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IMDb > Stop Making Sense (1984)
Stop Making Sense
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Stop Making Sense (1984) More at IMDbPro »

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Stop Making Sense (1984) -- An innovative concert movie for the rock group The Talking Heads.
Stop Making Sense (1984) -- Virgin.net Movies - Trailer (WMP)

Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   4,277 votes
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Down 17% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Jonathan Demme (writer)
Talking Heads (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Stop Making Sense on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 November 1984 (West Germany) more
Tagline:
Why stop making sense? Why a movie? Why a big suit? Where do the odd movements come from? What will the band do next?
Plot:
An innovative concert movie for the rock group The Talking Heads. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
2 wins more
NewsDesk:
(16 articles)
23 Movies Worth Saving (From the First 23 Years of My Life)
 (From WeAreMovieGeeks.com. 2 January 2010, 1:16 PM, PST)

Robert's Best of Blu-ray 2009 Top Ten
 (From TheHDRoom. 1 January 2010, 9:13 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
Pure cinema more (58 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
Bernie Worrell ... Keyboards
Alex Weir ... Guitar and Vocals
Steven Scales ... Percussion (as Steve Scales)
Lynn Mabry ... Backing Vocals
Ednah Holt ... Backing Vocals (as Edna Holt)
Tina Weymouth ... Bass, Percussion and Vocals
Jerry Harrison ... Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals
Chris Frantz ... Drums and Vocals
David Byrne ... Vocals and Guitar
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Directed by
Jonathan Demme 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Jonathan Demme  writer
Talking Heads  writer

Produced by
Gary Goetzman .... producer
Gary Kurfirst .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Chris Frantz 
Jerry Harrison 
Talking Heads 
Tina Weymouth 
 
Cinematography by
Jordan Cronenweth 
 
Film Editing by
Lisa Day 
 
Sound Department
Rick Coberly .... sound
Walter A. Gest .... sound re-recordist
Stan Horine .... sound
Steve Maslow .... sound re-recording mixer
Charles Butch Watson .... sound
 
Visual Effects by
Sandy McLeod .... visual consultant
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Chevalier .... camera operator
Dave Friedman .... still photographer
John Graham .... film loader
Ernest Holzman .... assistant camera
Johnny E. Jensen .... camera operator
Bernie Schwartz .... grip
Robert Seaman .... camera operator
Greg Walters .... assistant camera
 
Editorial Department
Catherine Peacock .... assistant film editor
Barbara Pokras .... additional editor
 
Other crew
John Chimples .... slide wrangler
Pablo Ferro .... title designer: main title sequence
Sandy McLeod .... visual consultant
W. Thomas Snyder .... production coordinator
 
Thanks
Nick Newton .... special thanks
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
88 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital (1999 re-release) | Stereo

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The footage was culled from several different shows. In order to minimize the amount of cameras in the frame, one show was all shot from one side of the stage, the next night was shot from the other side. more
Goofs:
Miscellaneous: Because the footage was edited together from three shows, there are numerous continuity errors. One mentioned on the commentary track of the DVD is the beach ball which is launched from the audience, but never falls. more
Quotes:
David Byrne: Thanks! Does anybody have any questions? more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Swamp more

FAQ

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17 out of 19 people found the following review useful.
Pure cinema, 4 August 2004
10/10
Author: BornJaded (BornJaded@aol.com) from United States

'Stop Making Sense' is more than simply a concert film. It is pure cinema. It engages all of the senses, it creates a mood, it establishes an atmosphere, it has narrative logic, and it jolts the viewer with electric energy. You can't sit still while watching this. You can't keep your head from bobbing, or your mouth from moving, if you know the words to the songs.

Twenty years later, the sound and image of Talking Heads still feels new, maybe even post-new. 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. Byrne's music has mellowed just as people mellow with age, and his fascinating career along with the direction it's taken is emblematic of the excitement that youth brings to an artist's work. 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. Watching David Byrne perform in this film is an awesome sight. Schwarzenegger and Stallone were never this thrilling.

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how close to the studio recordings were the live performances? Jumping_Elephant
Buying the DVD foysrus175
Whats your favourite moment from the concert? lunchboxattacks
The Lamp Dance!!! boobear1_37
Blue Ray jojopuppyfish
Font for front cover woicinski
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