Movie Review: Stop Making Sense

 Movie number 40 for 2023

Movie Review: Stop Making Sense (2023 Remaster)

Cinema: Cinema Nova, Carlton

Stars: 6 (Yes, it’s that good)

Yes, I’m biased. I love Talking Heads as much as I love The Pixies. But whereas not so many people know about The Pixies, lots of people are aware of Talking Heads. Most people know about Psycho Killer and the big suit, the standard lamp and that strange mix of techno, pop, soul and whatever else David Byrne and his band of merry misfits came up with in the late seventies and early eighties. And yes, it’s all a bit strange. 

I’ve also seen David Byrne live on stage. Once at the Brixton Academy in 1992. The second in Melbourne on his American Utopia Tour in 2019. These concerts go down as the best I’ve seen. Better than Robbie Williams. Better than The Hoodoo Gurus. And just a smidge better than The Pixies. Byrne gets extra points for the choreography he and the band put into these shows and the pure joy that comes from the stage. 

And yes, it’s also a bit strange that I have not seen Stop Making Sense from end to end until now. It's been one of my favourite albums since I was 16-years-old. Over the years I’ve viewed most of the songs from the movie though video and Youtube clips, but I have never seen it end to end. 

I’ve been missing out. 

After being enthralled by the American Utopia concert, it’s easy to draw some parallels. The stagecraft, which was much more refined in the 2019 concert was all there in 1983, when this was filmed, but without the technology. 

The film started with Byrne coming onto the stage alone, with a small cassette player and a guitar – and we are OFF. 

Slowly, he is joined my more of the ensemble. Tina Weymouth on the bass. Jerry Harrison on the electric guitar and keyboards. Chris Frantz on the drums. And the sessional players. Back up singers, Ednah Holt and Lynn Mabry, Steve Scales on percussion (The man plays a mean cowbell.)

The concert takes you through the Talking Heads staples. Their take on Take Me to the River, Swamp, Slippy People, Girlfriend is Better (in the big suit) the most amazing version of Life During Wartime…the list goes on. 

What got me about this remastering of Jonathan Demme’s classic is that as a concert, this has not dated. The clothing may be out of an Eighties dress up party, but the music stays fresh and out there tight. David Byrne is a genius – he’s devised this concert, worked on the choreography and sang his heart out for an hour and a half. 

This movie is legendary. As rock concerts go, this one of the originals and one of the best. Unsurprisingly, it has a near perfect RottenTomatoes.com score.

In my eyes, this gets six stars, because a more perfect music concert has never been committed to film quite like this one. It is phenomenal in its entirety. Seriously, it's perfection.

If you can, see it on the big screen. It's worth the price of the ticket and the choc top to witness such greatness.

It's even worth spending 20 minutes trying to get a car park at the Lygon Street Woolies - the only dampener for the night. But the parking fairy came through and all was forgiven. 

Today's song: