1984 concert videoRating: 17/20
Plot: Jonathan Demme films The Talking Heads. David Byrne winds up in a big suit.
David Byrne's stage presence reminded me of Andy Kaufman at times, especially during "Psychokiller," the track that begins the show. After stepping onto a stage sans fixin's, decorated only with backstage clutter, he presses play on a boombox to start a drum-machine-manufactured stuttering beat, plays his acoustic guitar, sings his little song, and does this Kaufman-esque leg kick thing that instantly made me glad I was watching this. He finishes with a flourish of inept dance moves. The second song starts, and you figure out where this is heading. Stop Making Sense is half about an energetic and enthusiastic performance of a popular band at the peak of their powers and half about the evolution of a performance. With each song, another band member is dragged out to accompany Byrne until all the Heads are present. Then, the special effects are gradually added--backdrops, lights, props. Finally, you've got a ton of instruments, a huge sound, and David Byrne jerking around in that ridiculous big suit of his. The show ends, and you imagine just how difficult it's going to be for somebody to clean all that sweat off the stage. David Byrne is an insanely creative (and possibly insane) individual, and it's a lot of fun watching his vision come alive here. It's also a lot of fun watching how much energy Byrne and company have. I felt physically exhausted after watching the singer dance, hop around, woo a lamp, and sprint around the stage for an hour and a half. And those dance moves! They spoke to the groin, dear readers. They spoke to the groin. There's directing going on here with more than its share of gimmicks, but the band is having way too much fun to not be at the center of things. I'm not completely sure a non-Talking Heads fan would love this (I'm only a marginal fan), but I think it would be impossible not to appreciate what is going on in this terrific concert film.
With the exception of "Burning Down the House", I was never a Heads fan, but this is about as enjoyable as a concert film can be. The presentation is a bit gimmicky, but is very effective in making you focus on the music and it's component parts. Bryne is an amazing showman, and this memorable movie has now made the Talking Heads a new fan. A 16.
ReplyDeleteFor another gimmicky Demme concert movie, check out 'Storefront Hitchcock' featuring Robyn Hitchcock, part of the holy trinity of rawk along with Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. You'll think Robyn Hitchcock is weird though. In fact, I should make that a "five"...Robyn's Beatlesque, so maybe you wouldn't mind him so much.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, the fact that this movie made you into a fan of the band sure says a lot.
"Storefront Hitchcock" is on my queue as a "five" since I owe you some anyway.
ReplyDeleteI rented this in middle school, and have not seen it since.
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly, a lot of it was lost on my undeveloped musical taste.
Concert films are hard to appreciate if you are not a fan of the artist. My wife and I watched the "Madonna: Sticky and Sweet" concert film a couple of weeks ago. Truthfully, she watched it while I played poker on my phone. She did this perhaps I once forced the almost 6 hour Coheed and Cambria concert film "Neverender" on her. I loved it as much as she loved the Madonna show.
I enjoyed "Storefront" and more recently his Neil Young concert film "Heart of Gold." Is it chicken and egg? Can you like the concert film of an artist or band you don't like?
I don't think I've seen a concert film of somebody I didn't like. Wait, would Spinal Tap count? I wouldn't ordinarily like that sort of music. I guess that's not technically a concert film anyway.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the Neil Young thing. I remember it coming out, but I'd forgotten it existed.