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The Sparks Brothers

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The Sparks Brothers

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Summary

Los Angeles-based brothers Ron and Russell Mael formed their quirky rock band Sparks in the early 1970s and have defiantly ploughed a distinctive creative furrow with their artful and synth-fuelled pop. This affectionate documentary traces the brothers' musical odyssey over five decades.

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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Andrew Collins

The sheer breadth and depth of talking heads gathered by director Edgar Wright for this tribute to LA-raised rock/pop sibling duo Sparks speaks volumes of the love and respect they command. Beck, Mike Myers, Giorgio Moroder, Sex Pistol Steve Jones, members of New Order and Duran Duran plus superfan Jonathan Ross (who warmly describes the duo as two people "who look like they've been let out for a day") are among those lining up to deify brothers Ron and Russell Mael, who are still working in their 70s. Since their debut in 1971, they've recorded 25 albums and experienced as many highs as lows - including a six-year spell without a record label - but they have continued to reinvent themselves with hits such as This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us, The Number One Song in Heaven and When Do I Get to Sing My Way. With Russell's good looks and cartoonish falsetto, and keyboardist Ron's challenging Hitler moustache and mischievous lyrics, they defy categorisation and convention, and commentator Paul Morley nails it with the line: "They're the best British group ever to come out of America." An intelligent, joyful and overstuffed story-so-far, this documentary will satisfy inquisitive newcomers and dedicated fans alike.

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7.7/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameRon MaelRon MaelRussell MaelRussell MaelBeckBeck Alex KapranosAlex KapranosJonathan RossJonathan RossMike MyersMike MyersGiorgio MoroderGiorgio Moroder

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Crew

rolenameDirectorEdgar Wright

Details

Theatrical distributor

Universal Pictures Int (UK)

Released on

2021-07-30

Languages

English

Guidance

swearing

Formats

Colour

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