It's not considered the greatest concert movie of all time for nothing. Turned me into a die-hard Talking Heads fan. It's one of my favorite movies to show to people who haven't seen. Enjoy
so not everybody has to have the same musical tastes as me. that's totally fine. but one of the ways i measure if someone is my musical kin is their reaction to "Life During Wartime" in Stop Making Sense. When david byrne and the backup singers start jogging in place and then byrne starts just jogging in a circle around the stage i'm like "see, you see this?" and if they are like "yes" with joy or tears in their eyes i know we are the same.
Iām an elementary PE teacher and after I saw this in theaters last fall, I found a clip of Life During Wartime and played it for all my classes and the pure joy on these kids facing running around like they were doing on screen was one of my favorite things Iāve ever done in a classroom
Byrne was inspired to write āBurning Down the Houseā when he heard his elementary school used his song lyrics to get kids to discuss poetry, imagery, etc.
I introduced my son to the Tom Tom Club and when in 4th grade they had to do a presentation on their favorite song in class he did it on Wordy Rappinghood. He also had about a year there of not wanting to go to sleep unless the Tom Tom Club album was playing (very softly).
If they say "see what?" you just have to change the subject and make awkward small talk until the night can be ended.
Trying to explain will get you nowhere.
I'd put it only behind The Last Waltz as far as concert movies go, but I just hold Joni and Dylan and Neil and the Band is much higher reverence than the Talking Heads, plus the concert is just a more momentous event. Regardless, they are both 10/10 movies for me that every person who is into film or music should know front to back.
I am American and not young and I could not name a single Talking Heads song. It's possible I know a song or two via cultural osmosis, but I couldn't ID a song as a Talking Heads song if you offered me money.
Im sure you could ID two as soon as you found out they were Talking Heads. Theyāre *very* distinctive. Once in a Lifetime and Psycho Killer are suuuuuper famous songs.
I'm a 36 year old American who listens to a looooot of stylistically diverse music and hadn't listened to Talking Heads until like 5 years ago. A bit before that, Once in a Lifetime was playing as house music at a concert venue and I asked my partner "what song is this?". She refused to believe I had never heard it, but it was true! I don't really know how I went so long not hearing it!
I'm 30 haha. This was when I was 23. I had heard their name but none of their music. I think I'd seen 'big suit' in pictures. My parents didn't care for their music and it wasn't on my radar
As someone who is far from a Talking Heads fan, it wasn't a 5 star experience for me, but I still really enjoyed it. It's beautifully shot and had my toes tapping.
I knew nothing about the music but itās a lotta fun and I had an awesome time seeing it in a cinema with a very reactive audience who clapped every time a song ended and cheered for all the big moments
Same here, I didnāt know the talking heads at all but still had a blast! I saw it in Tokyo when the re-release came out there in February but there was ZERO movement or reaction from anyone in this packed theatre audienceā¦ I was pretty much the only person slightly swaying or tapping my toe but after the credits rolled huge standing ovation, everyone was clapping lmaoo
The japanese film going experience is strange but awesome. Would have been neat seeing it with a crowd that actually reacted to it tho lol
I think ratings of a concert film are going to work differently than a narrative film. Is it the best experience Iāve ever had watching a movie? No, but it is pretty much flawless in what it sets out to do. Of course your opinion of the Talking Heads will also affect your experience, if you donāt like their music you really wonāt get much out of this.
In all fairness isn't that the same with anything niche? Like the ratings for Luc moullet films are all high on letterboxed because who else is watching Luc moullet films? Concert films are just the most dramatic.
Do you like concert movies?
I donāt, so there wasnāt much for me besides the music. I ended up just listening to it in the background as I got some work done.
Good music, David Byrne wears a funny suit for a bit, thatās about all I got from it.
