Stop Making Sense

Plot synopsis:
Stop Making Sense opens as lead singer David Byrne walks out onto an empty stage holding only an acoustic guitar and a portable cassette tape player. He introduces the first song, "Psyco Killer" by saying "I want to play a tape." As the show progresses, Byrne is accompanied by the rest of the members of the band as well as some guest performers. Tina Weymouth is the first to appear for the song Heaven. Then Chris Frantz appears for Thank You for Sending Me an Angel and Jerry Harrison for Found a Job. Instruments and equipment are gradually brought out onto the bare stage during the first few songs and the entire group is brought together for the band's big hit, "Burnin Down the House." The film offers us a glimpse inside the mind of lead singer David Byrne through the progression of the songs and stage effects. In a self-interview included in the film, Byrne talks about the physicality of music and that it doesn't have to make sense to the mind if it makes sense to your body. Director Jon Demme's use of wide angle shots to give the viewer a sense of being in the crowd as they are able to view the whole stage and all of the performers at once. Unlike many concert films and videos, which use more quick-cut editing techniques in an MTV-like fashion, much of Stop Making Sense uses lengthy camera shots to allow the viewer to examine the performances and onstage interaction and the limited amount of crowd shots, which only appear at the end of the film, allow the viewer to make their own judgments about the film. The film is a great look at one of the leading bands in the New Wave movement of the late 70s and 80s and is a must see for any fan of Talking Heads.

Tags: cult

Review:
This concert/movie is simply a brilliant collaboration of music and film.
First off, you have the Talking Heads, perhaps one of the most creative and interesting bands in the history of music who put on a concert that is so imaginative that I still cannot believe it happened.
Second, you have veteran Director Johnathan Demme who brings the darkness and creepiness that he used in such films as Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia, to a concert with sort of a dark and creepy demeanor, i.e. David Byrne in general, the style of music, the dancing.
Since then, I've grown to appreciate good cinema as much as music, and I now look at Stop Making Sense from a slightly different perspective.The movie stands up by any measure of cinematic quality - the direction, the photography, the lighting, the set design, the editing, the performances of the 'actors'.
All the extras are worthwhile and well presented, unlike most 'Special Editions' which are crammed full of junk you wouldn't normally give a second look.It's a pity that, by its nature, Stop Making Sense will only ever appeal to a small audience, because it deserves to be revered by fans of cinema as well as music.
'Stop Making Sense' is more than simply a concert film.
It's frightening to look at this film and then consider that all of the Talking Heads are now in their fifties, and David Byrne's hair is as white as Steve Martin's.
To watch 'Stop Making Sense' is to be alive, and for someone who never had and probably never will have the opportunity to see Talking Heads live, and even for those who have, it is a blessing to have a film such as this to preserve the unmatched innovation and energy of this band.
I played in a band at the time and was a fan of the Talking Heads so I was stoked to see the film.
As said elsewhere after seeing it you wonder why no other concert films have even attempted to emulate "Stop Making Sense".
The genious of starting with just a bare stage with David Byrne singing his sublime live version of Psycho Killer, then adding equiptment and band members was so weird, so brilliant.
All in all a real concert experience, combining the brilliance and showmanship of the Talking Heads with a master director like Jonathan Demme.
All concert films should be as innovative, energetic and just plain fun as Stop Making Sense.
With Jonathan Demme as director, the concert has a weird and wonderful theatrical look, with David Byrne arriving onstage at the beginning, armed with an acoustic guitar.
For visuals, nothing matches the odd behavior of Byrne and quirky but (for the most part) great songs of the Talking Heads better than Demme's approach to filming.
Before I saw Stop Making Sense I had never been particularly concerned with The Talking Heads, or lead-singer and solo-artist David Byrne.
Indeed, I had always been a fan of certain songs, such as "Burning Down the House" and "Psycho Killer", but I had never actually spent time becoming acquainted with the band's music on the whole.
