Stop Making Sense (1984)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writers:

Jonathan Demme (writer)
Talking Heads (writer)

Release Date:

16 November 1984 (West Germany)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

Why stop making sense? Why a movie? Why a big suit? Where do the odd movements come from? What will the band do next?

Plot:

An innovative concert movie for the rock group The Talking Heads.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Concert | Musician | Concert Film | Stage

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Bernie Worrell	...	Keyboards
Alex Weir	...	Guitar and Vocals
Steven Scales	...	Percussion (as Steve Scales)
Lynn Mabry	...	Backing Vocals
Ednah Holt	...	Backing Vocals (as Edna Holt)
Tina Weymouth	...	Bass, Percussion and Vocals
Jerry Harrison	...	Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals
Chris Frantz	...	Drums and Vocals
David Byrne	...	Vocals and Guitar

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (1999 re-release) | Stereo

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Pantages Theater - 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Music Television (MTV)

Trivia:

David Byrne's staggering during the latter part of "Psycho Killer" was directly inspired by Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding (1951) during the song "I Left My Hat In Haiti".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As stated above the concert was edited together from three shows, and it being a "live" show, things not planned happened. The first night, David Byrne puts on the baseball cap that's thrown up on stage from the audience, so the next night it can be seen next to the drums so that he can put it on again.

Quotes:

David Byrne: I wanna introduce the band by name.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sydney (1996)

Soundtrack:

Girlfriend Is Better

The Benchmark of All Concert Films

It's a good thing that the Talking Heads broke up when they did. I mean, could you imagine them slogging it out today, playing the state fair circuit, or worse, the street fair circuit? No, watch this film. See a band at its creative and energetic peak. Remember them as they were over the two or three days in which it was filmed. Of course, you must watch David Byrne. He would make his entire body a performance art. He would contort, jog, dance, leap, and even make his clothes a prop.

But, watch Tina Weymouth...

Tina is a very visual performer too. She says almost nothing, letting her bass guitar speak for her. And while David goes over the top often, Tina is subtle and sublime. With her body moves as she dances in place. With her facial expressions, her smiles, occasional raised eyebrows, and glances. Then when the action shifts to the Tom Tom Club (in order to give David a break and allow him to change into his big suit), her big moment is for one song only--"Genius of Love" but man does she seize the moment and make it all her own! Rounding out the Talking Heads of course are drummer Chris Frantz (Tina Weymouth's husband for over 30 years now) and guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison. When Chris takes the stage, he bounds up onto the riser, bows, and with a big smile, gets drumming. He is clearly enjoying himself during this and at the end of the show, he jubilantly throws his sticks into the audience. Jerry is a little harder to get a bead on. At times he's clearly enjoying himself, particularly on BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE. Other times he seems a little detached.

Rounding out the touring band are Alex Weir on lead guitar, Bernie Worrel on keyboards, Edna Holt and Lynn Marbry on back-up vocals, and Steve Scales on percussion. None are treated as sidemen, rather as an integral part of the show.

It has been commented that some "sweetening" of the sound was done. But I believe that it was to achieve sound consistency. I have heard several concert films with terrible audio (RUST NEVER SLEEPS comes to mind). Seeing this movie is what made me a Talking Heads fan back in 1985. Finding a copy at the used book store in 2006 is what helped me re-discover them.

It would be easy to dismiss the Talking Heads as all visual as all David Byrne. Such is not the case. The songwriting and musicianship was solid throughout the band's career. The band remained together for several more years, scoring several additional hits including AND SHE WAS, LADY DON'T MIND, & WILD WILD LIFE. They called it quits as a band in 1991, although all four members have remained active in music.