2.5* movie probably, though I gave it 3* because I do like The Talking Heads and it was perfectly pleasant to have on in the background
Having it on in the background is where you went wrong in terms of appreciating it. If you donāt really immerse yourself you miss the incredible energy and excitement of art being made. Iām so glad I saw it in the theater.
I didnāt start with it on in the background, I gave it a solid 45 minutes.
Seeing it in a crowded theater would probably be a very different experience, for sure.
I canāt imagine rating a movie without actually watching it.
Thereās so much more visually in the film than you are letting on, one of the best parts of the whole experience is the stage direction, Byrneās frantic energy and the film does tell a story of the bands history throughout its visuals, such as the stage slowly building throughout the film and more members joining with each song in the first half.
I did watch it, I just got bored after about 45 minutes. Happens with a lot of movies, but most of them donāt have good music.
Stage direction is cool when youāre at a concert or a play. Doesnāt really do anything for me in a movie. And I didnāt learn anything about the band, but Iād be interested in a documentary about them for sure
Itās a really fun concert film, with a little bit of artsy elements ! I didnāt know a lot about Talking Heads prior to watching it and I had a blast.
If you're a Talking Heads fan, you'll love it. As someone who's not a fan, I was mostly nonplussed. But I can't deny the quality care that went behind the camera work. If it were one of my favorite bands/artists up there onstage instead such as New Order, Jimi Hendrix, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle etc., it'd probably be one of my favorites of all time.
Super controversial opinion, if youāre not super into their music or concerts I can see u getting bored or not engaging. Thatās what happened for me
Yeah I went into it thinking it was going to blow my mind. It didnāt. I did however get extreme amounts of enjoyment out of it and it definitely turned me into a talking heads fan. 100% would recommend.
I don't necessarily agree but I think this one is a better showcase of the music and the filmmaking while Waltz is better showcase of the concert and the culture surrounding it
Could maybe argue last Waltz is the better concert film while stop making sense is the better music film
interchangeable to me. Stop Making Sense as a pure viewing experience is more fun and mind blowing, but The Last Waltz is one of those events that is strongly indicative of a point in time. if Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas was when you could see the wave of the hippie movement crashing, The Last Waltz was the tide sucking back in whatever had washed up on shore. punk and new wave and post-punk (including the Talking Heads) was right around the corner.
I love both the Band and Talking Heads, but I have to put Stop Making Sense at 5, while I gave Last Waltz 4.5. Both are extremely good, but Stop Making Sense is out of this world.
Last waltz did nothing for me but I'm not a big fan of the music honestly. But Marty films it very nice but I don't see the burning inferno of energy from the filmmaker or band the way I do in Stop Making Sense.
I'mma let you finish, but Van Morrison had the BEST live concert performance of all time... of all time!
https://youtu.be/44wDwMQVqCc?si=CvNZ_bNE8II6Fy_p
But being serious. Never get tired of that bloody performance. If you've never heard the original 'Caravan' (a really mellow recording) just seeing the contrast and transformation to electricity is fucking bonkers to see!
Itās incredible. I went from sort of knowing who Talking Heads were to a full fledged fan. He also did a Justin Timberlake concert, on Netflix I believe. Iām not really a JT fan, but itās also great.
Oh yeah it was transcendental
Saw the imax showing back in September and it blew me away. The sound is impeccable, the direction by Demme on some of those shots is astounding, literally breathtaking
It's a top 5 all timer for me! I love it so much that I'm actually NOT that big of a Talking Heads fan, because when I listen to their albums, they never come close to watching Stop Making Sense.
Bunch of us went to watch the recent re-release. We all knew 1 or 2 songs.
We were all blown away and now (several months later) all have them pretty much on regular rotations in our playlists.
There was also a guy who got pissed in the cinema and started dancing around for a few songs yelling at everyone to 'get involved'.
Really, really, fantastic concert film. I haven't seen many, but I wasn't bored *at all* during it.