Now it is safe to say that The Talking Heads rank among my favourite bands, thanks to this masterpiece of musical art.Essentially, Stop Making Sense is a showcase of the band's collected works.
Throughout the 90-minute running-time the concert simultaneously covers the back-catalogue of The Talking Heads, through fluid, non-stop vibrancy.
Personal interpretation could be that the suit is an implicative metaphor for the irony of the business world or conformity; on the other hand it could just be about not making sense.Academy award winning director Jonathan Demme does not just "get the gist of The Talking Heads".
Stop Making Sense ultimately displays the band's antics from their perspective; this is due to the extended takes of the performers and the lack of audience shots (the fans can only be seen during wide shots or when the camera moves behind the performers).
The Talking Heads "Stop making Sense" show was one of the best concerts that I've ever seen.
"Stop Making Sense" cemented the Talking Heads' place as the Beatles of college rock, capturing the band in all its art-funk glory.
Part performance art, part low-key workout, "Stop Making Sense" benefits from a set of 16 quality songs, an ever-changing visual style that never loses its inventiveness, and a lead performance by David Byrne that has to be seen to be believed.He jogs around the stage.
People know "Life During Wartime" and "Once In A Lifetime," while "Take Me To The River" and "Burning Down The House" were Top 40 hits in the U.S. But the most familiar tune here is probably the one non-Talking Heads song, "Genius Of Love," which is performed by the band's Byrne-less incarnation, the Tom Tom Club.
Bringing up a few session players like Bernie Worrell, the P-Funk keyboardist, helps the film avoid this "boring white guys playing their music" trap at least somewhat, though if the mission of this film is to introduce us to the Talking Heads, it's certainly no "Hard Day's Night" or "Last Waltz."But the songs are good, and Byrne works through his bemused detachment to become quite passionate on some selected numbers.
I like the lower-key "Heaven," a wistful number about "a place where nothing ever happens" which Byrne delivers with the right amount of grace while bassist Tina Weymouth delivers some solid accompaniment.I see a lot of times where the notes being played or hit don't correspond with what's on screen.
From David Byrne's surreal, quirky, fun antics on stage to Tina Weymouth dancing as she played guitar and the camera shots of the Jonathan Demme film, the band and film crew get everything right to provide us with a perfect concert film that is not to be missed.
Nonetheless, through a combination of front man David Byrne's charisma and stagecraft, Jonathan Demme's taut, precise filmmaking, and the infectious heat of the music, Stop Making Sense remains the most enthralling and sheerly entertaining rockshow ever.
And like any band, Talking Heads have a specific sound and style that (I suppose) won't appeal to everyone.
I've shown this film to at least three people who never heard of the band before (except through dim memory of early MTV), and even claimed to hate concert movies-- and then they went and bought the soundtrack.What can I further say?
If you like music, at all, clear a little time and watch this movie.
There is also the stage theatrics, largely by frontman David Byrne, and these amount to performance art.The only concert films that surpass this, I think, are The Band's The Last Waltz and the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration..
Stop Making Sense is the kind of concert film that gets you pumped up for the Talking Heads even if you're not that huge a fan.
The main force behind the group, singer/guitarist David Byrne wears suits 10 times too big, runs laps around the stage (while also having back-up singers jogging in place as well), and creates crazy pop-culture and avant-garde imagery on behind them on a screen.
It's madness, but it's also alive in performance and song all the way.Maybe one or two songs might not totally click or may sound a little, well, dated (it was the 80s after all, no longer the folks from CBGB's), but there's constantly memorable moments, including the opening take on Psycho Killer, the building-block form from song to song as band members join one by one until it's a good dozen players and singers all in the mix, and with the imagery that Demme and DP Jordan Crenowith create.
