Product Details

• Actors: Wesley Willis, Steve Albini
• Directors: Daniel Bitton
• Producers: Daniel Bitton
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Mvd Visual
• DVD Release Date: April 22, 2003
• Run Time: 110 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00008R9LC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #161,475 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Wesley Willis - The Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

"God gave me this rock career to keep me busy. Back in 1991 I used to hit old people with folding chairs. Suddenly, I moved to the north side of Chicago, Illinois in 1992. It made a rock star out of me at last. I’m the daddy of rock 'n' roll! I'm Wesl

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet - you need to know about this guy!, May 15, 2003

By 

Maul Calloway (Montreal, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wesley Willis - The Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll (DVD)

I *love* Wesley Willis - in today's music world where every act seems to come out of either a photocopy machine or a tin can, and where image matters more than the actual music, here's someone who's not afraid to be himself and just be creative in his own very special way.
This film is a window into this guy's life - you'd figure a documentary about a 400 pound schizophrenic rock hero who writes beastiality songs and songs about whupping super-heroes' behinds on top of pieces about real and imagined crimes would be full of psychiatric analysis of the man, but instead we just get to hang around with him as he goes to the zoo, writes his songs and visits his old friends.

It might be interesting to know some historical or medical details, but it wouldn't have fit in with the rest of the film, and also you get to just feel like he's an interesting guy and that you don't really need to know his personal details any more than you would snoop around about one of your friends or acquaintances.

It's lo-fi, kind of a Gummo-style trip but somehow I couldn't imagine it any other way. What's best is that it's not insulting or condescending towards him in anyway. Instead of a freak show or an alienated analysis of an 'outsider' artist, you realize that people just genuinely love him and relate to him. Plus it's just hilarious.

If you want something human in this world of robot borg wanna be's this will get you back in touch with your creative side.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Rock Over London! Rock on Chicago!, April 14, 2003

By 

"grannanima" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wesley Willis - The Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll (DVD)

I was lucky enough to catch this documentary on the Wesley Willis a few months ago on TV here in Australia after following Wesley's music for around a year now and I can only say that it both amused and concerned me.

Wesley Willis's story and his music have a great novelty value and when you first start watching this story you have a bit of chuckle to yourself, but after just a little while the seriousness of Wesley's situation sets in.

Two thumbs up to the filmmakers in this respect. They have chosen not to portray Wesley as a comedic figure, a jolly, fat crazy man who makes some pretty crazy music.

Instead what we have is a very serious reflection of the plight of the mentally ill in modern society. As a group the a largely disenfranchised and are shifted from one treatment or medication to another as dictated by the current fashionable theories of this area of medicine.

Wesley's close friend go to great lengths to describe the impact changes in medication has on Wesley's weight, general physical well being and mental health. In that respect the story is more than a little disturbing.

In a recap of Wesley's life we are told how Wesley was abused as child, which lead to developing his mental disability. We then find out how he was discovered due to phenomenal talent as an artist and lyricist and given the second chance at life that so many people with similar conditions crave.

Yes you will probably get a laugh out of Wesley riding of the bus or of Wesley asking the guy in the souvenir store at the zoo if the have any books to help him write his bestiality songs. However the heart of this documentary is a various serious attempt to capture the challenges and triumphs of a man with a severe mental illness and for this it's makers should be commended.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You need to know about this guy!, May 15, 2003

By 

Maul Calloway (Montreal, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wesley Willis - The Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll (DVD)

I *love* Wesley Willis - in today's music world where every act seems to come out of either a photocopy machine or a tin can, and where image matters more than the actual music, here's someone who's not afraid to be himself and just be creative in his own very special way.

This film is a window into this guy's life - you'd figure a documentary about a 400 pound schizophrenic rock hero who writes beastiality songs and songs about whupping super-heroes' behinds on top of pieces about real and imagined crimes would be full of psychiatric analysis of the man, but instead we just get to hang around with him as he goes to the zoo, writes his songs and visits his old friends.

It might be interesting to know some historical or medical details, but it wouldn't have fit in with the rest of the film, and also you get to just feel like he's an interesting guy and that you don't really need to know his personal details any more than you would snoop around about one of your friends or acquaintances.

It's lo-fi, kind of a Gummo-style trip but somehow I couldn't imagine it any other way. What's best is that it's not insulting or condescending towards him in anyway. Instead of a freak show or an alienated analysis of an 'outsider' artist, you realize that people just genuinely love him and relate to him. Plus it's just hilarious.

If you want something human in this world of robot borg wanna be's this will get you back in touch with your creative side.