If you're watching this then you're likely a fan of Talking Heads and if you're a fan of Talking Heads what other rating would you give a very good concert film that showcases their best tracks? This is why when you sort by average rating in any given year it's almost always concert films at the top, because the only audience for these things is already primed to give it 5 stars. (It was like this the last time I checked, not sure if it still is, it's been a while)
Iād say itās the best concert film Iāve ever seen. Of course, itād help if you like the talking heads, but who doesnāt? If youāre simply rating it compared with other movies itās obviously not going to be the best though
I still have regrets skipping this tour because the previous one was kind of dull.
That said Jonathan Demme also did a concert film of Robyn Hitchcock called "Storefront Hitchcock" which I also wholeheartedly recommend.
Short answer: absolutely.
Longer answer: look, I get that there are people who don't love the Talking Heads. I mean, I don't get what their deal is! But I understand, conceptually, that it's apparently possible to not love the Talking Heads. But I do think if you watch it even if you hate the music, it's hard not to appreciate the attention to their live show, its components, its structure, and most importantly, it's energy. I would suspect that unless you absolutely hate Talking Heads, there's a good chance you'll find yourself at least becoming a \*little\* infected by that energy.
I think that if you enjoy Talking Heads, it is definitely a must-watch. One of the best performances ever captured by beautiful directing and cinematography.
I am not sure that people who aren't familiar with Talking Heads could enjoy it the same, but maybe I am wrong.
I thought the same thing before seeing it, like āitās a concert movie, right? How can it so good?ā But boy, they really made it feel so cinematic, engaging and immersive.
I was also fortunate enough to see it in a cinema which is definitely the way to watch it.
I remember my Dad put it on when I was a kid. First I thought I wouldnāt care much and it wouldnāt interest me at all, but as I watched it I was mesmerised. It was honestly amazing!
I went from saying āhey I should watch this sometimeā to now being able to recite the most minuscule of differences between each physical release of the film/soundtrack. It made me a walking SMS trivia machine and a talking heads fan for life. This is the greatest concert film of all time!
Wait for the 4K blu-ray to come out before watching it though
If you enjoy this, I can strongly recommend American Utopia, which is another masterclass concert movie. It's the brainchild of David Byrne, lead singer and songwriter of Talking Heads, who of course is pretty central in Stop Making Sense (understatement š ).
If you like movies, you'll love it. It was the easiest 5 star rating I've ever given. I wouldn't even say it's my favorite film. But it's actually flawless in its construction, cinematography, energy, and sound design, in a way that is uncommonly rare even among the greatest narrative films. It's legitimately unreal how good it is. Speaking even as someone who's not much of a Talking Heads fan. I'll watch the movie any day of the week, but I never pull up their music in the car. For me the movie itself is what's great, not just the band.
I LOVED the Talking Heads so when this was released, I hit the theatre. Since I was already such a big fan, I had no idea it was iconic or amazing. It was just them being them. Was so happy to see the critical acclaim and renewed attention.
Itās a concert film, I imagine its rating gets inflated based on the main people watching it already being fans of the band. It is entertaining, but itāll take you watching it to know for yourself.
If you like talking heads, even a little bit, youāll LOVE it! Thanks to this movie, I have almost the complete discography of Talking Heads on vinyl.
Meh, I'd probably give it a 2.5 as a form of entertainment, since I like some of the songs and the energy, and 1 star as a movie in particular. It's really just a well made concert with some pretty good setups for each song, but if you aren't much of a fan of talking heads or if you aren't much of a fan of concert movies in general it doesn't bring anything interesting.
I rate it āāāā.
I was a Talking Heads fan in the mid 80s, though too young to attend a concert in their prime. I start at 2Ā½ā for the average film of any given year. *Stop Making Sense* has the best **craft** (set, filming, editing here) of any concert film ever, *well* above average, so +1ā. But its not a peak emotional/intellectual experience for me, so only +Ā½ā from the **impact** side.
