Stop Making Sense **** (1984, David Byrne, Talking Heads) – Classic Movie Review 5352

David Byrne: ‘Thanks! Does anybody have any questions?’

Director Jonathan Demme’s 1984 concert film featuring the Eighties thinking person’s top rock act, Talking Heads, is a now iconic, superbly stylish music documentary and innovative concert movie, shot at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre, and edited together from three shows.

It builds up from lead singer and guitarist David Byrne walking on to the stage and solo strumming ‘Psycho Killer’ to the full band on fine, funky form in a total of 18 numbers.

We hardly see the audience, though they are rocking, but of course there are fine views of Byrne’s Big Suit.

It runs 88 minutes, is produced by MTV, released by Columbia-TriStar, shot by Jordan Cronenweth and produced by Gary Goetzman.

Also appearing in the film are Alex Weir on Guitar and Vocals, Steven Scales on Percussion, Tina Weymouth on Bass, Percussion and Vocals, Jerry Harrison on Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals, and Chris Frantz on Drums and Vocals.

David Byrne paid tribute to Jonathan Demme, who died on 26 April 2017, aged 73. He described him as ‘open, warm, animated and energetic’. ‘Jonathan was also incredibly generous during the editing and mixing. That inclusion was hugely inspirational for me and emboldened me to try making a feature film. Jonathan helped me as I was developing True Stories, I wrote a song for his film Something Wild, a score for Married to the Mob.’

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 5352

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