Stop Making Sense
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Movie Reviews of Stop Making Sense
Movie Review: I got Happy Feet!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've loved Talking Heads since about 1977 when Talking Heads '77 came out, after More Songs about Buildings and Food came out in 1978 I was hooked.This DVD is a wonderful performance video directed by Jonathan Demm. It starts out with Byrne walking out alone on the stage, with a small ghetto blaster and his acoustic guitar to accompany him. The bass player joins him on the next song and so on and so on till the stage has a full compliment of performers. The effect is wonderful, and if you have feet, they will be very happy by the third song when the drummer joins in. There is a great feeling of growing enthusiasm as members of the troupe add themselves to the mix. If you've seen the original video, and have a DVD player with surround sound; this will be an upgraded experience musically and visually. The 5.1 Dolby Digital is very clean and well mixed, and it sounds impressive in stereo 2.0 Dolby on my old Sansui's, and newer Bose Bookshelf Speakers. (one reviewer mentioned PCM Stereo as an option?)
Somehow I've managed to never see this video before, but after a friend raved about it being his favorite music performance video and it being directed by Jonathan Demme etc etc etc, I ordered it from Amazon.com. It is a "must have" if you like Talking Heads. The assortment of songs they perform is fairly definitive and presented in a satisfying order. My only complaint with the whole presentation is the lack of one of my favorite pieces, "Artists Only", from More Songs about Buildings and Food. The artist choices; from lighting, to set design, to costume and hair are all very effective individually, yet add up to a greater whole. The direction is simplistic in it's approach, eliminating distracting jump-cuts to close-ups and audience shots. The camera concentrates on the performers and lets them be the stars in this show. There is no lack of motion on this stage, everyone is dancing and jumping to the music in the apparent joy they are sharing while making this. Their enthusiasm is contagious!
This is now added to my growing list of favorite music DVD's; some of which include: Blondie Live in New York, Santana's Supernatural Live, Stevie Ray Vaughn Live at the El Mocambo, the Offspring's "Huck it!", and Steely Dan's "Two Against Nature".
5 stars! ... Check it out!
Movie Review: Trust me. TRUST ME!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll cut to the chase: Do yourself a BIG favor and get this DVD. Even if you've never considered yourself a fan of Talking Heads, "Stop Making Sense" is worth watching and will probably give you an appreciation for band that you never had before. That's just what happened to me. Until I saw this film I was under the impression that Talking Heads was just another quirky art-punk outfit, perhaps because of their association with the early days of CBGB's in New York City. My few exposures to Talking Heads' music back in my college years (1977-1981) frankly left me scratching my head.In retrospect, however, I think the demise of this band leaves a void in the world of popular music that may never be filled. Talking Heads created some of the smartest, funkiest sounds in the first half of the 1980s, and this film shows them in their finest form. Much of the credit goes to director Jonathan Demme for focusing our attention on the band and David Byrne's wide-eyed stage presence, while tipping his hat to the audience only at the end of the concert. Occasionally Demme comes up with a shot that is so utterly sublime in its balance and power that the viewer can only whisper, "Wow." Credit also goes to Byrne for the minimalistic set design and the particularly clever touch of assembling the set (and the band, for that matter) during the first four songs. And extra-special credit must be given to some of the COOLEST backup musicians (Steve Scales, Edna Holt, Bernie Worrell, Lynn Mabry, & Alex Weir) I've ever seen onstage. "Stop Making Sense" is unarguably the best concert movie ever made.
My partner Greg & I first owned this film on VHS, but the DVD is so much, MUCH better! The blacks are BLACK, the reds are SMOOTH, and the transfer is just as crisp as you please. The optional audio commentary by all four members of the band is a wonderful feature and an education about this band unto itself. We have shown this DVD to many friends of ours, and almost invariably they come away with a much deeper appreciation for Talking Heads. It's great that the four members of this band could put aside their differences long enough to collaborate on this DVD release. Now if they could just regroup for ONE MORE ALBUM .....
Movie Review: Sheer artistic brillance.
