The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

Talk about niche marketing: Jools and Lynda Topp are farm-raised yodeling country singers and character-based comedians from New Zealand; they're also “out” lesbian twins who've been political activists for the length of their career, which has been enormously successful since its onset in the 1980s. Blending clips of the sisters in character, interviews, and performance footage, together with commentary from friends and family, director Leanne Pooley spins out the Topps' history (including a somber interlude involving Jools's fight against breast cancer). From busking in town to touring the country in a tractor-pulled gypsy caravan (and consistently packing houses along the way), the sisters have also been on the frontlines of Maori land-rights protests, anti-Apartheid demonstrations, and the fight for sexual equality, joyfully approaching all of their work while also finding a worldwide audience. Folksinger Billy Bragg singles the Topps out as unique among political artists for bringing humor to their causes without diluting the impact of their message. DVD extras include a background featurette, additional interviews, and deleted scenes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (H. Seggel)