Danielson: A Family Movie (or, Make a Joyful Noise Here) (2006)

Posted By : Virginia Plain | Date : 21 May 2010 19:37:00 | Comments : 4 |

Danielson: A Family Movie (or, Make a Joyful Noise Here) (2006)
Untouched DVD9 | DVD Decrypter Image (ISO+MDS) | 4:3 (1.33:1) | NTSC | 720x480 | 7.33 GB

DVD Info:

Year: 2006
Country: US
Runtime: ~110 Minutes
Audio: English Dolby Digital Stereo (AC3 224 kbps)
Subtitles: None
Video Format: NTSC
File Format: ISO+MDS
Resolution: 720x480
Aspect Ratio: 4/3 (1.33:1)
DVD Format: Full Screen
DVD Source: DVD9
DVD Distributor: Image Entertainment
Program: DVD Decrypter
Average Bit Rate: 4.90 Mb/sec
Size: 7.33 GB

Menus: [X] Untouched
Video: [X] Untouched
DVD-extras: [X] Untouched
DVD-Audio: [X] Untouched

Extras:

“

VillageVoice.com wrote:

JL Aronson's Danielson: A Family Movie is a deftly organized profile of Christian indie-rockers the Danielson Famile. Started in the mid '90s by then college student Daniel Smith with his four siblings, Danielson has struggled for acceptance in the aesthetically conservative CCM community on account of their bizarre live shows—band members perform in nurses' uniforms and Daniel has been known to sing in a tree costume—and experimental sound (described on Allmusic as Captain Beefheart's Magic Band crossed with the Partridge Family). Comprising interviews, home videos, and concert footage, Aronson's evenhanded doc confronts both the wretchedness of much openly Christian art and the lingering prejudice against openly Christian artists, charts the friendship between Daniel and sometime band member Sufjan Stevens during the latter's meteoric rise to stardom (to less schematic effect than the Newcombe-Taylor relationship in Dig!), and portrays Daniel himself as a lucid eccentric overflowing with creative energy. It's a delight even for the uninitiated, although those not raised in a conservative Christian environment may not fully comprehend the cosmic implications of the moment when the band earnestly prays to God, "Thank you for Steve Albini."

”

“

A customer on Amazon.com wrote:

DANIELSON: A FAMILY MOVIE is a completely independently produced feature-length documentary about indie-rock musician, Daniel Smith, the former lead singer for "The Danielson Familie" who now works and tours as Brother Danielson. The movie explains how Smith first recruited his siblings to form the band as part of a college art project. It follows the ups and downs of Danielson through the various transitions of the group as family members and close friends come and go. The film also features the rise of Sufjan Stevens, a friend of the Smith family, who toured with the Danielson Familie but has achieved international popularity, critical acclaim, and success as a solo artist. The film contrasts Stevens rise while Smith struggles. The film poses a lot of questions about being a Christian Artist and being relevant in the world. For instance, does a Christian have to gain fame in order to make an impact upon people and in the world or is it enough just to be a musician, an Artist, playing for whoever who will listen? Parts of the story are told through a series of letters by each of the Smith's siblings who were involved with Danielson Familie. Also interlaced are pieces of animation by Chris Palladino, family home videos, and interviews with concert-goers at various Danielson performances.

I completely enjoyed DANIELSON: A FAMILY MOVIE. The music isn't for everyone, but I found the story fascinating. Highly recommended for fans of Danielson, anyone who enjoys good documentaries, and anyone who is interested in the challenges of being a Christian Artist.

As for the extra features, I really enjoyed watching the extended interviews and conversations with concert-goers. They come from all kinds of backgrounds and it was fascinating to listen to what drew each of them to the music of Danielson.

”

Some Info on the band itself:

“

Wikipedia wrote:

Danielson is an American band from Clarksboro, New Jersey that plays indie pop gospel music. The group consists of frontman Daniel Smith and a number of various artists with whom he collaborates. Smith has also released solo work as Brother Danielson.