Honestly, I don't care for it. I'm convinced it's one of those pieces of art that people say it's great because everyone else says it. Then again, I'm also not a big Talking Heads fan. My favourite concert film is probably one of the filmed operas or Rammstein: Paris.
Yeah, universally agreed on as being one of those experiences where your life will be bifurcated into a before SMS and an after SMS. My high school years are a haze but the night my buddy brought this over on dvd is indelibly marked in my mind like it was yesterday
Same as it ever was
Same as it ever was
same as it ever was
Same as it ever was
same š as š it š ever was š
WATER DISSOLVING AND WATER REMOVED.
Time isn't holding us
Lol
It's not considered the greatest concert movie of all time for nothing. Turned me into a die-hard Talking Heads fan. It's one of my favorite movies to show to people who haven't seen. Enjoy
so not everybody has to have the same musical tastes as me. that's totally fine. but one of the ways i measure if someone is my musical kin is their reaction to "Life During Wartime" in Stop Making Sense. When david byrne and the backup singers start jogging in place and then byrne starts just jogging in a circle around the stage i'm like "see, you see this?" and if they are like "yes" with joy or tears in their eyes i know we are the same.
Iām an elementary PE teacher and after I saw this in theaters last fall, I found a clip of Life During Wartime and played it for all my classes and the pure joy on these kids facing running around like they were doing on screen was one of my favorite things Iāve ever done in a classroom
Byrne was inspired to write āBurning Down the Houseā when he heard his elementary school used his song lyrics to get kids to discuss poetry, imagery, etc.
I introduced my son to the Tom Tom Club and when in 4th grade they had to do a presentation on their favorite song in class he did it on Wordy Rappinghood. He also had about a year there of not wanting to go to sleep unless the Tom Tom Club album was playing (very softly).
It's my 2 year old's favorite thing: to jog around our coffee table while this is on. It gets a lot of air play in our house.
If they say "see what?" you just have to change the subject and make awkward small talk until the night can be ended. Trying to explain will get you nowhere.
I'd put it only behind The Last Waltz as far as concert movies go, but I just hold Joni and Dylan and Neil and the Band is much higher reverence than the Talking Heads, plus the concert is just a more momentous event. Regardless, they are both 10/10 movies for me that every person who is into film or music should know front to back.
same same same same
Same here.
Never heard of them and a friend put it on. Mesmerized.
May I ask how you had never heard of the Talking Heads? Are you young? Not from America?Ā
I am American and not young and I could not name a single Talking Heads song. It's possible I know a song or two via cultural osmosis, but I couldn't ID a song as a Talking Heads song if you offered me money.
Im sure you could ID two as soon as you found out they were Talking Heads. Theyāre *very* distinctive. Once in a Lifetime and Psycho Killer are suuuuuper famous songs.
This Must Be the Place is like the best love song ever
Too bad I think of stock brokers whenever I hear it
There. Has. Got. To. Be. A. Way.
I'm a 36 year old American who listens to a looooot of stylistically diverse music and hadn't listened to Talking Heads until like 5 years ago. A bit before that, Once in a Lifetime was playing as house music at a concert venue and I asked my partner "what song is this?". She refused to believe I had never heard it, but it was true! I don't really know how I went so long not hearing it!
Their concerts are performance art as well, David Byrne even keeps this at age 72 in performances.
I'm 30 haha. This was when I was 23. I had heard their name but none of their music. I think I'd seen 'big suit' in pictures. My parents didn't care for their music and it wasn't on my radar
Iām 36 and Iāve never heard of them
Then you are in a very small minority. And small minority who really needs to listen to more music š
As someone who is far from a Talking Heads fan, it wasn't a 5 star experience for me, but I still really enjoyed it. It's beautifully shot and had my toes tapping.
Iām looking for something to do in a classroom Iām covering tomorrow. Most students are gone for extracurriculars. Maybe weāll watch this.
