The Sparks Brothers, a documentary about Russell and Ron Mael directed by Edgar Wright premieres at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021.
The UK director of comedies such as Shaun of the Dead and Marvel blockbuster Antman who has always been a fan of the eccentric duo said,
“I’d always been curious about doing a documentary. I was always impressed by directors who could seem to sort of be doing a feature film and a documentary in tandem, like Scorsese. But most of all, I felt like making the film was easier for me than to carry on telling my friends how great I thought Sparks was — easier for me to make a two-hour film than spend four hours at dinner trying to extol my love.”
Watch the trailer below and at 1:20 see Roddy Bottum talking about the Ron's snow globe collection!
In 2018 Roddy Bottum starred in Sebastian Silva's feature film Tyrel alongside Michael Cera, the principle actor from Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Roddy and Bill Gould have been Sparks fans since their youth.
"We were smitten. We rode our bikes up to the weirdo record store and inquired within. There was an ambiguous Bowie type rocker with earrings and colored hair who we were able to confide in. It kind of changed our lives.” - Roddy 2011
Faith No More were invited to collaborate with Russell and Ron in 1997 for an updated version of This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us and Something for the Girl with Everything, both included on Sparks' 1997 album Plagiarism.
Sparks have joined FNM onstage on two occasions, Brixton Academy 29.11.1997 and Hollywood Palladium 01.12.2010. The later performance also featured Dean Menta on guitar who since leaving FNM has been performing and recording with Sparks.
“We’re both real oddball outfits — and we like to push buttons. I get the sense that Sparks put a lot of thought into their presentation and how they come across. Faith No More does too. We started employing ways to (mess) with our audience early on." - Roddy 2011
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