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Marillion - Brave - The Film CD (album) cover

BRAVE - THE FILM

Marillion

 

Neo-Prog

2.80 | 58 ratings

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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
2 stars Harrowing

Care should be taken when approaching this release. This is not a concert video, indeed the band only appear from time to time on it. This is effectively an elongated video intended to complement and illustrate the story of the album.

The original studio version of "Brave" forms the soundtrack to this hour long film. Some brief dialogue in the form of a doctor's questions and findings has been added to embellish the story, but none of the characters actually speak to camera as such. The story is the harrowing tale of the life of a young girl growing up and slipping into the seedy world of sex and drugs. She is rapidly driven to attempt suicide by jumping from the Severn Bridge, which links Wales to England. There are graphic representations of sexual assault and the devastating side effects of drug taking, with the disturbing nature of the story-line being ever present.

On occasions, the band make ill advised but thankfully fleeting appearances miming to the soundtrack. Steve Hogarth looks particularly uncomfortable attempting to lip sync his vocals.

Whether or not the film adds anything to the music is questionable. For me, the "Brave" album is already over-laden with gloom, and is not among my favourites by the band. While the cinematography is artistic, using both black and white and colour segments to paint the picture, the story is rather weak and unoriginal.

Quite who Marillion thought would be attracted to a film of this nature is something of an enigma. Even if it had enjoyed a wide release, I cannot envisage many being converted to the band's music after being thoroughly depressed by this turgid affair.

The DVD comes complete with a "Making of" section, which seeks to explain the logic behind the film. It includes band rehearsals plus a brief letting their hair down jam at the end. The members talk about the history of the band, touring, and of course the "Brave" album. They are very keen to show that they do have a sense of humour, but they are clearly deadly serious when it comes to the music.

One for committed Marillion fans, and manic depressives only.

Easy Livin | 2/5 |

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