Genesis: Sum of the Parts

Filmmaker John Edginton's informative documentary may seem familiar since it's an extended version of the 2014 BBC-aired profile Genesis: Together and Apart, serving up a history of the band and their solo projects (Sum of the Parts features 30 minutes of additional material). The story begins in Surrey, England, where bass player Mike Rutherford and keyboard player Tony Banks joined forces with guitarist Anthony Phillips and singer Peter Gabriel in 1967. In 1970, they added former actor Phil Collins on drums. Throughout the decade, change was the name of the game, with Phillips leaving and Steve Hackett joining the fold. With each album, Genesis's fame grew, but after a tour in support of the Gabriel-penned The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, the singer left to pursue a solo career. To their surprise, the band only found greater fame when Collins, who didn't share Gabriel's love of big theatrics, took over as lead. All six men appear here, along with touring players Chester Thompson and Daryl Stuermer, while live footage and video clips illustrate the transformation of the group's sound from prog-rock to pop-rock. Although this is an official portrait, the members acknowledge tensions, including Banks's discomfort with Collins's spectacular solo success. Although Rutherford also had a number of hits with Mike + the Mechanics, he wasn't nearly as visible in the 1980s as the outgoing Collins. Most fans will appreciate the breadth and depth of this engaging profile. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include bonus interviews. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)