It's the kind of craftsmanship that looks like it should be easy enough with a good few cameras, yet probably took as much prep work as Scorsese had on the Last Waltz.So, take in all of the 80's New-Wave mood (and, make no mistake, it's VERY 80's New Wave, but probably in the best and most experimental sense imaginable), take in pretty much all of the classic Talking Heads numbers (there's one I forget the name of that's especially chilling with the chorus a series of 'ya-hay-hay-hay-hay-hay's' from Byrne in marching formation).
I wound up being totally obsessed with TH after I saw Stop Making Sense, so I don't think it's just for fans at all, it made me a fan.The thing about SMS is that it's just pure music, and pure joy.
I've been a Talking Heads fan since the mid-eighties, which was around the time that I first saw this film.
The nature of concert films changed forever with Demme's decision to keep the camera on the band itself and not dwell on audience reaction shots or Zep-like fantasy sequences.
He got help from the Heads' superb performances and the excellent staging of the show -- building instrument upon instrument from Byrne himself with a boombox and acoustic guitar to the full-fledged band.Sadly, the Sire soundtrack only contains about half the songs from the film, and some of those are edited.
Reasonable people can have different candidates for "best concert movie ever", but The Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense is surely a contender.
As the show goes on, the sheer energy and repeated phrases of the Talking Heads turn it into an almost religious event, with David Byrne as the slightly deranged pastor, throwing everything he's got into his sermons.Of course, the most important aspect of a music film is the songs, and they do not disappoint here.
From the striking, stripped-down version of "Psycho Killer" to the heartfelt sentiment of "This Must Be the Place", the Heads cover nearly all of their biggest hits, and if your foot isn't tapping for at least one of them, you might want to check your pulse.Director Jonathan Demme shows tact in his camera angles, letting the visuals of the performances speak for themselves, as shadows are cast in the background and the musicians turn themselves into perpetual-motion machines.There have been many films both fictional and true about music, but none of them communicate the absolute joy that is shown here by performers who love what they're doing, love how they're doing it, and love that they're doing it with each other..
"Stop Making Sense" is one of them.I first learned about the Talking Heads when my parents rented Wim Wenders's "Until the End of the World" (which included one of the Talking Heads' songs and featured a music video showing disembodied heads speaking).
David Byrne, artist first, musician second, created the single most unique, and best, musical stage show of all time.
Stop Making Sense does what a concert film is supposed to do: focus on the music.
The performance is energetic, with the film building up from just Byrne on stage to the whole band.
Anyone too young to remember Talking Heads in their prime should watch Stop Making Sense and see how a group of talented musicians can put on a stunning show without the need for any flashy pyrotechnics.
I have many music documentaries and recorded concerts, and stop making sense is by far the best.
This vibrant, exhilarating registration of two fantastic Talking Heads concerts proves: "Au contraire, mes chères!" (which means "No way - Jose")David Byrne again proves he is no less than a musical genius.
Itworks itself up to a high with "Burning down the house" and "Lifeduring wartime", before it sort of "restarts" and work itself  up to thegreat finale and happy ending, with mission completed (That's thefirst time we see the audience,as it dances along with the music.Talking Heads has succeed, getting the audience to dance).A concert movie might stall after some time, when it gets the sameall over again, but Stop Making Sense avoids that by excellentphotography that's both very beautiful as well as intimate,combined with each song having a very distinct lighting.The only flaw is a slightly flawed DVD-version of the movie.
This documentary, directed by Jonathan Demme, is equally unique and provides an interesting view of the band in live form which is essential for fans who missed seeing the talking heads live.
Demme uses excellent camera work with high quality audio recordings of some of the band's best songs live such as "Psycho Killer" presenting the audience with a very entertaining concert documentary.
David Byrne remains his tense, geeky way throughout the entire performance, and the addition of the "Speaking in Tongues" musicians to the touring group packs every ounce of funk they can fit into "Making Flippy Floppy," "Once in a Lifetime," and "Burning Down the House." For the uninitiated, it's a fine place to start.
Now I'm a Talking-Heads freak, and I listen to the Stop Making Sense CD all the time.
If you are not a fan of the Talking Heads, watch this film.