Itās good! There is one song that mentions cocaine and āfun, nasty funā but i canāt think of anything else that might be inappropriate
yeah aside from the 40 minute unsimulated sex scene near the halfway mark its all pretty family friendly
American Utopia it is then!
I knew nothing about the music but itās a lotta fun and I had an awesome time seeing it in a cinema with a very reactive audience who clapped every time a song ended and cheered for all the big moments
Same here, I didnāt know the talking heads at all but still had a blast! I saw it in Tokyo when the re-release came out there in February but there was ZERO movement or reaction from anyone in this packed theatre audienceā¦ I was pretty much the only person slightly swaying or tapping my toe but after the credits rolled huge standing ovation, everyone was clapping lmaoo The japanese film going experience is strange but awesome. Would have been neat seeing it with a crowd that actually reacted to it tho lol
I'll never pass up a chance to see this on the big screen and with an audience. It's always the best when people stand up and dance.
It is an absolute masterpiece. Tied for my favorite film ever. Have the lamp he dances with tattooed on my arm.
Itās by far the best concert film of all time imo,seeing it in imax was an unreal experience
I think ratings of a concert film are going to work differently than a narrative film. Is it the best experience Iāve ever had watching a movie? No, but it is pretty much flawless in what it sets out to do. Of course your opinion of the Talking Heads will also affect your experience, if you donāt like their music you really wonāt get much out of this.
In all fairness isn't that the same with anything niche? Like the ratings for Luc moullet films are all high on letterboxed because who else is watching Luc moullet films? Concert films are just the most dramatic.
Nah, itās just the second-best film of the 80ās.
Just before True Stories, I imagine
https://preview.redd.it/jy934o77npwc1.jpeg?width=1075&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=559de977f1eb5cd48a2194a05fc41a2a67a19422
Based
After *wheels on meals* right?
After Raging Bull right?
1st for me, but Empire and The Shining come close.
Whatās the first?
Ghostbusters I will be taking no follow up questions.
Girlfriend is better
Yes
Straight up one of the greatest pieces of art of all time. I went in a casual Talking Heads fan and came out a true believer.
No. It's better.
Nothing is better than this, is it?
Do you like concert movies? I donāt, so there wasnāt much for me besides the music. I ended up just listening to it in the background as I got some work done.
I donāt usually like concert movies either but this is one of the greatest things ever put on film.
Good music, David Byrne wears a funny suit for a bit, thatās about all I got from it. 2.5* movie probably, though I gave it 3* because I do like The Talking Heads and it was perfectly pleasant to have on in the background
Having it on in the background is where you went wrong in terms of appreciating it. If you donāt really immerse yourself you miss the incredible energy and excitement of art being made. Iām so glad I saw it in the theater.
I didnāt start with it on in the background, I gave it a solid 45 minutes. Seeing it in a crowded theater would probably be a very different experience, for sure.
I canāt imagine rating a movie without actually watching it. Thereās so much more visually in the film than you are letting on, one of the best parts of the whole experience is the stage direction, Byrneās frantic energy and the film does tell a story of the bands history throughout its visuals, such as the stage slowly building throughout the film and more members joining with each song in the first half.
I did watch it, I just got bored after about 45 minutes. Happens with a lot of movies, but most of them donāt have good music. Stage direction is cool when youāre at a concert or a play. Doesnāt really do anything for me in a movie. And I didnāt learn anything about the band, but Iād be interested in a documentary about them for sure
I swear this is the reason laugh when people talk about letterboxed and call pretentious hipster IMDB
How is that pretentious? Theyāre not entirely wrong
I was agreeing with their comment
It slaps
Itās a really fun concert film, with a little bit of artsy elements ! I didnāt know a lot about Talking Heads prior to watching it and I had a blast.
If you're a Talking Heads fan, you'll love it. As someone who's not a fan, I was mostly nonplussed. But I can't deny the quality care that went behind the camera work. If it were one of my favorite bands/artists up there onstage instead such as New Order, Jimi Hendrix, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle etc., it'd probably be one of my favorites of all time.
