Brothers of the Head
The mockumentary format has been around for quite some time now and is usually associated with comedy or satire. For some reason music, and rock in particular, has been the inspiration for some of the best of the genre. This is Spinal Tap is the film most people think of when mockumentary is mentioned, and so it should as it is a highly original piece of comedy that highlights the excesses and nonsense of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. Brothers of the Head takes the rock/mockumentary format and uses it to stunning dramatic effect.
The story, taken from a novel by science fiction writer Brian Aldiss, revolves around conjoined brothers who have been living in isolation on the east coast of England until a music impresario decides he needs singing Siamese twins on his books. The story is told by a documentary filmmaker and through interviews with people who knew the brothers, Tom and Barry Howe (played in bravura performances by Harry and Luke Treadaway), during their heyday. The majority of the film is made up of "archival" footage of the twins as they learn to play music and develop into the punk band "The Bang Bang", complete with rehearsals and gig footage, then their inevitable demise as they get caught up in the world of sex and drugs and record company demands.
Apart from the amazing performances from the two leads, what makes this film work is total believability of the footage. Directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe, best known for their two documentaries on Terry Gilliam, The Hamster Factor and Lost in La Mancha, who use their experience and skills at the format to full effect. Even though it is a fictional drama, adapted by another Gilliam collaborator Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing, Tideland), it has the feeling of something that is spontaneous and unscripted. This is further enhanced by the cinematography of Anthony Dod Mantle, who is best known for his DV work with Lars von Trier and on Danny Boyle's Twenty Eight Days Later. The "archive" footage really does look like it was shot in the 70s, which is why it seems so believable. And the appearance of Ken Russell, as himself, further bolsters the illusion.
The movie might not be to everyone's taste but there is no denying it is a fantastic piece of filmmaking. It perfectly captures the essence of the era of the rise of punk, as well as being an indictment of the manipulative nature of the music industry, and its ability to destroy lives. With great writing, direction, cinematography and acting it is definitely worth seeing.
Brothers of the Head won the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival. It is on general release from October 6
The story, taken from a novel by science fiction writer Brian Aldiss, revolves around conjoined brothers who have been living in isolation on the east coast of England until a music impresario decides he needs singing Siamese twins on his books. The story is told by a documentary filmmaker and through interviews with people who knew the brothers, Tom and Barry Howe (played in bravura performances by Harry and Luke Treadaway), during their heyday. The majority of the film is made up of "archival" footage of the twins as they learn to play music and develop into the punk band "The Bang Bang", complete with rehearsals and gig footage, then their inevitable demise as they get caught up in the world of sex and drugs and record company demands.
Apart from the amazing performances from the two leads, what makes this film work is total believability of the footage. Directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe, best known for their two documentaries on Terry Gilliam, The Hamster Factor and Lost in La Mancha, who use their experience and skills at the format to full effect. Even though it is a fictional drama, adapted by another Gilliam collaborator Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing, Tideland), it has the feeling of something that is spontaneous and unscripted. This is further enhanced by the cinematography of Anthony Dod Mantle, who is best known for his DV work with Lars von Trier and on Danny Boyle's Twenty Eight Days Later. The "archive" footage really does look like it was shot in the 70s, which is why it seems so believable. And the appearance of Ken Russell, as himself, further bolsters the illusion.
The movie might not be to everyone's taste but there is no denying it is a fantastic piece of filmmaking. It perfectly captures the essence of the era of the rise of punk, as well as being an indictment of the manipulative nature of the music industry, and its ability to destroy lives. With great writing, direction, cinematography and acting it is definitely worth seeing.
Brothers of the Head won the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival. It is on general release from October 6
posted by Chris Patmore at 1:50 AM
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