Weekend Viewing: Stop Making Sense
March 15, 2015 by Matthew Klassen 
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—01. Directed by Jonathan Demme, 1984.
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Stop Making Sense is arguably one of the the best and most universally acclaimed concert films ever released; the only other options I would personally single out for top honours are Don’t Look Back and The Last Waltz when taking into account the scope and innovation that all these films exhibit. This fresh take on the somewhat worked over concert documentary owes a huge debt to the filmmaking mastery of director Jonathan Demme, but Talking Heads are equally responsible for steering this document, comprised of three separate nights of concerts, to entirely unique and interesting places. The film starts with David Byrne bringing out a boom box, announcing "I've got a tape I wanna play," and then launching into 'Psycho Killer.' Subsequently adding a band member and more set pieces to the stage over the next few songs, it's an entirely individual introduction to one of New Wave’s most distinct acts. Complete with cinematic nods to Dr. Strangelove, Breathless and Japanese Noh theatre, Stop Making Sense even includes some delightful continuity errors that were unavoidable due to performances being edited down from the multi-night takes. Keep your eyes out for Tina Weymouth’s transforming bass guitar and a beach ball that never touches down.