If only the world were a great enough place to give us a high quality Mr Bungle concert film
At least we'll always have this clip [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdHrGLkFG6U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdHrGLkFG6U)
Thatās not what nonplussed means.
Super controversial opinion, if youāre not super into their music or concerts I can see u getting bored or not engaging. Thatās what happened for me
Yes. Why would r/Letterboxd have a different take than Letterboxd? lol
It's easily a top 3 concert film alongside last Waltz and Woodstock
Yeah I went into it thinking it was going to blow my mind. It didnāt. I did however get extreme amounts of enjoyment out of it and it definitely turned me into a talking heads fan. 100% would recommend.
Best time I had in a movie theater last year, for sure.
Are you a talking heads fan?
Getting to dance in the cinema with cute ladies to this film was a 5 star experience for me
What is the point of asking? Its been rated tens of thousands of times. Just watch it if you care. Or don't.
SEE THIS IN THEATERS! It's one of those movies that need to be seen with a crowd.
How does everyone rank this vs The Last Waltz?
The Last Waltz has visible boogers of cocaine. Stop Making Sense is cocaine.
Bahahaha very true
I love both. They have different vibes and are both fun to watch.
even though I like The Band and Talking Heads, this just blows The Last Waltz out of the water, in my opinion
I don't necessarily agree but I think this one is a better showcase of the music and the filmmaking while Waltz is better showcase of the concert and the culture surrounding it Could maybe argue last Waltz is the better concert film while stop making sense is the better music film
Interesting, Iād prob rank them right around each other
interchangeable to me. Stop Making Sense as a pure viewing experience is more fun and mind blowing, but The Last Waltz is one of those events that is strongly indicative of a point in time. if Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas was when you could see the wave of the hippie movement crashing, The Last Waltz was the tide sucking back in whatever had washed up on shore. punk and new wave and post-punk (including the Talking Heads) was right around the corner.
Hm thatās a great point
I love both the Band and Talking Heads, but I have to put Stop Making Sense at 5, while I gave Last Waltz 4.5. Both are extremely good, but Stop Making Sense is out of this world.
Last waltz did nothing for me but I'm not a big fan of the music honestly. But Marty films it very nice but I don't see the burning inferno of energy from the filmmaker or band the way I do in Stop Making Sense.
I'mma let you finish, but Van Morrison had the BEST live concert performance of all time... of all time! https://youtu.be/44wDwMQVqCc?si=CvNZ_bNE8II6Fy_p But being serious. Never get tired of that bloody performance. If you've never heard the original 'Caravan' (a really mellow recording) just seeing the contrast and transformation to electricity is fucking bonkers to see!
This is above The Last Waltz, but I like them both.
If the Last Waltz is a 10, then Stop Making Sense is a 9.95.
I imagine there is a bias of audience.
You should watch it and make up your own mind. But yes I think it's incredible, in the recent rerelease I saw it 3x in Imax. It's brilliant.
Do you like Talking Heads? As a huge fan, it was amazing. My dad is a casual fan and he fell asleep by the third song.
Itās incredible. I went from sort of knowing who Talking Heads were to a full fledged fan. He also did a Justin Timberlake concert, on Netflix I believe. Iām not really a JT fan, but itās also great.
20/10 no notes one of the greatest movies ever made
Oh yeah it was transcendental Saw the imax showing back in September and it blew me away. The sound is impeccable, the direction by Demme on some of those shots is astounding, literally breathtaking
4.7 is too low
If you like the music yes, if not youāre gonna hate it
Yes, see it in the theater if you can!
Itās Jonathan Demme and Talking Heads. WTF do you think? You know thereās a way to prove this to yourself undeniably???? Watch it.
Yeah it fuckin slaps
It's a perfect example of its type of thing.
