Originally formed amidst the chaos of the 1970 Kent State anti-Vietnam War protest killings, the not quite new wave band Devo scored a hit with "Whip It" and gained mainstream success with their message of societal "de-evolution."
Direction
Chris Smith balances archival gold with painful present-day reflections
Editing
Seamless weaving of 50 years of footage, no filler
Production
The energy dome origin story alone justifies runtime
Director
Chris Smith
Mark Mothersbaugh
Self
Gerald V. Casale
Self
Robert Mothersbaugh
Self
Alan Myers
Self (archive footage)
Bob Casale
Self (archive footage)
Brian Eno
Self (archive footage)
Michael W. Schwartz
Rod Rooter (archive footage)
Mark Goodman
Self (archive footage)
David Bowie
Self (archive footage)
Richard Branson
Self (archive footage)
Andy Warhol
Self (archive footage)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Brian Eno nearly ruined their debut by adding 'too many overdubs'—the band secretly removed half his work. The film finally settles who produced what.
Gerald Casale was literally protesting at Kent State when the National Guard opened fire; the massacre birthed 'devolution' as concept. The documentary treats this origin with haunting weight.
US
