You're Gonna Miss Me: A Film About Roky Erickson (2007)

The Worst Film Ever

Some things I liked some I did not.

From my favorite movies..

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Right off you will start to make judgments on what Roky Erickson suffers from. The one thing this documentary does well is divide the possibilities into the story telling. You will be guessing yourself to the very end.I think it's pretty safe to say that Roky Erickson was probably the first rock star casualty of the 60's. He even beats Syd Barrett and Brian Jones of the Stones by a few years. This documentary does a fairly good job of depicting his life from start until the most recent point. Your job is to tell yourself...or make yourself believe what is his issue. For me it's a combination of all four possibilities I mention but one stands out from all others...just because of the time this story all starts.IMO...Roky Erickson had a seriously bad acid trip that did him in. Why do I believe this? Mainly because it was very common in it's day and the behavior he exhibits is classic. I'll mention 1 group that had 3 go awry with one bad acid trip...The original line-up of the Fleetwood Mac. Their 3 front members all have the same problems to this day. All of it started with some bad acid. Another case? Syd Barrett. His is a little more difficult to pin down but it's common knowledge of his acid use and his behavior?.Well...he seemed a lot like Roky Erickson does to me.Roky Erickson lived a pretty difficult/odd life. You gradually get to realize that his mother is the star of the family and she lets you know it in her own little odd way. The father was a drunk and he doesn't get much attention in this film but you know...he's an issue. After he trips bad on acid he gets stuck in a cruel mental institution for a few years that was not equipped to deal with is problem. They mention that the only reason he got put in there is because he kept escaping the institution he was in so the sheriff got fed up and put him in a maximum security facility. They complain and decide to tell you he didn't need to be in there for his crime...which was just possession of pot I believe. What was the sheriff suppose to do? Keep sticking him in the same facility so he could keep escaping? He did what most would have done...stuck him in a place he wouldn't get away from. Problem was, it was a horror story of a mental hospital.I got the impression towards the end that youngest of his brothers was only trying to help for his own benefit. This guy was a "new age" typa guy who had to see therapists to get himself back to a sense of peace and he wanted to help Roky in the same way. It was plain the Roky was fine the way he was and was content with his dull life but his brother kept his persistence up. His enemy he thinks is his mother who he says keeps Roky from taking his meds or won't allow him to. She's obviously and odd one but she's sane enough. This is a classic case of 1 side of the family against the other. In the end we see Roky progress after a year and the "new age" therapist asks Roky what he wants to do when he goes home. His answer, judging from the frown in his face, doesn't please his little brother. "I wanna go talk to my mother". I just got the impression that he was in it to help him but with intent of some kind of gain because of who his brother is.Good doc on an interesting subject. It's also good to see Roky still around. There needs to be more of these films to tell cautionary tales about these particular subjects. They're better than the evening news.

having seen Roky play at his annual Ice Cream Social at Threadgill's for the last 3 years, I can tell everyone that watches this film that Roky is back and stronger than ever. He kills it live. They had great bands open up the Ice Cream Social each year with the like of Spoon, Secret machines, Minus 5 etc., but something happens when Roky takes the stage. His band is crack and his singing is still killer.If your ever make it to Austin Texas for South By Southwest, you MUST pay the $30 to and join the fun of the Social. the money goes to Roky's trust fund and the music and people could not be cooler. Kick back on a beautiful day, kick your shoes off and run your toes through the grass and have some free Amy's ice cream.Then, just as it gets dark, be enchanted by a master of psych rock as Roky kills a 75 set of totally hypnotic and ecstatic music. You will not be sorry.Cap

After seeing the movie, I still felt I didn't know the Roky Erickson story. Surprisingly little music. Too much focus on Roky's mom. She was unusual but not interesting enough to carry the movie. The obvious comparison is to the Daniel Johnston documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" - that is the better movie. The decline into schizophrenia is more visible. Note that I am a BIG Roky fan and only a marginal Daniel Johnston fan.Despite the review, if the movie is showing along with a performance of Roky Erickson and the Explosives - GO SEE IT! It is very interesting to compare the real Roky with the documentary Roky. Also the backing band ROCKS!!

Was really wowed by this film. There are moments of utter brilliance, both comedic and dramatic. I laughed throughout the entire film, but the whole thing was suffused with a tragic tenderness that squeezed my heart. Rocky as a young musician is irresistible--charming, handsome, talented, charismatic. Rocky as an aging, mentally ill, reclusive former rocker is equally irresistible. The film takes us on an incredible journey from one to the other and stands out because in Rocky's world, there doesn't seem to be one bedrock of sanity. The filmmaker creates a world completely oblivious and impervious to the one we live in; one we see but can't really believe exists. The music is phenomenal. Truly one of America's untold rock legends.