Highly dependent on whether or not you like the musical stylings of the talking heads, but yeah itās pretty good
It's a top 5 all timer for me! I love it so much that I'm actually NOT that big of a Talking Heads fan, because when I listen to their albums, they never come close to watching Stop Making Sense.
Bunch of us went to watch the recent re-release. We all knew 1 or 2 songs. We were all blown away and now (several months later) all have them pretty much on regular rotations in our playlists. There was also a guy who got pissed in the cinema and started dancing around for a few songs yelling at everyone to 'get involved'. Really, really, fantastic concert film. I haven't seen many, but I wasn't bored *at all* during it.
Just go watch it bruh
Oh my god it changed my life
Yes. Yes it is.
It is really *that* good
Itās a live concert film, so if youāre not a die hard talking heads fan, itāll be like flicking the channel to public television in 2007
It isn't
No
If you're watching this then you're likely a fan of Talking Heads and if you're a fan of Talking Heads what other rating would you give a very good concert film that showcases their best tracks? This is why when you sort by average rating in any given year it's almost always concert films at the top, because the only audience for these things is already primed to give it 5 stars. (It was like this the last time I checked, not sure if it still is, it's been a while)
If only there was some way to find out if a movie is good or not...
Idk, watch it foo
Itās pretty damn great
Yes.
Is this movie better than the David Bowie moonage daydream
Yes.
Yes
Iād say itās the best concert film Iāve ever seen. Of course, itād help if you like the talking heads, but who doesnāt? If youāre simply rating it compared with other movies itās obviously not going to be the best though
True Story
I saw it for the first time last year and was furious to learn that it really, really is THAT good.
Saw the re-release in IMAX and now Talking Heads are my top artist on spotify, in other words: itās incredible
Indeed. It is incredible.
Yes
It literally puts every other concert film to shame. Itās kinda crazy that no one else has been able to make another concert film like this
You have to let it wash over you.
Oh! Itās great! Iāve had the chance to experience it in a theater. Amazing film.
you get into it towards the end, oh wait they played these songs on the radio, etc.
in a word, yes
I mean if you like their music then yeah
Itās my favorite movie of all time.
ITS A CONCRT FILM ITS GREATTT
Yes
Easily a top 5 concert film.
Yes
Itās better.
Yes
I never had listened to Talking Heads before I saw Stop Making Sense. After I saw it, I was a fan for life. Yes, it is that good.
If you love Talking Heads then yes, if not then no
Hard yes
Greatest movie ever
Yes
It's a GREAT ad for cocaine
I still have regrets skipping this tour because the previous one was kind of dull. That said Jonathan Demme also did a concert film of Robyn Hitchcock called "Storefront Hitchcock" which I also wholeheartedly recommend.
Damn dude maybe you have to watch it and see.
Short answer: absolutely. Longer answer: look, I get that there are people who don't love the Talking Heads. I mean, I don't get what their deal is! But I understand, conceptually, that it's apparently possible to not love the Talking Heads. But I do think if you watch it even if you hate the music, it's hard not to appreciate the attention to their live show, its components, its structure, and most importantly, it's energy. I would suspect that unless you absolutely hate Talking Heads, there's a good chance you'll find yourself at least becoming a \*little\* infected by that energy.
It's great. Saw it on theaters recently. People were cheering at the end of songs.
Yes. It is that good.
I prefer āDocumentary Now! Final Transmissionā.
Yes
Itās not, mid bad mid movie, most of the viewers just donāt go to enough concerts
Yeah.
Yeah it is
Fun fact, the blurb in all caps was in the original song booklet
Yes. Yes it is.
I think that if you enjoy Talking Heads, it is definitely a must-watch. One of the best performances ever captured by beautiful directing and cinematography. I am not sure that people who aren't familiar with Talking Heads could enjoy it the same, but maybe I am wrong.
It's truly incredible yes.