Summary: 5 Stars
I own and have seen quite a few Musical DVD's and this is my favorite. I would go see this at a theatre!! Even if you don't really like Talking Heads you must have respect for the how excellent this dvd truly is. David Byrne is a genius and his creativity is only amplified by director Jonathan Demme. It starts out with Byrne walking out with a guitar and boom box in a dirty warehouse which looks it is getting remodeled. The brillance? You can only see below his knees until a verse in, Its amazing how he taps his feet and bends his knees to the music wants to get you moving. When a new song starts a new band member comes out too till they are all there and do a stunning rendition of "Burning down the house". Simply Amazing! Setting amplifies the mood with excellent lighting which causes the band members shadows to become giants on the board lining the back wall! Pictures show in the background on approiate songs and David Byrne voice is simply amazing as he changes his voice from a great higher pop sound to a low dark song one after the other. This is the standard by which all concert Movies should try and measure up too. The only musical talent that even comes close to Byrne is Ben Folds, Who also has a DVD with his previous band Ben Folds Five, Which by the way is a very good DVD just not nearly as artistic as This (but nothing is). David Byrne's Solo albums have been great everytime and I still think he is the most talented,original,creative person alive on this earth today. No questions about it. Here is to Talking Heads and all the joy they have brought me over my life. I have been watching them with thier video Story telling giant since I was 2. I should also mention im 15 years old and that even if there music isnt the same as most today, The sheer talent shines through and reaches me like no other. Don't delay buy this DVD today.
Movie Review: Still My Favorite Band
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a Heads fan since 1980, when my brother sent me a tape with songs from Fear Of Music on it. They just got better and better after that (at least 'til Naked, but that's another story). I almost saw the Stop Making Sense concert in Detroit in mid-83, but had strep throat. Later that year, I had the good fortune to see them in Binghamton, NY. WOW!! One review describes the crescendo from Psycho Killer to Burning Down The House as orgasmic. That perfectly sums up the build up in the concert. By the time they played Burning Down The House, everyone was dancing and no one sat down 'til it was over!
(I'm reminded of the amp in Spinal Tap that goes to 11. He claims that when most bands hit 10, they've got no where to go. This concert does it for real. Most bands come out all at once and really have no where to go. TH found a beautiful way to find somewhere to go)
All this is a prelude to say that the DVD captures this wonderfully. Each time I watch, I am back there watching it, in heaven on earth! It just doesn't get old; their music is as fresh and innovative today as it was back then. I just watched it again yesterday: same delight as always. I've even managed to get my 3 kids hooked on them.
The DVD also does a wonderful job capturing the band's delight and playfulness. In the concert I saw, Byrne handed his mike to Steve Scales to take off part of his big suit (too hot, I'm sure). He got hung up in the suit, and it was time to sing again, but Scales ran away, forcing Byrne to hop frantically after him to get it back! You see similiar fun in the DVD.
The switch to The Tom Tom Club in the middle was an utterly unexpected delight, and was a wonderful complement to the TH music.
Even if you're not a TH fan, give this a try - I do not think there has ever been any concert that was this good.
Movie Review: A Postmodern Cinematic Catharsis Narrative
Summary: 5 Stars
According to the commentary track included with this DVD, David Byrne may be considered to be the central character in this Talking Heads concert documentary. In the course of the film's 90 minute duration, he is transformed as "a stiff white guy who sheds his inhibitions, gets loose and lets go. He is both changed by the music and set free."
The concert starts on a bare 60 by 40 foot stage with a solo performance of "Psycho Killer" and then slowly adds both equipment and musicians during the first five songs. By the sixth song, "Burning Down the House", nine musicians are present and will remain fully engaged for the next 10 tracks. Three additional tracks are included on the DVD as a bonus.
Seven cameras were used to record the performance, with much of the footage being shot from the perspective of the audience. Indeed, the viewer of the documentary is made to feel that they are actually witnessing a live event. The director takes great pains to record the artists not just as musicians, but also as "characters" with their own individual performance personalities.
The stage is lit solely by white lighting, with both the type and positioning of the lights permitting an amazing visual variation. Backlit slide photography of both text and representational images are sometimes used in the stage design as well.
The title, "Stop Making Sense", refers to David Byrne's approach to writing song lyrics during the early 1980's. His lyrics are often irrational and illogical, not making sense from one line to the next, yet they still tend to remain both intuitive and emotionally involving.
"Stop Making Sense" is resplendent in its entertaining divergence from the commonplace. Watch, listen and be moved by its wonderfully liberating creative energy!