The Sparks Brothers reviewed by Mark Kermode 

I knew nothing about Sparks until I saw this documentary a month ago. By the end, I knew that I was in a lot of trouble, that I would be spending countless hours and pennies on this band. Within three days of seeing the film, I got a ticket for their March performance in Boston (Covid, don't screw this up for me) and started collecting CDs. So no, absolutely not, this film is not too long. Thank you Edgar Wright. And thank you Ron and Russell Mael.

The twist is that by 90 minutes you ARE a fan.

I’m afraid I have to disagree with Simon. I went to see the film last night knowing nothing about the band, other than having heard of their big hit… it was down to me seeing Edgar Wright and a few others talking about the film recently that I thought I’d go and see it, and I didn’t find it too long at all! Found it fascinating, funny, and really well put together!

Interesting to read the range of comments on here. My own opinion on Sparks (speaking as a fan): some of it is brilliant and some of it, erm.., isn’t. But I think that’s an occupational hazard for many artists who are creative and original with modern pop music, and plough their own furrow. You can keep the middle way and give people the same old winning formula again and again until they’ve had enough. Or you can risk something a bit different, i.e. do as you like, and win some and lose some. I could say much the same of another of my faves, Kate Bush. In both cases, there’s plenty of wonderful stuff to outweigh the less good times over. And when it’s good it’s really good, which is why both are top of my list despite the parts of their repertoire that I would bin.

I knew nothing about them, other a brief google and the trailer, absolutely loved it. Weirdly, it doesn't feel remotely long. You just sort of get swept up in the joy and madness of it all.

I got to say Simon is wrong imo lol. I went to see this simply bc I'm an Edgar Wright fan and never heard of Sparks until I saw the trailer for the doc. I absolutely loved it, and I was surprised when they said it was over 2 hours long bc I didn't remember it as long, for me it was totally entertaining all the way to the end and it made me immediately look them up and their music after I saw it

Three 'What was that?' moments from the school playground on a Friday morning after watching TOTP the evening before. 1. David Bowie - Starman 2. Roxy Music - Virginia Plain 3. Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us. They have continued that for 50 years. Haven't always liked it, but always been intrigued. The film complements their art well.

When they get to "Balls" it is so archly constructed it should be a set up, but no-- --quite the love letter to get to make. I cannot wait for the ridiculous wealth of DVD extras. They are precious and must be protected, our lovely little enduring sparks.

I'm with Mark. I saw this with my 28 year old daughter who knew nothing about the band (I recommended going because I did), and we both absolutely loved it. Great storytelling by Edgar Wright. Yes, it's long, but it holds your attention right to the end. A class film for fans and non-fans alike. 👌

They are so enigmatic. Where did the creativity get nurtured? Who were their parents? Are they the sons of the leisure class? Pacific Palisades.... Whatever sparked their creativity, they have nurtured their talent with great adaptability. They are musicians' musicians worthy of a wider audience.

NGL the first 20 minutes was good. But then I literally felt like a repeat of those 20 minutes, just all these people talking about why they liked them and why they were good without any in-depth analysis. So I kinda seemed very "kiss assy" which sadly left a poor taste in my mouth about sparks but thankfully I looked past that and listened to them and have been enjoying them. Good production but did nothing with it

I had no idea who they were. My 15 year old told me a bit about them and insisted I watch the film with her. I am now a Sparks fan.

Such a good film, highly reccomend to anyone

Too long if you're not a fan? Surely, by the end, everyone is a fan, aren't they?

Angst in my pants is my fave Sparks song. Also Georgio Moroder is a genius.

I honestly didn't realise it was that long, the time just flew by. An absolute joy to watch, looking forward to the 2 disc blu ray which is due out at the end of December with extended interviews.

Sparks are fantastic. And Rollercoaster is a GREAT film.

Is the keyboard player Blakey from On the Buses?

Knew nothing about these, not even a single song, and yet I absolutely loved it. Brilliantly made.

Curious to see Marks views on the new exorcist film when it's released in 2023

I watched not knowing a damn thing about Sparks and I loved it!

The only reason I watch "Roller Coaster" was to see Sparks.

Brilliant Documentary about iconic artists who have survived and often thrived into their 70's still creating and often improving previous work.

Saw them live at the Ritz in Manchester a few years ago 👌such a surreal concert but was amazing

Loved the comment by Paul Morley that anything Bob Harris didn't like, was then good 🤣😆

I was so very happy to see Roddy Bottum interviewed, I had know idea he was in the film! I thought it was a superb documentary. Just glorious.

Marc Bolan playing with Hitler. Ha ha.

If you're a fan of Edgar Wright and you know nothing about Sparks, you will become a fan of the band by the end of this film. Conversely, if you're a fan of Sparks and you know nothing about Edgar Wright, you will become a fan of the filmmaker by the end of this film.

I laughed out loud at the F bomb :)

Well I just saw the film and am still NOT convinced these guys are real. I just don't fathom how stuff so good could never have gotten played in Canada. The way the documentary tells it they bowied before Bowie and devo'ed before Devo. Is it possible they are the worlds most creative musicians to come up with all of this but just never perfected it the way the others did? I mean, I'm pretty sure the Earth is round, but this has me questioning everything.

Edgar Wright should do a film about the Residents now.

I didn’t know anything of Sparks and shapely loved it.

They are magnificent.

I'm afraid I would be closer to Simon's side on this. I knew nothing about Sparks going in and found it great... if overlong. But, it should be stressed that I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary, so the argument is not good or bad, but just how good it is (which may be the more contentious conflict!)

