Product Details

• Actors: Luke Treadaway, Harry Treadaway, Jonathan Pryce, John Simm, Sean Harris
• Directors: Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe
• Producers: Peter Carlton
• Format: NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Fuse Network
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005JP7L
• For more information about "Brothers of the Head" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exploitations Finale, November 21, 2006

By 

B. Merritt "filmreviewstew.com" (WWW.FILMREVIEWSTEW.COM, Pacific Grove, California United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brothers of the Head (DVD)

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To Never Be Alone, March 19, 2007

By 

Martin A Hogan "Marty From SF" (San Francisco, CA. (Hercules)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brothers of the Head (DVD)

In this realistic pseudo-documentary, two conjoined twins (Luke and Harry) are discovered by a talent artist and become a hugely popular British punk-rock act. It's a dark tale from the start, but the simple story of sharing every moment of your life with another person joined at the waist is mesmerizing. The joy and angst of the pill-popping, heavy drinking twins is shown clearly and plainly. Their moods change and they are conflicted about eachother, but they always remain faithful (with no other choice) to eachother's feelings. The music is hard and tough and the emotional material matches. This is a cult classic about punk-rock and the feelings that one is never alone - and that isn't always a good thing.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars These Brothers Stick Together--A Musical Indie About The Closest Of Familial Bonds, September 22, 2007

By 

K. Harris "Film aficionado" (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brothers of the Head (DVD)

"Brothers of the Head" is an ambitious little indie about the meteoric rise and ultimate demise of a British rock group circa 1970's Britain. Shot in a faux documentary style, the film introduces us to two brothers--Tom and Barry Howe (real life twins Harry and Luke Treadaway). The film effectively captures the nature of brotherhood, the spirit of the music scene, the blush of first love, and the corruption of innocence. It is, ultimately, a sad journey--one we've seen many times before, but one worth taking again. Oh and did I forget to mention that Tom and Barry are conjoined twins? Attached at the torso, the brothers start out as a curiosity but grow into real artists. But in addition to the typical destructive forces within the band dynamic, the inability to disconnect from your partner adds a unique and poignant element to this terrific little film.

But as much as I enjoyed "Brothers of the Head," the fake documentary setup is almost the film's undoing. The first third of the movie is too concerned with establishing this conceit. Introducing us to filmmakers, authors, etc. in standard "talking head" interviews, the beginning of "Brothers" doesn't really connect us to the brothers. It's a big mistake, and one that keeps this film from achieving greatness. In addition, many of the initial scenes play as light comedy (including a terrific cameo by director Ken Russell) which don't serve the final film as well as I would have liked.

But once the boys discover music, things start to move into gear. The documentary style becomes less intrusive and the oddly comedic tone is dropped. What we're left with is a fascinating character study. The film provides great insight into the connectedness of the brothers; it's unique to see a serious study of conjoined twins. Usually played for laughs or horror, it is a fascinating psychological dynamic that deserves to be examined. The brothers love and hate one another within the space of one body (essentially)--they want to strike out independently, but they are irrevocably bound both mentally and physically. This, alone, could have made a great film. But "Brothers" also provides a realistic glimpse into the music scene. The songs are believable and compelling; the performance sequences are well shot and energetically performed. It's a seamless combination of drama and music.

Obviously, the Treadaway twins are convincing as the brothers. But, this is no one-trick pony--these guys can act. Both turn in finely nuanced performances. As Barry evolves from a annoying provocateur to someone more and more dependent, nice guy Tom finds romance and then makes increasingly destructive choices. Getting caught up in one's own hype is not a new concept, and the brothers are not immune to the industry's unfavorable influences. The evolution of the characters keeps "Brothers" grounded, believable, and moving.

The ending has an almost haunting quality that stuck with me. Highly recommended; "Brothers of the Head" is unique and effective. Give it a shot--but stay past the beginning. The film might not seem like it's going anywhere of interest initially, but those with patience will be richly rewarded. KGHarris, 09/07.