Move OVER, Song Remains the Same, this is by far the best concert film of all time.
For those of you who are already fans of David Byrne and the Talking Heads, you will be visually delighted and musically charmed with this film!
Here are just a few things to love about Stop Making Sense:-During "Life During Wartime" there's a point where everybody is running in place and it looks like a very sick and demented exercise video.
Lovely, intimate, and seamless.-The little weave thing that Jerry Harrison, Tina and David do at the end of "Found a Job".-At the end of "Life During Wartime," when Byrne looks out at the audience and says, "Does anybody have any questions?"-The lamp dance during "Naive Melody".-The words up on the screen during "Making Flippy Floppy."-The rapid-fire delivery of the "facts are simple and facts are straight" bit on "Cross-eyed and Painless".-The extra tracks, and the trailer, and "David Byrne interviews David Byrne".-The fact that they never show the audience except at the very end, because everybody in the audience is a geek like me and they're not very much fun to watch.These are just some of my favorites.
There might exist a movie that is more fun and more pure entertainment than the Talking Head's `Stop Making Sense,' but I've failed to find it.I wanted to see this film when it first came out in 1984, but for some odd reason, never got around to it.
Each song adds a musician or two, a bit more stage, and before you know it, the whole band is standing before you, performing the jammin' nonsense song `Burning Down the House.'   It takes six numbers to get to this point; but, once again, the fun is only beginning!Although the music will make you dance, the stage antics of David Bryne will make you wonder which mental hospital he escaped from in order to do this concert!
And, of course, there's the classic `Big Suit' and the famous `lamp dance;' they're simple little things Byrne does to always keep the audience in a state of wonderment!David and the Heads manage to keep the excitement level increasing in a near exponential fashion until we reach my favorite Head's song `Take Me to the River.'   We are now on the verge of religious ecstasy, praising and worshipping a wonderful almighty God for the great honor of watching and listening to one of the most original and entertaining films ever made.David Byrne stages this concert in a fashion that is nothing short of brilliant.
A perfect mix on the levels, and real art school talk minus the pretension--if you can imagine that!If you like music, creation, truth, action, and still believe in live love acts on stage--see this movie..
I STILL don't like them, but the way this was filmed (starting off with Bryne(?) alone on stage and then adding band members one by one) was just so great and seeing them perform the songs was stunning.
I was always a big fan of Talking Heads, so, not surprisingly, I loved this film.
In reality David Byrne was the Talking Heads and he retains the interest throughout with his energetic individual performance.
I can't imagine that anybody who wasn't a Talking Heads fan would like the film though.
I swear, if you're not yet a fan of Talking Heads/David Byrne, you'll never be the same after this.
Stop Making Sense is a highly acclaimed and great concert movie..
I have to say that I don't enjoy watching concert films much, nor do I like to listen to live recordings.
I've seen concert films before, even by great bands, but I didn't like them much.
Not just because the music is good and has so much energy, but also because the performance is well directed and presented.Directed by Jonathan Demme, Stop Making Sense was shot over three nights in December 1983, as the group was touring to promote their new album Speaking In Tongues.
At the beginning of the film David Byrne, the lead singer of the Talking Heads, walks on to the stage with a boom box and an acoustic guitar and then performs Psycho Killer.
With each successive song, Byrne is cumulatively joined onstage by each core member of the band: first by Tina Weymouth for Heaven, second by Chris Frantz for Thank You For Sending Me An Angel, and third by Jerry Harrison for Found A Job. The Talking Heads also continue to be augmented by several additional musicians, most of whom had extensive experience in funk.David Byrne is a very energetic performer.
In conclusion, Stop Making Sense is the definitive concert film.
"Stop Making Sense" is truly one of the best movies I have seen in a long time and i recommend it to all viewers, unless you don't like Talking Heads.In which case, go and watch something else.
Byrne is a sort of magician.If you like Talking Heads music to start with, you will love this film.
Also, I love Talking Heads music.