Why “Stop Making Sense” is a Great Movie to Watch Right Now
There are many lists floating around the internet recommending things to watch as people self-isolate while the Coronavirus spreads. These lists feature great recommendations of movies and TV shows, but they leave out a film that is perfect for our historical moment. That film is “Stop Making Sense,” which is one of the most joyful films ever made.
“Stop Making Sense” depicts the band Talking Heads performing at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. First, frontman and chief creative force David Byrne performs “Psycho Killer” with a guitar as a Roland TR-808 drum machine throws out staccato beats like confetti. For the second song, bassist Tina Weymouth comes out so they can perform an almost-duet of “Heaven” (Lynn Mabry does back-up vocals from backstage). From there the rest of the band comes out, one by one, until they’re all onstage to perform a rousing rendition of “Burning Down the House.” This method of introducing the band — each member coming out and showing off their main skill as they assemble a full team — is reminiscent of the introduction of the characters in a heist film like “Ocean’s Eleven.” But instead of robbing a casino, their objective is to make people happy.
They succeed, in part because the music that they create is so wonderful. Their music is so irresistibly energetic that, every time I see this movie, I end up having to dance to the majority of the songs. Everyone — from Weymouth to drummer Chris Frantz, back-up vocalists Mabry and Edna Holt — performs at a high level with great energy and passion. Even the smallest moments — such as guitarist Alex Weir kicking the air as they perform “Life During Wartime,”or percussionist Steve Scalise making a funny face at the camera when he notices he’s being filmed — portray a sense of fun as Talking Heads does what they do best. Their cheerful professionalism is a reminder of the inventive spirit that has gotten people through so many crises before the Coronavirus and will hopefully get us through it this time.
The music may seem like the main reason to see this movie, but the visuals are just as striking. Director Jonathan Demme uses a wide variety of shots — including but not limited to his famous close-ups — to give you an experience that is probably better than seeing Talking Heads perform live at the Pantages Theater. Demme captures so many indelible visual moments — Byrne dancing with a lamp as if he were Fred Astaire, Weymouth moving like a crab as she performs “Genius of Love” with her side group Tom Tom Club, Byrne shimmying in his famous Big Suit — that complement the music perfectly and capture Talking Heads in all of their glory.
One of the things that I love about “Stop Making Sense” is how it portrays Talking Heads as a type of democratic society. Byrne is the leader, but you feel like every member of the band — from dummer Chris Frantz to backup vocalists Mabry and Edna Holt — has an equal say in how they perform this music. They feed off of each other’s energy and creativity, and make something together that is better than what they could have made on their own. This sense of everyone onstage doing something important extends to the crew, which Demme films as they silently make the show happen by moving instruments into position throughout the show while Talking Heads performs. One grip even gets a chance to sing part of the chorus of “Girlfriend is Better” when Byrne holds out his microphone to him.
This feeling of the concert as a type of ideal community is enhanced when Demme cuts to the audience at the end as Talking Heads performs “Crosseyed and Painless.” We see people of all ethnicities and ages dancing as Talking Heads performs their final song. Experts have been warning about loneliness epidemics as the Coronavirus spreads, but while watching this movie, I felt like I was a part of a community. Not just the community of audience members in the film, but a community that contains everyone who has ever watched this movie and danced to it or sang along as Talking Heads performed. I’m not saying that will necessarily be the case for you, but there is a strong possibility that, if you watch “Stop Making Sense,” you will be transported for 88 minutes into one of the most energetic and joyful concerts ever filmed. At a time of heightened anxiety and fear, experiencing some joyful music sounds like a good use of time to me.
“Stop Making Sense” will continue to provide joy, as well as influence future artists. When Spike Lee was an up-and-coming filmmaker developing his first feature film, “She’s Gotta Have It”, he went and saw “Stop Making Sense,” which gave him some inspiration. 36 years later Lee is going to direct a feature film adaptation of Byrne’s new show, “American Utopia” (which was one of the best things that I have ever experienced and a beautiful tribute to the fact that, in times of darkness, anyone can choose to be a light). Whether you’re an artist or someone struggling in the face of a global pandemic, the message is clear: don’t give up.
