Stop Making Sense on Arte: Talking Heads filmed onstage by Jonathan Demme

An almost empty stage gradually fills up as the songs unfold in Stop Making Sense, airing on Arte. Jonathan Demme films Talking Heads at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles during their 1983 tour, around the time of the album Speaking in Tongues.

David Byrne opens the concert alone, with his guitar and a drum machine, playing Psycho Killer. Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison gradually join him, followed by the other musicians and backing singers on the tour. Burning Down the House, Once in a Lifetime and Girlfriend Is Better are among the songs performed.

Released in 1984, the film was shot over three evenings in December 1983. It follows the making of the show, culminating in Byrne’s appearance in his enormous suit. A restoration presented by A24 brought the film back to theaters in 2023.

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