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Brothers of the Head
Directed by: Keith Fulton
Starring: Harry & Luke Treadaway
Genre:
Drama/Independent
Run Time: 93
min.
Release Date:
July 2006
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Deceiving audiences is
risky business when it comes to films. You don't want to anger the
watchers by pulling the wool over their eyes in an effort to show how
naive they are. But if you do it right, and entertain them without this
intent, you can pull magic out of a hat.
BROTHERS OF THE HEAD (an IFC film) is a slice of fiction shot in
documentary format. It is done so convincingly (including interviews
with the author of the actual novel, Brian Wilson Aldiss) that if
someone wasn't aware of the film's machinations, they could easily be
fooled. Although the characters and situations are completely
fictitious, the era and locations and industry it portrays certainly are
not.
The basic premise is that of exploitation for money and fame. Some
people have no morals and will do anything to make dollars, including
putting conjoined twins up on a music stage in an effort to expose the
strange and bizarre; a circus act of music. The young boys' names are
Tom and Harry Howe (real life twin brothers Harry and Luke Treadaway).
Their mother having died at birth, the boys are swept into isolation by
their protective father and their older sister. But reality sinks in as
the father realizes the boys must earn a viable living somehow. When an
unscrupulous entertainment guru approaches the father with a significant
contract offer, the father jumps on it and the boys are sent away and
taught to sing and play guitar. The British punk-rock movement of the
early 70s is in full swing and the Howe brothers melt into it like
heroin on a hot spoon. Their odd Siamese connection is exploited to the
max, and audiences (particularly young women) fawn over the unusual
pair.
Interviews with lovers, managers, supposed friends, and even the fake
documentary maker are driven home with painful results. The boys are
seen initially as creatures, but soon they are transformed into stars.
Drugs, sex, smoking, alcohol, all become part of their daily existence
as they sink further and further into a world they were never prepared
for.
The mockumentary utilizes flashbacks to great advantage, showing "the
head" (the location where the boys grew up) in increasingly muted and
shadowed tones. It's also noteworthy to mention that "the head" has two
distinct definitions: the first being their birthplace, and the second
being a fetal head growing out of Barry's shoulder. This second head is
only touched on, mentioning that it may very well be the downfall of the
boys thanks to its cancerous nature.
But the boys aren't brought down by cancer or drugs. They succumb to the
world of fame the way many rising stars do.
The ending is touching and not just a bit frightening. We know from the
beginning that the boys will die (everyone refers to them in past tense
from the get-go), but the manner in which they die is lonely and bitter.
There's a lot to love about this film. The British punk-rock music of
the 70s is authentic (if somewhat hard to understand), and the Treadaway
brothers pull in Oscar-caliber performances. The fact that some movie
watchers will continue pondering the reality of the film incorporates a
significant "Wow" factor.
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Image from Brothers of the
Head
DVD cost: $21.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
At Humbledon Hall, the
brothers began working closely with Paul Day (formerly of The Noise) and
the trio found inspiration through guitar rock like The Kinks, The
Stooges, and The New York Dolls.
Movie Quote: "I
never exploited anybody who didn't want to be exploited."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Brothers of the Head
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