Comments on: Stop Making Sense turns 25 http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 21 May 2013 14:59:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: JPW http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608259 JPW Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608259 THE Talking Heads . . . is that sort of like THE Eagles? THE Talking Heads . . . is that sort of like THE Eagles?

]]> By: Chris Spurgeon http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608515 Chris Spurgeon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608515 I love the clever technique Jonathan Demme used to make this movie. What was that, you ask? Glad to tell you! Demme shot the concert on three nights...one night with the cameras on the left, one with the cameras on the right, and once with them shooting from the center of the theater. He and David Byrne took pains to make sure the three shows looked as visually identical as possible (same songs, same clothes, same lighting changes at the same moments in the songs, etc.) They took extra care to make sure that each song was played at exactly the same tempo each night. (In a couple of shots in the movie you can see Talking Heads drummer Chris Franz holding a headphone speaker to his ear before starting a song. He was listening to a click track to make sure that he kicked off the number at the correct speed). All this gave Demme the ability to cut together three performances shot from three different camera angles to give the illusion of one continuous performance. Clever! I love the clever technique Jonathan Demme used to make this movie. What was that, you ask? Glad to tell you!

Demme shot the concert on three nights…one night with the cameras on the left, one with the cameras on the right, and once with them shooting from the center of the theater. He and David Byrne took pains to make sure the three shows looked as visually identical as possible (same songs, same clothes, same lighting changes at the same moments in the songs, etc.) They took extra care to make sure that each song was played at exactly the same tempo each night. (In a couple of shots in the movie you can see Talking Heads drummer Chris Franz holding a headphone speaker to his ear before starting a song. He was listening to a click track to make sure that he kicked off the number at the correct speed).

All this gave Demme the ability to cut together three performances shot from three different camera angles to give the illusion of one continuous performance. Clever!

]]> By: Xeni Jardin http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608274 Xeni Jardin Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608274 Awww, band name pedantry, how cute! Awww, band name pedantry, how cute!

]]> By: Zompire Dracularius http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608282 Zompire Dracularius Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608282 Why isn't it italicized? Why isn’t it italicized?

]]> By: Dean Putney http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608283 Dean Putney Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608283 I really need to buy this DVD... I really need to buy this DVD…

]]> By: engwar http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608796 engwar Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608796 Love this film. Just bought it (standard DVD) for my 5 year old. And to add to saucerful's list of great concert films... Gimme Shelter Woodstock (Although yes, they're documentaries and not just a film documenting a performance. But they still count) Love this film. Just bought it (standard DVD) for my 5 year old.

And to add to saucerful’s list of great concert films…

Gimme Shelter
Woodstock

(Although yes, they’re documentaries and not just a film documenting a performance. But they still count)

]]> By: Hector http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-609054 Hector Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-609054 Hi there, this is Hector from http://www.BlurayWire.com and I just wanted to thank you for linking to my blog. I greatly appreciate it. The fact that I'm a Boing Boing fan made this even better. Thanks again. Hi there, this is Hector from http://www.BlurayWire.com and I just wanted to thank you for linking to my blog. I greatly appreciate it. The fact that I’m a Boing Boing fan made this even better. Thanks again.

]]> By: scifijazznik http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608295 scifijazznik Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608295 I saw <i>Stop Making Sense</i> at the theater when I was in high school and while it didn't change my life the way that, say, <i>Tron</i> or <i>Weird Science</I> did, I left the theater with a feeling of what I imagine people who touched the teevee screen when Robert Tilton asked them to must have felt when he spoke in tongues and electrons flowed through their fingers. @JPW-- turn in your badge. Your internets have been revoked for the day. I saw Stop Making Sense at the theater when I was in high school and while it didn’t change my life the way that, say, Tron or Weird Science did, I left the theater with a feeling of what I imagine people who touched the teevee screen when Robert Tilton asked them to must have felt when he spoke in tongues and electrons flowed through their fingers.

@JPW– turn in your badge. Your internets have been revoked for the day.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-609327 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-609327 So this movie I saw in college is now ... too old to be in college. Shut the fuck up. I have to go eat some donuts and cry. So this movie I saw in college is now … too old to be in college.

Shut the fuck up.

I have to go eat some donuts and cry.

]]> By: Fission_Chipz http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-609088 Fission_Chipz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-609088 Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot just held a screening at the imax on Navy Pier here in Chicago. It was simply awesome to this film on such a huge screen with speakers other than what is built into my TV. The commentary DeRogatis and Kot provided before and after was really quite interesting and made for quite a nice evening. Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot just held a screening at the imax on Navy Pier here in Chicago. It was simply awesome to this film on such a huge screen with speakers other than what is built into my TV. The commentary DeRogatis and Kot provided before and after was really quite interesting and made for quite a nice evening.

]]> By: mn_camera http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608328 mn_camera Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608328 Having seen both the film (in theatrical) and the tour on which it was based, this is almost enough to get me to buy a Blu-Ray player. Yes, it was that good. Having seen both the film (in theatrical) and the tour on which it was based, this is almost enough to get me to buy a Blu-Ray player.

