Jandek on Corwood

Jandek is perhaps the least known singer/songwriter of the modern era. In spite of that, he’s also the most prolific, and this weird documentary details the ineffable career of a man who gives no interviews, makes no public appearances, allows no photographs and sells just about no records. That’s because Jandek is to obscurity what Windex is to clarity. Director Chad Friedrichs film is one of the most perfect documentaries I’ve seen in years: Completely engaging, it never violates its subject, but instead mirrors his style and extends his artistic goals. While every Jandek fan will no doubt rush out to see this, it’s also a great film if you’ve never heard of Jandek. In fact, it would be a great film if Jandek didn’t exist and Jandek on Corwood was a work of fiction posing as a documentary.