Product Details

• Actors: Kings of Leon
• Directors: Stephen C. Mitchell
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: RCA
• DVD Release Date: November 1, 2011
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B005KP74RW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,067 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

When three teenaged brothers and their cousin rebelled against their strict, religious Southern upbringing to form Kings of Leon, their humble backstory garnered almost as much attention as their music. Many questioned if they were really related and if rumors of their father being a Pentecostal preacher were true. Since then, the band has achieved worldwide, Grammy® Award-winning success and Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon lies to rest the mystery and myths as it details the rise to fame from their bible belt beginnings.

The documentary kicks off at the annual Followill family reunion in the back woods of Talihina, OK, where the boys return to their roots and unwind with their family. First-time director and Followill friend Stephen C. Mitchell weaves personal home videos, unedited interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the band's journey from their small-town beginnings -- spent in poverty and touring the circuit with their father, a Pentecostal evangelist minister, and their devout mother -- to living the rock star dream.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Rock And Roll Excess Juxtaposed With Extreme Poverty And Religious Fervor: A More Intimate Look At Kings Of Leon September 29, 2011

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

When I look at a rock documentary these days, I always wonder how much appeal the movie would have outside a performer or group's regular fan base. Kings of Leon are certainly a talented quartet that have taken the music scene by storm and I definitely think that this inside portrait will appeal to their fan base. A truthful, if somewhat episodic, document of the group's success and back story--Stephen C. Mitchell's "Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon" has a warts-and-all appeal that makes for interesting storytelling. The group has a candor and openness in front of the camera that involves the viewer as a part of the action. But the focus of the movie kind of jumps around with no specific narrative purpose. I still thought this was a vital and alive piece that offers quite a bit of insight into Kings of Leon and the roots that made them who they are today. I don't know if it will necessarily garner new fans--their music, while featured, isn't necessarily a focal point--but it has a satisfying fly-on-the-wall feel for those wishing to understand the boys more personally.

If you are shopping this title, you undoubtedly already know that Kings of Leon is comprised of three Followill brothers (Nathan, Caleb, and Jared) with their cousin (Matthew). While the brothers grew up in a strict Pentecostal upbringing following their preacher father around the country, the main part of their clan resided in rural Oklahoma. The documentary spends almost as much time with the Followill's extended family as it does with the principle group and it's an intriguing approach. The family is dirt poor and still live a meager lifestyle at the outskirts of Oklahoma City. While colorful and wildly eccentric, the film treats these individuals with respect (unlike other filmic representations where they would be looked upon in derision). This poor upbringing, along with the religion and their father's perceived betrayal, affected the boys in their formative years creating a rebelliousness essential to their music.

The film intercuts these family sequences and interviews with Kings of Leon on the road. The boys are thouroughly surprised by their commercial success as they seem to exhibit much contempt for what plays on contemporary radio. The film doesn't shy away from some of the unpleasantness inherent in the lifestyle--the drinking, drugs, squabbles, and ego trips--and the experience is more powerful because of it. The most memorable sequences in the movie are scenes of rock and roll excess juxtaposed with religious mania and iconography. Again, I don't know that "Talihina Sky" will stand as the comprehensive or definitive portrait of Kings of Leon, but it does have an immediacy and intimacy that their fans should eat up. Beware, though, these are real guys. This is no processed Hollywood product and their portrayal is not always flattering. KGHarris, 9/11.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Docu December 9, 2011

By Spider

Format:DVD

There are several naysayer critics floating around the world-wide-web, presenting in newspaper print who wail loudly for "more narrative" in this documentary. They just don't get it. Real, raw, and rousing, this story defies the polished British-accented narrator in favor of local flavor. Talihina Sky provides a glimpse into the multitude of forces which shape the Kings of Leon. Fundamental religion, fanaticism, and utterly dour socioeconomic conditions name a few. The parallels which compare their roots to the rock paint an eerily ironic picture. Quaking music fans and pentecostal parishioners dominate the scene. If you desire a cohesive, well-outlined history lesson of the band, pull up the Wikipedia article. Otherwise sit back with this film and become enlightened to the band's inner spirit. And watch life roll by.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Candid, Intimate, "Rock Doc" as Told By The Kings of Leon Themselves, Along with Their Father, Mother, & Relatives. December 6, 2011