Yes, it was that good.

]]> By: Teller http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608590 Teller Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608590 MAYBE the best one right after The Last Waltz. MAYBE the best one right after The Last Waltz.

]]> By: Stefan Jones http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-609105 Stefan Jones Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-609105 I believe this was the first DVD I ever bought. I believe this was the first DVD I ever bought.

]]> By: unruly katy http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608338 unruly katy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608338 David Byrne is so my boyfriend. He just doesn't know it. That doesn't sound creepy, does it? David Byrne is so my boyfriend. He just doesn’t know it.

That doesn’t sound creepy, does it?

]]> By: Maddy http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608641 Maddy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608641 We had the "midwest" premiere of the film at our college film fest. Whatever that means. Pals rented out speakers and tweeters and all that to juice up the theater's sound system. Everyone in a college band was there that night. By the end of the night, usually staid midwesterners were out of their seats and doing a snake around the theater. And then I stupidly smoked dope and watched "Liquid Sky" after that and was terrified ... We had the “midwest” premiere of the film at our college film fest. Whatever that means. Pals rented out speakers and tweeters and all that to juice up the theater’s sound system. Everyone in a college band was there that night. By the end of the night, usually staid midwesterners were out of their seats and doing a snake around the theater. And then I stupidly smoked dope and watched “Liquid Sky” after that and was terrified …

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608394 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608394 that long ago? shit, i feel old now. that long ago? shit, i feel old now.

]]> By: erzatsen http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608395 erzatsen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608395 what other concert films did eve make? what other concert films did eve make?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608419 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608419 I saw a show from this tour in Forest Hills, NY. It was unbelievably great in person - the energy was fantastic. I saw a show from this tour in Forest Hills, NY. It was unbelievably great in person – the energy was fantastic.

]]> By: scifijazznik http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608426 scifijazznik Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608426 He directed <i>Storefront Hitchcock</i> which is fantastic and <i>Heart of Gold</i> with Neil Young which is, in my opinion, OK. I love both Robyn Hitchcock and Neil Young, and all three films are very different from each other. He's also directed a slew of music videos. He directed Storefront Hitchcock which is fantastic and Heart of Gold with Neil Young which is, in my opinion, OK. I love both Robyn Hitchcock and Neil Young, and all three films are very different from each other.

He’s also directed a slew of music videos.

]]> By: muteboy http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608691 muteboy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608691 Why a movie? Why tour? Why a movie? Why tour?

]]> By: Timothy Hutton http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-609468 Timothy Hutton Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-609468 Best staging of a "rock concert" I've ever seen - evolving band (for the first half of concert new bandmembers are added for each new song), and starting with a bare stage ("I have something I'd like you hear..." leading into a beatbox version of Psyco Killer) was a fantastic way to start. And, of course, the big suit. Easily a landmark concert, and concert film - I've seen too few to pronounce it "Best Ever", thoug it is for me and my experience... They have an IMAX version? Info PLEASE! Best staging of a “rock concert” I’ve ever seen – evolving band (for the first half of concert new bandmembers are added for each new song), and starting with a bare stage (“I have something I’d like you hear…” leading into a beatbox version of Psyco Killer) was a fantastic way to start.

And, of course, the big suit.

Easily a landmark concert, and concert film – I’ve seen too few to pronounce it “Best Ever”, thoug it is for me and my experience…

They have an IMAX version? Info PLEASE!

]]> By: Larskydoodle http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608453 Larskydoodle Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608453 I have the previous "special" edition of this movie on DVD. I was disappointed when I bought it that the print they used to make the DVD had scratches on it that could've been removed digitally. I hope this new version has been "cleaned up" a bit. A great concert movie, and I think that the version of "Once in a Lifetime" shot for this film is the best filmed rock song of all time. It's almost entirely one single camera shot, with no cutaways until almost the end. Breathtaking. I have the previous “special” edition of this movie on DVD. I was disappointed when I bought it that the print they used to make the DVD had scratches on it that could’ve been removed digitally. I hope this new version has been “cleaned up” a bit.

A great concert movie, and I think that the version of “Once in a Lifetime” shot for this film is the best filmed rock song of all time. It’s almost entirely one single camera shot, with no cutaways until almost the end. Breathtaking.

]]> By: saucerful http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608709 saucerful Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608709 @Teller uh Rock & Roll Circus? Live at Pompeii? Festival Express? The Concert for Bangladesh? I'm so jealous that some of you guys got to see this in theaters. I wasn't even born yet. Maybe some independent theaters will replay it with the re-release. @Teller uh Rock & Roll Circus? Live at Pompeii? Festival Express? The Concert for Bangladesh?

I’m so jealous that some of you guys got to see this in theaters. I wasn’t even born yet. Maybe some independent theaters will replay it with the re-release.

]]> By: scifijazznik http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/stop-making-sense-25.html#comment-608723 scifijazznik Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-608723 To this day, I can't decide if <i>Liquid Sky</i> is brilliant or awful or both. To this day, I can’t decide if Liquid Sky is brilliant or awful or both.

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