Talking Head’s landmark concert film is back in theaters. For the first time in IMAX 4K with remastered sound and I simply will not shut the fuck up about it.

“I don’t think they’e bad. I just don’t like them much.”

– my friend, julian on radiohead

That’s my friend for Julian for ya. Yea I know what you’re saying, “I got a friend who doesn’t like oysters…We agree to disagree….blah, blah, blah” But Julian also doesn’t like Bob Dylan or The Rolling Stones and he’s in band! WHAT THE FUCK? Good fella…. fine musician… that Julian but after typing all this out – I wonder if we should we still be friends. The only solution? Sporadically drive by his house and dump trash on his yard like Tom Cruise in All The Right Moves.

But Julian’s never seen All the Right Moves either, (who has?) so the symbolism would be lost on him. Also he’s never heard Talking Heads, so another solution presented itself. A24, the studio that brings you horror movies you pretend to like, has re-released Stop Making Sense for the first time ever in IMAX, in 4K with remastered sound for it’s 40th anniversary. These are my terms: If Julian is sufficiently amazed. I’ll consider continuing my friendship with him. I said consider

Stop triggering me!

I’ve probably seen the movie ten times including a theatrical release in 2018 for the 35th anniversary. (How many re-releases does this thing have?) But I may as well have been watching for the first time too. The enhancements are incredible. The sound remaster is so intense, I had to wear my special “Oppenheimer pants-shitting pants.” IMAX puts you in the front row like a used groupie. You can really absorb the manic energy like never before. The physicality of the performance – spastic; yet somehow perfectly synced is still a marvel to behold and oh yea – 90 minutes of some of the greatest rock music ever made. This version, has to be seen and heard in IMAX theaters, streaming just won’t do.

As for the film itself, the opening is still the coolest opening to a concert since Ace Frehley’s infamous “flaming scrotum” intro on the Kiss Alive tour ’76. If you don’t know, the show opens with just David Byrne and a jam box, playing Psycho Killer along to a drum loop with the house lights still up.

The band members take the stage gradually, one per song, as drum risers are moved in and out, mics are set up and lighting rigs are wired in plain sight with fat-union guys in the shot, plain as day. Only they don’t interrupt the performance, they’re part of the performance.

Tina Weymouth follows on bass, then Chris Franz and Jerry Harrison making the Talking Heads we all know and who probably still hate each other. Eventually, a fully operational mothership version of the band with backup singers, extra percussion and keys – nine musicians in all take the stage. I was jealous of Julian – this is such a perfect way to be introduced to this band. The sequence of songs seems to tell a feature length story, which I never thought of until now. Also, I prefer a lot of the live versions here over the studio ones, especially Slippery People, Naive Melody and Once in A Lifetime. Eat a dick, Brian Eno!

Still the coolest opening to a concert since Ace Frehley’s
infamous “flaming scrotum” on the Kiss Alive tour ’76.

Life During Wartime is really on another level here. Jonathan Demme captures the intense energy of this song – the spastic, jogging in place dances, the sing along chorus – like a sped-up apocalyptic Sweating to the Oldies video. How is this even physically possible? I hurt my back just watching them. Even elitist critics who wouldn’t know Talking Heads from Styx understood they were seeing a great band at its’ peak. Picture Roger Ebert Dancing! You can’t unsee it!

Speaking of dancing Tina Weymouth’s dance moves are contagious Her weird fucking backward crab-dance shuffle is just as fantastically awkward as Byrne’s iconic “big suit” dance. It was really cool seeing The Tom Tom Club’s Genius of Love included here, I don’t remember it being in the 35th anniversary cut or not. Also since it’s 2023, someone made a not at all creepy edit that’s just every shot she’s in. Yikes.

David Byrne’s routine with the lamp during Naive Melody it’s part Gene Kelly dance and Gallagher prop comedy routine, which I never knew I craved. Point being this somehow adds to a beautiful song instead of distracting from it. My only complaint is that Big Business > I Zimbra which has been added to the vinyl reissue, isn’t in it. Incidentally the vinyl reissue is a massive improvement, the entire concert is included instead of the paltry eight out of sequence songs of the original but that’s another obsessive and sad middle-aged blog post.

The last time I watched Stop Making Sense was right after I read Chris Frantz book, Remain in Love where he tears David Byrne another corn chute. This time around it’s at least slightly reassuring that Talking Heads are getting through the press tour without killing each other. Hey it’s not the reunion tour we all wished we got in 1995 but it’s a bit of healing. Speaking of which I asked Julian what he thought. He said, “Well, they say it’s the greatest concert movie of all time.” I said, “Okay but what do you think?” He said, “It’s the greatest concert movie of all time” Well no shit, Sherlock.