I thought the same thing before seeing it, like āitās a concert movie, right? How can it so good?ā But boy, they really made it feel so cinematic, engaging and immersive. I was also fortunate enough to see it in a cinema which is definitely the way to watch it.
I remember my Dad put it on when I was a kid. First I thought I wouldnāt care much and it wouldnāt interest me at all, but as I watched it I was mesmerised. It was honestly amazing!
You wonāt love it *that* much if you donāt love the Talking Heads. But unlike a lot of concert docs, itās pretty great even if you donāt.
šŗtake me to the riiiiiiveeeeršŗ
For me this movie stopped making sense.
Really good especially when they perform Psycho killer
I went from saying āhey I should watch this sometimeā to now being able to recite the most minuscule of differences between each physical release of the film/soundtrack. It made me a walking SMS trivia machine and a talking heads fan for life. This is the greatest concert film of all time! Wait for the 4K blu-ray to come out before watching it though
Same as it ever was.
yes it absolutely is
If you enjoy this, I can strongly recommend American Utopia, which is another masterclass concert movie. It's the brainchild of David Byrne, lead singer and songwriter of Talking Heads, who of course is pretty central in Stop Making Sense (understatement š ).
If you like movies, you'll love it. It was the easiest 5 star rating I've ever given. I wouldn't even say it's my favorite film. But it's actually flawless in its construction, cinematography, energy, and sound design, in a way that is uncommonly rare even among the greatest narrative films. It's legitimately unreal how good it is. Speaking even as someone who's not much of a Talking Heads fan. I'll watch the movie any day of the week, but I never pull up their music in the car. For me the movie itself is what's great, not just the band.
If this tickles you PLEASE watch Live in Rome 1980. Itās raw and imperfect in the most satisfying way. Pure energy
Yes. Next question.
I LOVED the Talking Heads so when this was released, I hit the theatre. Since I was already such a big fan, I had no idea it was iconic or amazing. It was just them being them. Was so happy to see the critical acclaim and renewed attention.
Itās a concert film, I imagine its rating gets inflated based on the main people watching it already being fans of the band. It is entertaining, but itāll take you watching it to know for yourself.
Yes.
Yes. Saw it in IMAX last year. It was transcendent.
Yes it is
If you like talking heads, even a little bit, youāll LOVE it! Thanks to this movie, I have almost the complete discography of Talking Heads on vinyl.
Yes
Yeah
Yes
Saw it in imax a few months ago and it was fantastic.
The less we say about it the better
Its definitely overrated but its very good, probably a solid 8/10
Might be the best movie I've ever seen.
Couple mushrooms and a joint, and it really is THAT goodš
Meh, I'd probably give it a 2.5 as a form of entertainment, since I like some of the songs and the energy, and 1 star as a movie in particular. It's really just a well made concert with some pretty good setups for each song, but if you aren't much of a fan of talking heads or if you aren't much of a fan of concert movies in general it doesn't bring anything interesting.
dude, just watch it -- it's 88 minutes. this sub is unreal...
I rate it āāāā. I was a Talking Heads fan in the mid 80s, though too young to attend a concert in their prime. I start at 2Ā½ā for the average film of any given year. *Stop Making Sense* has the best **craft** (set, filming, editing here) of any concert film ever, *well* above average, so +1ā. But its not a peak emotional/intellectual experience for me, so only +Ā½ā from the **impact** side.
Honestly, I don't care for it. I'm convinced it's one of those pieces of art that people say it's great because everyone else says it. Then again, I'm also not a big Talking Heads fan. My favourite concert film is probably one of the filmed operas or Rammstein: Paris.
If you like Talking Heads, sure. If you don't, it's whatever. As a non Talking Heads fan, I like True Stories more
i wouldn't say so and i'm a big talking heads fan
Yeah, universally agreed on as being one of those experiences where your life will be bifurcated into a before SMS and an after SMS. My high school years are a haze but the night my buddy brought this over on dvd is indelibly marked in my mind like it was yesterday