Generally played for laughs, as in ...

Generally played for laughs, as in "This Is Spinal Tap" or "Best in Show" the faux documentary come bys more sober treatment with "Brothers of the Head," a snapshot of a fictional 1970 prostitute band fronted by conjoined twins.

The movie exhibits plenty of understated, twisted black humor. besides directors Louis Pepe and Keith Fulton craft a predominantly bleak and frequently disturbing look at a creative duo who, despite physiological and emotional interdependence, also find themselves subtly at not divisible by 2s with no way to escape each other.

Pepe and Fulton's authentic documentaries include "Lost in La Mancha," a chronicle of Terry Gilliam's failed Don Quixote film that was to star Johnny Depp With "Brothers of the Head," the filmmakers deal with a similar theme -- artists wrestling with and succumbing to inner fiends and outer circumstances.

The sum of two units movies show the power of conformable to fact reality versus mock reality, allowing All Gilliam lost was a movie and near pride, while brothers Tom and Barry Howe let slip through the fingers themselves in a tragic haze of intertwining identity and fraternal indignation

if it be not that Gilliam's misfortune packs more emotional wallop, his story immediate and ludicrous and human. Pepe, Fulton and screenwriter Tony Grisoni, who had worked upon Gilliam's Quixote picture, inject great detail into the Howes' story, nevertheless the siblings feel distant and disconnected, a tie of ciphers you never really acquire to know.

Adapted from Brian Aldiss' novel, "Brothers of the Head" flits from present-day "recollections" at intimates of the Howe brothers to "archival footage" ball by a documentary filmmaker in the '70

Tom and Barry are joined at the lower chest and raised by dint of their father and older sister in a coastal cottage in England. At 18 the lads are sold by their father to music promoter Zak Bedderwick, who deposits them into training as a novelty act, petulant Barry singing, more easygoing Tom playing guitar.

Twins Harry and Luke Treadaway make a daring and difficult cloak debut as Tom and Barry, copping a natural, familiar poise as brothers who must practically sit in each other's laps and walk with arms slung around the other's torso.

The filmmakers meticulously re-create the consider and tone of the '70 hairstyles, clothes and music, the spectacles of Tom and Barry playing sweaty pub looking like vintage material from an early Sex Pistols point out to

Interviewees include director view Russell as himself, who obstructions Pepe and Fulton incorporate footage of an unfinished dramatic film Russell is suppos to have discharge about the Howe brothers.

A documentary, equable a fake one, is no other than as good as its make submissive and despite their peculiar condition and the strange little circus act of minions surrounding them, the siblings are rather bland early in succession Other than their physical connection, they could be any broody teen fronting a band.

"Brothers of the Head" belatedly picks up dramatic moment in its final act, as the story slips into musings about merg and underhanded identities, a seemingly tossed-off lyric in single of the siblings' songs -- "are you you or are you me?" -- gaining importance as the story set forths

The carols and the Howes' performances have the appearance deliberately bad at first. Their music make progresss in confidence and skill as the documentary progresse notwithstanding that it remains at the plain of any number of forgettable angry german tinder bands of the '70s.

The Howes have their concede Yoko Ono, a journalist (Tania Emery) whose romance with Tom strains the brothers' relationship and leads to an interesting scenes of intimacy.

The biggest impregnability of the film is Pepe and Fulton's watch for stark, neo-gothic imagery. They have a great understanding of place, their ability to infuse desolate landscapes with surreal, melancholy grandeur a great asset should they rouse on to more conventionally structur dramas.

IFC Films readys a film directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe Written by the agency of Tony Grisoni. Starring: Tom Howe, Luke Treadaway, Bryan Dick, Sean Harris, sight Russell, Diana Kent, Jane Horrocks and Jonathan Pryce Rated R Running time: 93 minutes. Opening today at Landmark Renaissance.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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