The concert film “Stop Making Sense” captures the rock band Talking Heads’ four performances at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in 1983. The independent entertainment company A24 has re-released the classic film in 4K resolution for the concert’s 40th anniversary.
“Stop Making Sense” features a hot streak of hits from the multi-platinum band supported by precise choreography and brilliant cinematography done by Jordan Cronenweth.
Along with the re-release, the soundtrack for the film has been remastered and is accessible for the first time for wider audiences.
The movie was shown in the first of two beautiful screening rooms at Art House. Despite it being a matinee, the theater was relatively packed. Stained glass windows illuminated the high ceilings and portraits of Edward Scissorhands, Mary Poppins and other famous movie stars. The curtains come down over the windows and the lights dim right when the audience starts to get restless.
Lead singer David Byrne is the first to arrive on stage. He sets a jukebox down and says, “Hi, I got a tape I want to play.” He starts to perform one of the band’s instantly recognizable hits, “Psycho Killer,” alone with an acoustic guitar and an 808s-backing track.
Byrne’s performance is without a doubt the most impressive aspect of the movie. He jumps through hoops to put on a show for the viewers. Byrne sings, dances and plays his guitar for the remainder of the show, only disappearing once to return in a comically oversized gray suit. His energy is unrelenting and his dance moves are out of the ordinary. Globs of sweat drip down his face as the gel in his hair fails to hold. A second wind hits and he does another choreographed move around the stage.
Every detail down to every note seems planned. The band clearly rehearsed for countless hours in preparation for these shows. Everything goes seamlessly with no indication that this is actually four separate nights cut together.
When the Talking Heads and their ensemble arrive in full, the movie starts to take shape. The set is minimal, with few tricks or changes. Members of the stage crew carry a light to shine on the rockstars, creating shadows on the backdrop. The camera even highlights the crew as they move props and make adjustments.
With so much exposure on every aspect of the shows, the audience still wonders how everything goes right and what could be happening behind the camera.
The performers move as a unit. Everything down to the outfits is intentional. All members are wearing neutral colors, except for drummer Chris Frantz, who wears a turquoise shirt in some of the shots due to laundry complications.
Bassist Tina Weymouth is another star of the show. Weymouth is the only member other than Byrne to sing lead vocals during a song — another lighthearted highlight of the movie. The way she effortlessly switches between bass guitar and a six-string electric shows how much practice went into these performances.
The ensemble, especially guitar player Alex Weir, occasionally outright steals the show from Byrne. The most electric moment of the movie comes when Byrne crosses the stage and Weir fires off his guitar like a machine gun, pointing it to Byrne.
Everyone involved, except for Byrne, looked happy to be on stage with a big smile. Byrne seemed much more focused on making sure everything went according to plan, and it paid off.
Audio-wise, the movie is perfect. Every instrument, background vocal and nuance of the songs being played are crystal clear. The movie is a true spectacle in that regard.
By the end of the movie, everyone is clearly exhausted. The band has been introduced by name to the audience, the crew takes their bow and Byrne runs off stage. The camera turns to the audience, all doing their best wild David Byrne dances, and the curtain draws on what will become a piece of film history.