The staging--and Demme's filming of it--builds toward an orgasmic release of music, rising from the bare-stage simplicity of Byrne, accompanied only by a boom box on "Psycho Killer," to the ecstatic crescendo of "Burning Down the House," by which time the Heads and additional personnel have all arrived on stage for a performance that seems channeled from heaven for the purpose of universal uplift. (God bless Demme for avoiding shots of the luckiest audience in '80s pop history; its presence is acknowledged, but not at the viewer's expense.) With the deliriously eccentric Byrne as ringleader (pausing mid-concert to emerge in his now-legendary oversized suit), this circus of musical pleasure defies the futility of reductive description; it begs to be experienced, felt in the heart, head, and bones, and held there the way we hold on to cherished memories. On those three nights in December 1983, Talking Heads gave love, life, and joy in generous amounts that years cannot erode, and Demme captured this act of creative goodwill on film with minimalist artistic perfection. Stop Making Sense is an invitation to pleasure that will never wear out its welcome. --Jeff Shannon

After seeing it, not really knowing much about the quirky, catchy pop music of David Byrne and his brood, the band and the film won me over. The film starts, like the concert, with a bare stage. David Byrne walks out, alone, with his guitar and a radio. Within moments of beginning "Psycho Killer," Byrne's tripping all over the stage, falling all over himself, stumbling into the edges of the film frame. With that, he begins to show some individual, I-am-not-a-rock-star personality. When the staging does come, when the band joins in the fun, that personality expands.

And when it comes time for the giant suit, this film's more than just a concert. It's become a story. The story of the band, the story in the lyrics and a commentary on how abstract visual art and obscure, obtuse music can interact.

Demme never shows the audience through the film, though you can hear them, for the film is just about the band, the stage. It's not about the reaction they get.

It's fascinating, and you'll find yourself a fan of Byrne's music, as a result.


Almost there...   December 21, 1999
 52 out of 56 found this review helpful

This is undoubtedly the Talking Heads at both their creative and commercial peaks. 'Speaking In Tongues'was their best album to date, and the live performances captured here imbue the music with a sense of unrestrained fun that was only hinted at on record.

The sound quality of the DVD edition is excellent (especially the bass), as is the picture quality (colors are crisp and the contrast is excellent) - plus it's nice to finally have an edition of the video presented in widescreen.

There's some interesting stuff among the extras, especially the storyboards (which can be viewed either alone, with notes, or in split screen with stills from the completed film). The David Byrne 'self-interview' is artful in its awkwardness, with one David Byrne in a number of different costumes interviewing a David Byrne wearing the big suit. There's a funky montage that works slightly better than the theatrical trailer that is also included; otherwise, they're almost interchangeable.

My only complaint with this re-mastered edition is that the three songs (Cities, Big Business, and I Zimbra) that were included in the original video release have been relegated to bonus tracks, rather than integrated into the film. Not only that, but they are presented in fullscreen/pan & scan format rather than in the widescreen format of the film, and in little more than a straight transfer. The improvements in image and sound quality of the film proper are sadly lacking here. The colors and contrast are dull in comparison, as is the quality of the soundtrack.

Well worth repeated viewings. Fix up them bonus tracks, and you've got a 5-star presentation...


A Postmodern Cinematic Catharsis Narrative   May 2, 2004
 25 out of 30 found this review helpful

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!


Trust me. TRUST ME!   July 1, 2000
 16 out of 17 found this review helpful

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 .....


Simply stunning   August 3, 2001
 14 out of 14 found this review helpful

This video is a must have for any Talking Heads fan. Its also a good well-rounded introduction to an often overlooked, but unmistakenably important, band.

I'm not much on DVD extras, so I can't really talk about those. However, the main performance was extraordinary. Big kudos for giving me the option of 5.1 or pcm stereo. That allows viewers to enjoy audiophile sound through a set of expensive stereo speakers if they so choose. The visuals were clear. Once again, thumbs up for the widescreen format which allows people with 16:9 TV's to enjoy the full benefits.

As far as the performance goes, well...I couldn't find a flaw anywhere. This is the best sounding live recording I have ever heard (and I have an extensive music collection of over 400 CD's). As a musician, I was in total awe. The show was built as an artistic piece. I love how the show starts with a solo Byrne. As each new song begins, a new bandmate steps out. The stage is in fact, being built DURING the performance.

The first track, "Psycho Killer," is my favorite. With minimal banter Byrne starts out with a sample from his "boombox." He begins to pace about the stage and, perfectly timed in unison with the loop, starts falling around with the "skipping" beats. When the loop falls back into time, Byrne quickly snaps back to attention. Pure art. Simple, but effective.

Then you have emotionally charged favorites such as "Burning down the house" and "Once in a Lifetime." This CD should be pure inspiration to musicians and pure fun to casual listners. Highly reccomended.