IMDb RATING
7.5/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
The bizarre untold truth behind the greatest con in music history - Milli Vanilli.The bizarre untold truth behind the greatest con in music history - Milli Vanilli.The bizarre untold truth behind the greatest con in music history - Milli Vanilli.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 3 nominations total
Rob Pilatus
- Self
- (archive footage)
Frank Farian
- Self - Producer
- (archive footage)
Ingrid Segieth
- Self - Frank's Assistant
- (as Ingrid 'Milli' Segieth)
Downtown Julie Brown
- Self - Club MTV, Host
- (as "Downtown" Julie Brown)
John Davis
- Self - Rapper
- (archive footage)
Featured reviews
This was a great documentary. First and foremost, it brought back some fun memories of the music (even if they didn't sing it). More than anything, though, it humanized them in a way I had never thought about. I always remembered feeling angry that these two had tried to pull a scam on everyone, when in reality it was dozens, if not hundreds of people all keeping quiet because of the millions the album was making. By the end, I felt sadness for them instead of anger. There have been some great music docs lately... WHAM, and now this. And girl you know it's true that I ordered the CD after watching. Go ahead and judge all ya want.
As a teenager in the 80s, I remember Milli Vanilli well. I was never a big fan of the duo, but I couldn't help but get the massive attention and success the group got. Also their abrupt end to their pop career.
After watching this good, insightful documentary, I am primarily saddened by their story. Two young men who wanted to be "stars" more than anything else. Producer Frank Farian immediately saw potential, but opted for a sinister formula; they mimed to their own tunes. Skilled studio musicians and singers provided all vocals.
The success was immediate and massive. But it was all a ticking bomb and as this documentary shows; Milli Vanilli became the scapegoat of the whole world.
This documentary has similarities to many other films and documentaries about the pop industry; money rules everything.
The documentary is painful to watch, the boys' rise ended in total disaster for them, both professionally and on a personal level. The people behind it, the producer and the record company escaped without a single scratch in the paintwork. The boys became the sinners who were put to the slaughter.
Nevertheless, it is also a historical victory. It is possible to get back up even after being torn apart in public.
I have the impression that their story is unfortunately not unique. How many pretty faces that we've dug the music for over the years are tricksters?
The documentary at least corrects some of my impression of the duo. They were not without fault themselves, but paid an incredibly high price for a fraud that many powerful players were part of.
After watching this good, insightful documentary, I am primarily saddened by their story. Two young men who wanted to be "stars" more than anything else. Producer Frank Farian immediately saw potential, but opted for a sinister formula; they mimed to their own tunes. Skilled studio musicians and singers provided all vocals.
The success was immediate and massive. But it was all a ticking bomb and as this documentary shows; Milli Vanilli became the scapegoat of the whole world.
This documentary has similarities to many other films and documentaries about the pop industry; money rules everything.
The documentary is painful to watch, the boys' rise ended in total disaster for them, both professionally and on a personal level. The people behind it, the producer and the record company escaped without a single scratch in the paintwork. The boys became the sinners who were put to the slaughter.
Nevertheless, it is also a historical victory. It is possible to get back up even after being torn apart in public.
I have the impression that their story is unfortunately not unique. How many pretty faces that we've dug the music for over the years are tricksters?
The documentary at least corrects some of my impression of the duo. They were not without fault themselves, but paid an incredibly high price for a fraud that many powerful players were part of.
I heard about Milli Vanilli when I was really, really young - right out of toddlerhood, maybe. As such, at the time, I never really understood everything that happened back then involving this "scandal", but it always surprised me how vehemently ANGRY quite a few people would become at the thought of these two men, Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan having "lip-synced some songs". (Yes, that's pretty much what I knew of it). As I grew up, I understood more of it, especially because I was involved in dance, but still, the indignation and ire with which some people referred to it, always escaped me. As much WRONG that was done by these guys, much worse was actioned by the ones who used them and benefitted from them. Can anyone who sees this documentary, truly say they would not at least pause and consider the dream-come-true which was presented to be plucked? If anything, they brought the world some GREAT tunes which otherwise may not have been made or may not have had the success and airplay they did. What a shame that the brunt of the fallout and fallback, as this documentary shows, was paid by the two performers.