Can't wait to see this...

Roddy Bottum!

I LOVE Sparks. This movie should fly by for me then. I do hope this is available on streaming as THE EVENT Closed my cinema for good. :-(

Oh cool if it's near as good as Searching for Sugarman that's brilliant. But I'm watching it anyway. Because we are Sparks. We need Sparks.

Remember Mark Radcliffe and Mark Reilly using Sparks music for their silly quizzes and they had them on the show also.I went to the concert at Kentish town in 2018 that was filmed by Edgar Wright and his crew and went to the cinema on Thursday night to watch this and it was an amazing piece of work and was mesmerised eating my popcorn laughing at it when Ron was quipping.

Watched this last night! Cost me a bloody fortune on Discogs that's for sure! This has to be one of my favourite films ever... LOVE SPARKS!!

Thanks, again, Mark, for bringing this documentary to our attention. Never heard of them before. Really intriguing group.

I normally would have very little interest in the Sparks and am not a fan of their music, but I was curious about the film due to the fact Edgar Wright was directing it. Kermode's stamp of approval has tipped me over the edge to decide to see the documentary

Woah, no bird song at 1:43?!

Just brilliant, electro pop at its best

I didn't know Sparks other than that one song, but I went to see it because it's Edgar Wright. I loved it. It was long and kind of flat but i didnt get bored. I felt like i was being let in on something I knew nothing about. Mesmerising.

I have to disagree with Simon. Shamefully, I knew nothing about Sparks but because it was by Edgar Wright, it peaked my interest After watching the brilliant trailer with so many great interviewees & footage of the band I knew I had to see it. I never lost interest once during the film

I saw the trailer as a RU-vid advert. I googled Sparks to see if this was Edgar's Spinal Tap, my wife I then showed it to, couldn't believe they were real. Never heard of them, _zero of my friends, _ most of them music lovers, had heard of Sparks. We're all going to see it. We just can't understand how a group who's been around for 50 years, longer than any of us, who've released 23 albums and are _still_ writing absolute gold could be this unknown to all of us. All those 'in isolation' videos musicians made and they were gaff. And they made _this_

I genuinely thought they were German 😂

This documentary is not a minute too long.

Just dreamt this entire film and i haven't seen it so my dream just made up the entire thing Lol first time that has ever happened. Asked for the blu ray disc for Christmas seems like a nice Christmas day watch love sparks a lot.

1st saw them on TOTPops late 70's in Scotland, then met them in a record shop in L.A in the early 80's, lucky me. True artists.

I'm so glad I was around in the 70s, even though I was only six!

I've never heard of Sparks but I'll definitely be watching this.

The longer Sparks movie the better I was a Sparks fanatic when young boy still love them!

Spare me from the interviewees. A wierd enigmatic film would have been great. I couldn't care less about the musicians and their boring, banal recollections.

My dad played the Sparks every time we drove to Austria to go skiing in the 70’s , only sparks because we all loved it and up to this day it’s the only music I play every week or month. Just doesn’t get any better

I watched this on a train last week (I had plenty of time, thanks Avanti) and I absolutely loved it.

It's absolutely glorious. It's such an insightful, joyful paean to the elasticity and invention of pop music.

I knew next to nothing about Sparks and thoroughly enjoyed The Sparks Brothers documentary.

The armies of the night are coming, they're coming Life will be a dream for you and me The armies of the night are coming, they're coming Life will be a scream for you and me

remember buying Kimona My House when it was released. Great band

Saw the Sparks live last week in Helsinki, great show!

Anyone else living in Oz not have the faintest idea what this is about?

loved it, didn't want it to end! So inspirational!

Its brilliant and so are the Mael Brothers - go see it

Fantastic movie of a fantastic band

went to see it today - ok this is off the top of my head short and sweet review - their whole career seems to be hit & miss - when they got it right (for me) This town and maybe 4 singles of the same era- Number 1 song in Heaven - they nailed it - the rest for me was one huge miss - and yes an hour too long -as much as i love Ron's stare - after the 2oth time of seeing it -the novelty wears off -

I think the film was a bit too much of a love letter to and about Sparks. For example the Georgio Moroder period seems to gloss over that Sparks said they apparently had trouble with Moroder insisting on his sound and wouldnt work with him again. Plus the chances they are not being deliberately obtuse nor want to be popular is overlooked. Some interesting bits in it and largely enjoyable but needed some dirt tbh

What kind of video is this? Literally not one person cares what YOU think about this documentary

I remember picking up "Kimono My House" in a record store back when it was released. I remember all non-double albums cost $3.79 at that time. I remember being totally put off by the cover, as well as the title. No one I knew at the time was into them. I remember an acquaintance showing me the cover of "Angst in My Pants" a few years later and I thought, "Is that supposed to be funny?" in the early '90s I bought a bunch of their albums from the used-records bin and I listened more carefully and I'm quite fond of a handful of their songs, all of which were on their early albums. I found this film tedious after the first half hour. I think their career showed a great lack of imagination. It only showed pig-headed perseverance. I found this film to be fawning and uncritical. I was surprised that very little was said about how much the Sparks music owed to classical music. I think their career would have made an OK 1-hour documentary. This documentary is a big load of hype, part and parcel of the whole big lie about how sublime and near-ecstatic consuming culture can be.

Sick of seeing this everywhere.

I've never heard of Sparks, and hated them instantly in the first few minutes of this. Trying too hard.