Some YoYo Stuff by Anton Corbijn

Some YoYo Stuff: An observation of the observations of Don Van Vliet by Anton Corbijn. 1993

“Some YoYo Stuff is a fittingly offbeat tribute to one of the most uncompromising and innovative musicians of the 20th century. “
Dangerous Minds

“I love don. i knew very little about him when we first met in 1980, but after our meeting and subsequent photo shoot i went back home and started listening to his music, and soon started looking at his drawings and paintings. my respect for him grew as the years went by; we kept in touch, and i visited him and his wife jan a couple of times. these visits and the death of frank zappa were essential for me in terms of thinking about making some sort of film piece on don.
it was a simple affair to make the film: his mother sue opens the movie with the photograph that i took when don and i first met, saying: ‘this is don, my son’, and, apart from david lynch (famous film maker – t.t.) asking him a few questions via projected film, it is all don’s thoughts on various matters. some funny, some serious, but all sharp, poetic and beautiful. you really want to hear every single word he says – whether it’s about paint, miles davis, an ear (‘nice sculpture’) or the desert.
apart from showing the world at large what a unique man and artist don is, i really wanted to make it great for hím, as he is also a warm and funny guy and i do think the film brings that across.”
Anton Corbijn

 

Anton Corbijn GB Some Yoyo Stuff  12 min 34s 1993

We screened Some Yoyo Stuff for the first time in 2012 as part of the opening of  DL 8 | The Berlin International Directors Lounge