When joined by his family the band is known as Danielson Famile or Danielson Family, whose members have included Smith; his "siblings Andrew, David, Megan, and Rachel; wife Elin; friends Christian & Melissa Palladino; and daughter Lilly". Sufjan Stevens has also recorded and performed with the group.

The band is known for Smith's squeaky falsetto vocals, innovative musical arrangements, and matching nurse uniforms, "that act, according to Daniel, as 'visual reminders of the spiritual and emotional healing taking place' within audience members." During some performances Smith has "worn a nine-foot tall, hand-made nine-fruit tree to 'bear the good fruit,'" in reference to the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

In 1993, while attending Rutgers University as a senior, Daniel Smith experienced a spiritual reawakening:

“

"This was the year I stopped running away from home, picked up my acoustic guitar again and changed from being Dan back to Daniel. I woke up to the fact that I have an amazing family, an amazing childhood and I began to relate everything I was thinking and doing with this in mind... I began reading the Bible and praying again and songs and art started flowing. I would meet with my dad and talk philosophy and theology and I became a child again."

”

Smith has cited the major influence his musician father had on him growing up and the importance of lyrical content. Smith began recording songs that would later comprise the album A Prayer for Every Hour: "some from my solo 4-track, some with my friends Jason Faunce and Missy Forsyth backing and some with my brothers and sisters backing. Danielson became the name of the songs that I write. I had become "Daniel" and realized that I am a son." He submitted the album as his final thesis (and received an 'A' grade) and performed, joined by his siblings, at the senior art show. Smith then sent the album out to several indie labels but only received a response from Tooth & Nail in California, who picked up the album and released it in 1994.

Daniel Smith, his siblings, and friend Chris Palladino began to perform in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia as the "Danielson Famile." The group released Tri-Danielson!!! (Alpha) and Tri-Danielson!!! (Omega) in 1998 and 1999 respectively, earning them further college radio play and broadening their indie audience. The band became known for their onstage costumes (initially nurse uniforms with large red hearts sewn on) as well as their homemade t-shirts and other merchandise. While the lyrical content was unabashedly Christian, Danielson Famile nevertheless received strong press and support from mainstream audiences due to their musical inventiveness.

Danielson signed to Secretly Canadian Records in 2001 and released Fetch the Compass Kids, which was recorded by Steve Albini. Smith then released a solo record in 2004 (Brother Is to Son) as Brother Danielson. It was followed in May 2006 by the ambitious Ships, which featured contributions from a total of 20 musicians, including Deerhoof, Sufjan Stevens, Why?, Serena Maneesh, and Half-handed Cloud.

It was recently announced that the band have been chosen by Matt Groening to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival he is curating in May 2010 in Minehead, England.

Daniel Smith has cited his musical influences as including "T.Rex, Rapeman, B.A.L.L., Syd Barrett, Bob Dylan, Bongwater, My Bloody Valentine, Beat Happening, Cypress Hill, Ween, Donovan, Sonic Youth, Royal Trux, Beatles, Half Japanese, A Tribe Called Quest, [David] Bowie, Can, Pixies, Minutemen, James Brown, Tom Waits, Daniel Johnston, Brian Eno, Larry Norman, Captain Beefheart and more".

”

Danielson is a mighty odd sounding group. Listen to a few samples of their music here, as it is truly unique:

http://www.box.net/shared/vbicl22dk6

Here are some screenshots (taken at actual resolution, of course.
Click each pic for full size):

(bonus feature)

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Posted By: felipeprocopio Date: 22 May 2010 08:53:31

Sorry.

Posted By: Virginia Plain Date: 22 May 2010 10:19:23

No one is making you download this. You don't like it, just ignore it. If you did download it, no one made you do it. I put this here for people who might want it, and your comment is not constructive in the least.

Posted By: felipeprocopio Date: 23 May 2010 01:22:44

Ok. This is not avant-garde, by the way.

Posted By: Virginia Plain Date: 23 May 2010 03:48:33

“

This is not avant-garde, by the way.

”

How so? You see many others out there doing this?

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