Diksha Sundriyal
The fourth season of Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building’ entwines the investigation of Sazz Pataki’s murder with the movie adaptation based on the cases solved by Charles, Mabel, and Oliver. Amidst the many twists and turns of the story, several new characters are introduced. While most of them seem entirely unrelated to the investigation, some interesting connections emerge over the course of the investigation. The director duo of the Brothers sisters happens to be one of them. The sixth episode of the season focuses on them, especially on their experimental arthouse film, The Desecration of Alice, which sheds more light on the matter. The creators of the show and the actors drew from some very interesting sources to bring the directors and their film to life. SPOILERS AHEAD
The Brothers Sisters and Their Experimental Film are Entirely Fictional
Played by Catherine Cohen and Siena Werber, Trina and Tawny Brothers are a fictional director duo who are brought on board to direct the film based on the murders in the Arconia solved by Charles, Mabel, and Oliver. They are known for their unique sensibilities and their eccentric approach to filmmaking, which is on full display in their short film, ‘The Desecration of Alice.’ They made the film while they were in film school as an ode to their teacher. It focuses on an old man who creates twin sisters to do his bidding, especially murder. The film presents a rather macabre side of the director, making them prime suspects.
When it comes to bringing the characters to life on the screen, Cohen and Werber tapped into their own comedic sensibilities to bring about the balance of weirdness and talent to their characters. Cohen talked about looking back at her days in the theatre and drawing from her teachers as well as her fellow students there, who were artsy and weird in a cool way, which is what she wanted for her half of the Brothers sisters. Rather than looking towards any particular director, she and Werber found it better to draw from what was given to them on the page and improvise according to the demands of the plot.
The actresses play their parts impeccably, and when it came to making the short movie by the Brothers sisters, the creators of the show had to maintain that same texture in it. The film, though entirely made up and plotted entirely to serve the storyline of the show, had to reflect the character of the duo and show us how far their imagination and creativity stretch. Director Jessica Yu referenced Fritz Lang’s 1927 German film, ‘Metropolis’ to give a distinct look to ‘The Desecration of Alice.’ The silent expressionist film provides the right balance of macabre and artful talents, which is what defines the director duo in the show. Apart from the purpose of showing us who they are, the film also serves to establish a strong connection with the murders, making them even more important to the investigation.
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