of the film.

much like a true fan of an artist will complain about greatest hits 
compilations, so do those vehicles also drive sales and expose the 
music to people who might never bother to get individual albums.  i 
must confess to owning a few best-ofs (fad gadget, the doors, the 
psychedelic furs), although i do happen to agree certain artists 
can't possibly be contained by their "hits" or "best" (meaning most 
accessible)...jandek chief among them.


d.