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"Song for Red," May 19, 2007 - "Does Anybody Have Any Questions?"
Posted at 3:45 PM on May 19, 2007
by Tony Lopez
(10 Comments)
This week I shared with Red one of my favorite concert films, Jonathan Demme's Stop Making Sense. For a long time in the '80's, no band held me in its sway quite like Talking Heads. My devotion bordered on the fanatical. At the time, the question was, "Do you love Talking Heads as much as I do?" Sadly, potential friendships and romances hinged on the answer.
I'm much more mature nowadays. I have the ability to transfer those old irrational thoughts onto my young daughter. Ahh, the joys of parenthood!
I hadn't seen the film in quite a number of years and was totally enthralled. Maybe, that's why she took to it right away. It's filled with classic performances. And I've always loved how, one by one, song by song, each member of the band enters the stage until all nine of them completely blow the lid off the joint.
Demme keeps the lighting simple and dramatic. Many times, a single white spotlight is the only illumination. And the camera work captures the interplay between the players beautifully. It was like Demme was the 10th Talking Head!
But, wouldn't you know it? Red's favorite part was the Tom Tom Club interlude. She's already rebelling. But, she did admit to liking the big suit.
Today's SFR is the song that wrapped up Stop Making Sense, "Crosseyed and Painless" from their 1980 masterpiece, Remain in Light.
Comments (10)
Wow, T Lo, you're bringing back some major '80s college memories for me! "Stop Making Sense" (the film) was the life-changing event that turned me on to the Talking Heads. I was walking along Superior Street (in downtown Duluth) with my girlfriend Carolyn and we noticed "Stop Making Sense" playing at the old Norshor theater. Neither of us knew a thing about the band, but on a total whim we decided to go in & check it out. We were both totally blown away by the unique music made by these incredibly talented art students. My feet simmply wouldn't keep still, and most of the audience was dancing in the aisles. I had never heard anything like it, and immediately started buying every used Talking Heads album I could find. I still love the "Stop Making Sense" album and listen to it fairly frequently.
As for the Tom Tom Club, "Wordy Rappinghood" is an awesome little ditty that I would love to hear on the Current some time (hint, hint!).
It is indeed one of the greatest concert films ever made. And the Big Suit alone was simply one of the most iconic images of the entire decade.
As an aside, a friend of my time used to jokingly refer to it as "Stop Smoking Sens."
That was supposed to be "a friend of mine at the time."
Does anybody know if that film is ever shown (maybe as a midnight movie) anywhere in the cities? It would be soooo cool to see it on the big screen again.
[Making mental note to e-mail suggestion to the best movie theater in the entire twin cities].
I'd love to see it on the big screen again, Auntie. Can somebody get on this?!?
My wife, Laura, remembers seeing it at the Uptown Theater and dancing in the aisles, too!
Yep, one of the best concert films of all time.
I saw it in Berkeley, CA during my "college days" at the equivalent of the Uptown as a Midnight movie after seeing a couple of movies about the 2-Tone ska bands earlier in the evening.
There was total dancing in the aisles and a party atmosphere the entire time.
I still think my favorite part is the opening w/ David Byrne and his boombox singing Psycho Killer. Of course, nothing beats the "Big Suit", though.
I love the "lamp dance" he did during one of the song where he'd knock the lamp over and catch it and then send it back the other way.
I'm going to have to rent this again....
I think the Riverview would be a good venue for this. I e-mailed the suggestion to address on their web site: info@riverviewtheater.com. Maybe if a couple more people also sent in the same suggestion it would hold more weight.
Frick, peryhaps a "Stop Making Sense" video night is in the cards. Of course, we'd have to bug Butzo to host it, since he's got the big-screen...
Oh yeah Frick...that was during "This Must Be the Place." It was almost romantic, if that's possible with an inanimate object! : )
Auntie;
Yeah.. SMS video night sounds like fun. Who gets to wear the big suit?
Tone: Thanks for putting the "dance" in context, I couldn't remember the song.
Same as it ever was....
Carr?nomenclature hippopotamus cluck peach - Tons of interesdting stuff!!!
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