Milli Vanilli

Directed by Luke Korem, this documentary follows Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan from difficult childhoods in Munich to global stardom and then collapse. Producer Frank Farian built the group, fronted it with the pair, who were models and dancers, and had professional vocalists sing the songs. They became the first act to score three Billboard number ones from a debut album, which sold six million copies in the United States. In 1989 the backing track jammed and began repeating during an MTV concert, and the following year Farian publicly admitted the pair had never sung on the record, after which the Grammy was revoked, the only Grammy ever taken back. More than twenty six consumer lawsuits followed and buyers of the album were offered three dollars back each. The documentary's most serious claim is that the label knew at least six months before the Grammy ceremony, which contradicts its public denials. The actual studio vocalists also appear on camera. Rob Pilatus died of an overdose in 1998 at thirty two, on the eve of a promotional tour for a new album the pair had sung themselves, and that album was never released. Holding a hundred percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was praised for shifting blame from individuals to systemic exploitation. Who it's for: Fans of music industry scandal and cautionary tales about the cost of fame. Who it's not for: Not for viewers wanting cheerful nostalgia, since the film is bleak and ends in a death.