ONCE SEEN, ANNETTE is not easily forgotten. On paper, it’s a family drama: a comedian named Henry (Adam Driver) and an actor named Ann (Marion Cotillard) have a baby, then struggle as their relationship implodes. But on screen it’s a whole other proposition —a giddy, roiling, psychologically complex musical powered by a plethora of songs by Ron and Russell Mael, the brothers who comprise ultra-hip band Sparks. Oh, and that baby is a puppet. Naturally. The project, which began life as a mooted stage show, originally had over 40 pieces of music — we asked the Maels to shed light on some which actually made it into the movie.
Ron Mael: I think it was the first song we wrote. We wanted something that was in the movie and out of the movie at the same time —a preface explaining the fears and ego problems of the writers, and the budgetary concerns.
Russell Mael: Lyrically, it’s meta, and selfreferential: “The authors are here so let’s not show disdain/ The authors are here and they’re a little vain.” There was something like 18 takes of that scene, because it’s all one shot. A cinematographer walking backwards down a long boulevard for about four minutes. There were a couple of times when we had to stop, when he’d knock into a parking meter and things like that.
