BEING FRANK: THE CHRIS SIEVEY STORY
Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story
Steve Sullivan, 2019
Catalog No.: FTF-080
Length: 100 minutes
Frank Sidebottom was a performer who happened to wear a huge paper mâché head. Or he was a real person. It rather depended whom you asked. Either way, to his legion of devoted fans, he was a living, breathing cartoon character who hailed from the village of Timperley. Frank, forever 35, lived with his mum from whom he kept his fantastic show business career a secret, even though that career included regular TV appearances, shows at Wembley Stadium, and eventually even his own television show, not to mention records, videos, books, and art exhibitions. Frank Sidebottom became a national treasure in the UK, a living folk hero, part Robin Hood, part Tiny Tim, part Johnny Rotten. Hardly anyone knew that inside the mysterious entertainer’s fake head was Chris Sievey, former lead singer of The Freshies, who played Bruce Wayne to Frank’s Batman.
Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story tells the twisted tale of a split personality, exploring the extraordinary secret life of a songwriter, artist, comedian and wayward genius. Sievey’s life was a fantastical, subversive piece of performance art. His greatest creation, the mysterious Frank Sidebottom, became a star – a manic, insane, mercurial star who obscured his own creator. Chris, who grew to resent Sidebottom, descended into alcoholism and bankruptcy, but his genius could not survive without ‘Being Frank’. So, Chris devised a master plan…
Director/Editor/Producer: Steve Sullivan
Director of Photography: Ezra Byrne
Music: Frank Sidebottom and Chris Sievey
Featuring: Frank Sidebottom, Chris Sievey, John Cooper Clarke, Mark Radcliffe, Ross Noble, Johnny Vegas, Tony Wilson, Edweena Banger, Martin Sievey, Paul Molyneux, Paula Sievey, Mike Sweeney, Rick Sarko, Barry Spencer, Tosh Ryan, MikeDoherty, Stephen Doyle, George Borowski, Bernard Kelly, CP Lee, Bernard Mitchell, Stirling Sievey, Asher Horsefield, Phil Fletcher, Dave Arnold, Steve Philips, Jon Ronson, Mike Gallagher, Dave Donaldson, Patrick Gallagher, Nigel Rounde, John Thomson, Harry Sievey, Brian Little, Michele Pouncey, Daniel Parrott, Dennis and Lois, and Donald Smith
Festivals: SXSW, Seattle International Film Festival and more
WATCH THE FILM
PRESS
“A pop-culture outsider gets his colorful due.”
– Hollywood Reporter
““Being Frank” has the fascination of an enduring pop footnote, and it could be the kind of cult film that “Frank” wasn’t.”
– Variety
“I was thoroughly entertained and moved by this documentary. I highly recommend it.”
– Susan Sarandon