I am NOT referring to Rob or Fab!!!
Honestly who cares if they were lip syncing??? I was in my 20's when the scandal happened and I still bought their music! They weren't the best entertainers out there but they were unique, eye catching and had sex appeal.
These record studios, execs, song writers etc knew exactly what was happening. If they didn't know in the beginning, they knew at some point. Everyone was about the money!! Just be honest! I guess they have their reputations to maintain but everyone knows record studios are vultures!!!
Ingrid pissed me off. She was so dishonest and disrespectful towards Rob and Fab. All that laughing and dismissive hand gestures spoke volumes. Of course she needed alcohol to get through the interview...I wish Rob never trusted her!!!! I just have no sympathy for her. She contributed to Rob and Fab's demise with her boyfriend/boss.
If you look closely at Fab's face during the Grammy picture taking portion of the documentary you can tell he did not look happy at all. Rob was just so happy to be loved and admired. But you could see the nervousness on Fab's face.
Also the fake outrage of the media at that conference was ridiculous!!! I thought Rob and Fab handled it very well!!! No one can deny the racial undertones (or overtones) of this scandal.
What this documentary did not say was that they only sold 2000 albums because the company that took a chance on them was already going out of business. So no one knows if they would have sold more records had they had a bigger machine behind them.
Charles Shaw is bitter to say the least but you really cant blame him.
Frank is somewhere living his best life with his millions. Hope it was all worth it....
Honestly who cares if they were lip syncing??? I was in my 20's when the scandal happened and I still bought their music! They weren't the best entertainers out there but they were unique, eye catching and had sex appeal.
These record studios, execs, song writers etc knew exactly what was happening. If they didn't know in the beginning, they knew at some point. Everyone was about the money!! Just be honest! I guess they have their reputations to maintain but everyone knows record studios are vultures!!!
Ingrid pissed me off. She was so dishonest and disrespectful towards Rob and Fab. All that laughing and dismissive hand gestures spoke volumes. Of course she needed alcohol to get through the interview...I wish Rob never trusted her!!!! I just have no sympathy for her. She contributed to Rob and Fab's demise with her boyfriend/boss.
If you look closely at Fab's face during the Grammy picture taking portion of the documentary you can tell he did not look happy at all. Rob was just so happy to be loved and admired. But you could see the nervousness on Fab's face.
Also the fake outrage of the media at that conference was ridiculous!!! I thought Rob and Fab handled it very well!!! No one can deny the racial undertones (or overtones) of this scandal.
What this documentary did not say was that they only sold 2000 albums because the company that took a chance on them was already going out of business. So no one knows if they would have sold more records had they had a bigger machine behind them.
Charles Shaw is bitter to say the least but you really cant blame him.
Frank is somewhere living his best life with his millions. Hope it was all worth it....
The document is good but mostly everyone there is lying their ass off to sugar coat the whole scam. I mean everybody knew before Milli Vanilli that only one person sang in Boney M and the male voice was Frank Farians own voice, I read about it in 1981 and I am just a consumer. And big bosses in Arista disint know about Boney M, Haloo!!! Also they all knew Frank Farian also and he was behind the massive success of Boney M. SO please DONT lie they just all wanted to make tons of money. These days with AI can make dog sing so these days this scam is more the rule, rather than the exception. And in those times there was already C+C Music Factory, Snap, Black Box, they all used model in video than showing who real singer was.
But the whole music scene has change so much from these days so...
But the whole music scene has change so much from these days so...
Did you know
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Project: Episode dated 25 October 2023 (2023)
- SoundtracksHot Girl
performed by Sabrena Palermo
- How long is Milli Vanilli?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Popmusikkens største fupnummer
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 46m(106 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
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