Stop Making Sense (1984)

A pioneering concert film captures the energetic live performances of the rock band Talking Heads during their 1983 tour.

First release year

1984

Runtime (minutes)

88

Production countries

United States

Original languages

English

Directors

Jonathan Demme

Cast and characters

Talking Heads

Genres

concert film; documentary; independent film

Themes

Live music performance; Visual identity; Artistic expression

Tone and mood

Energetic; Joyous; Unpredictable

Premise and plot tags

Concert Film; Music Documentary; Independent Production

Reception

The film is widely regarded as the greatest concert film ever made and received universal acclaim from critics for its visual wit and energy.

Reported review scores

Rotten Tomatoes · score: 9.4/10 · scale: 10 · review count: 71

Awards and nominations

National Society of Film Critics Award · Best Non-Fiction Film · 1984 · Win; Grand Prix for Best Film · Film Fest Gent · 1985 · Win

Production trivia

The film's title was derived from a lyric in the song 'Girlfriend Is Better'.; The 'big suit' worn by David Byrne was partly inspired by Noh theatre styles.; The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2021.

Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.

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