By Gary Covington TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

As KOL's lead singer Caleb states "A lot of people were telling our story, but they got it all wrong, so we decided to tell our own story, so people would know the truth." And that is what this Rock Documentary is all about, a very well presented story & history of the KOL as told by the members themselves, along with Caleb, Nathan, and Jared's Divorced Father & Mother and many of their relatives. It also includes input from KOL band member Matthew, who is a 1st Cousin to the 3 brothers. All 4 members of the KOL bear the same last name of Followill. This "Rock Doc" begans at a Followill Family Reunion in their hometown of Talihina, Oklahoma, which is located in rural Southeastern Oklahoma, in a county that intersects with the Arkansas border. Talihina is a American Choctaw Indian name for "Iron Road"

In this "Rock Doc" Caleb covers the process they went through in selecting a name for their band. Then Caleb clearly states that their name "Kings of Leon", was chosen in honor of all the band members' Granddad, Leon Mitchell Followill. Their Granddad & Grandma, Leon Mitchell Followill & Mildred Ledell Brown Followill are both in this "Rock Doc". They reside in the KOL's hometown of Talihina, Oklahoma.

The KOL were raised in a strict, Southern Pentecostal background, the 3 members whose father was a Pentecostal Evangelist Preacher, traveled throughout the Mid South, conducting revivals at Pentecostal Churhes. I was raised in a strict Southern Penetecostal background myself, so I can definitely relate to what they went through while growing up. Legendary Louisiana Rocker Jerry Lee Lewis was also raised in this type of environment to a certain extent. One of my uncles was a Pentecostal Preacher. It's a very stressful job, people call you 24 hours a day/7 days a week. So, I can understand how their father "burned out" and "fell from his ministry" as a Pentecostal evangelist preacher. I have a lot of respect for their father. He very candidly states in this "Rock Doc", that he hit the bottom, and begin drinking heavily, to escape from the pain he was experiencing from his "burn-out" and "fall". He goes on to state that "when you hit the bottom, you do what you have to do". Also, I respect him because he states that "when he was a traveling Pentecostal Evangelist Preacher, he never begged for money, because he didn't like to see other Preachers begging for money". So, they just made whatever amount of money the churches were willing to give them, which resulted in them living basically in poverty. It covers the story of how the KOL's strict Southern Pentecostal background eventually transformed them into becoming one of the biggest Rock bands in the world. The "fall" of their Pentecostal Evangelist Father, Ivan Leon Followill lead to the divorce between the 3 brothers' mother (Betty Ann) & their father (Ivan Leon).

This "Rock Doc" contains a lot of candid, intimate home video's of the boys growing up. These videos includes church videos and show the boys' singing gospel songs at church. It also contains home video's of the boys and family members growing up in Southeastern Oklahoma. It includes home & professional videos including commentaries from their divorced mother & father, and many many commentaries & videos from their many relatives. It shows the rural environment where they grew up in, bacisally in Talihina, Oklahoma. It shows them playing in a creek that was one of their main fun spots, while growing up.

Overall, their divorced mother & father, along with their many relatives seem to be "acccepting" and very proud of them, for their success in the World of Rock & Roll.

This is a very interesting "Rock Doc" to watch. The dvd package includes a "family tree" of the Followill Family. Also, the dvd has an approximate running time of 135 minutes, according to the back of the dvd case, which is longer that what the Amazon Product Description states. It contains "Special Features" including deleted scenes, home movies, & additional commentaries. If you like the Kings of Leon, you'll love this history & story of the band members. At the very end during the "credits" portion of the dvd, the song "Radioactive" is played as background music. It fits in just perfect, especially with the lyrics "When the role is called up Yonder, I hope you'll see me there....It's in the water, where you came from....". And this dvd shows you exactly where they came from.