A documentary on the life and music of manic-depressive, paranoid-schizophrenic cult music icon Wild Man Fischer.A documentary on the life and music of manic-depressive, paranoid-schizophrenic cult music icon Wild Man Fischer.A documentary on the life and music of manic-depressive, paranoid-schizophrenic cult music icon Wild Man Fischer.
Photos
Ruth Buzzi
- Self
- (archive footage)
Barry Hansen
- Self
- (as Dr. Demento)
Dick Martin
- Self
- (archive footage)
Bill Paxton
- Self
- (archive footage)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe filmmakers originally wanted to make a documentary about various music artists who suffer from schizophrenia.
- Quotes
Wild Man Fischer: You gotta have three things: you gotta have talent, you gotta have talent, and you gotta have persistence.
- ConnectionsFeatures Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
- SoundtracksDerailroaded
Written and Performed by Wild Man Fischer
Featured review
Must avoid documentary
Derailroaded has to be one of the worst, most unnecessary pieces of filmaking ever. The object of this film is Larry "Wildman" Fischer a quasi musician of dubious importance. We learn Wildman Fischer enjoyed some minor success as a fringe artist in the seventies. I use the term artist in the most liberal terms, as Larry's artistry consists of screaming nonsensical lyrics into the microphone. Absolutely awful sounding. It couldn't really be fairly described as music.
They follow the exploits of Fischer, a paranoid schizophrenic, from his early years through the near present. Most of the current footage is done with a camera and microphone in Larry's face with predictably obvious results. The audience doesn't need an hour and a half of this to see the poor fellow needs some help. The whole wretched thing has a carnival side-show feel to it. This film is so over the top that for a while I thought it was a docu-drama spoof in the vein of Blair Witch Project.
In the end you wonder if this was about mental illness or the fall of a Rock Musician. Sad to say I don't think many people have even heard or care about Fischer as a musician. Even fewer will care about the films treatment of schizophrenia. Either way it's a complete flop.
They follow the exploits of Fischer, a paranoid schizophrenic, from his early years through the near present. Most of the current footage is done with a camera and microphone in Larry's face with predictably obvious results. The audience doesn't need an hour and a half of this to see the poor fellow needs some help. The whole wretched thing has a carnival side-show feel to it. This film is so over the top that for a while I thought it was a docu-drama spoof in the vein of Blair Witch Project.
In the end you wonder if this was about mental illness or the fall of a Rock Musician. Sad to say I don't think many people have even heard or care about Fischer as a musician. Even fewer will care about the films treatment of schizophrenia. Either way it's a complete flop.
helpful•735
- kentbartholomew
- Mar 6, 2007
Details
- Runtime1 hour 26 minutes
- Color
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