Rating: 
Summary: this is not my beautiful DVD player !!
Review: but it is my extremely entertaining, albeit "contrived" concert event. But that is not a bad thing ! as the resulting DVD manages to capture the energy and talent of a truly great American band. If I could go back in time, one of my first destinations would be the CBGB in New York City, 1977, to see the Talking Heads open for the Ramones. Obviously the Talking Heads stole every show, which is probably why the Ramones disliked them so much !And even though the four members of the "Talking Heads proper" kind of get lost in this nine-member stage ensemble, David Byrne is still the clear leader, and the contributions of the other original band members are essential to the energy of the Talking Heads experience. and what an experience it is ! Every song is an artistic presentation, with the visual effects beautifully complementing the funky, up beat, afro-synchronic musical riffs. With absolutely radical versions of Life During Wartime and Once in a Lifetime, this is my second favorite musical DVD (second only to Led Zeppelin - which is really saying something !)
Rating:
Summary: Timeless music!
Review: I was a fan when this "movie" came out and always have been. When I saw this come out on DVD, I thought, what the heck, I'll order it. Wow, was I ever surprised! I have a pretty good surround sound system but was totally unprepared for the quality of this recording when brought into the new millenium. I listed to this in the days of vinyl or on the radio and was more than pleased at how well this transferred over to digital format. David Byrne sounds great but is even better to watch. I have no idea where he gets his energy. An interesting discovery: I like to entertain friends and family with music and most definitely like to give them the visual effects that go along with video concerts like this. What I was surprised about was how everyone responded when I put this DVD on. Those who were already fans loved it, those who never heard of Talking Heads were blown away by the music put out by these guys as well as how dynamic they are in concert. If you have any questions on whether or not to buy this, then I have your answer - DON'T hesitate, get it now, you won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: I need your help!!!!!
Review: Since I own this DVD I have not been able to enjoy any other DVD concert. I've tried U2, Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, you name it.
If you have seen and enjoyed this concert and you believe that there is a similar one in intensity and perfomance, could you recommend it here?
If I ever find one, I will let you know.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling and Entertaining Concert Film
Review: It may seem peculiar that Amazon users have rated Jonathon Demme's concert film featuring the Talking Heads higher than Schindler's List, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, and The Godfather, but I dare you to watch Stop Making Sense and not bestow accolades on it; whether a fan of the band or not, whether a fan of the music style or not, you will be hard-pressed not to come away from this film unimpressed.
Other reviews have talked about the structure of the preformance, or the manic stage-presence of lead singer David Byrne, or the reluctantness of the director to focus on anything but the band. All are good points, and certainly add to the movie's appeal, but I was more impressed with the music and high-energy of the Talking Heads themselves. Although several years later the band would split, the performers in the film seem merely overjoyed to be on a band on a stage- making music and being cheered on by fans. The musicans, from the guitairists to drummers to backup dancers, throw themselves into the music with a relentless zeal- with sweat dripping down their faces as they do dances which would seem ridiculous in any other band. This energy and enthusiasm turn decent songs into great ones, making one want to watch the video over and over again, if only to see David Byrne run a lap around the stage to the tune of Life During Wartime.
Well worth your money. 10/10
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: I was lucky enough to work at the Harvard Square Theatre in the 80s when Stop Making Sense was one of the Midnight Movies. So I got to see it again and again and again. But I hadn't seen it for years when I recently got a hold of it and watched it with my 13 year old son. And this baby holds up! The music is still fresh and electrifying; Byrne's passion, artistry, and honestly still shine in his amazing performance; and Demme's mastery in capturing the here and now of the experience pull the viewer irresistably in. It's an astonishing piece of work.
Rating:
Summary: You may find yourself...playing this DVD a lot!
Review: Filmed at the apex of their tour for Speaking In Tongues at Hollywood's Pantages Theater, the combined efforts of David Byrne's storyboarded presentation (from literally empty stage to full ensemble plus offbeat choreography - dancing with lamps and running marathons around the stage, not to mention the now iconic 'big suit'), and director Jonathan Demme and cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth's superb camera and lighting work create a concert film experience like no other. Not only are there no 'MTV'-style quick-cut edits ('Once In A Lifetime' is done in virtually one long uncut take), and cuts to other members of the band at what would normally seem to be inopportune times give the viewer a sense of playful intimacy rarely seen in concert videos made ever since.
My own exprience in TH albums prior to the film and soundtrack album came only with 'Remain In Light' and 'Speaking In Tongues' when they were first released, but the film made me a fan of everything they did musically before and after, and it is a sad reality that there has never been another band like them since they called it quits.
The film only covers about half of their stage show from that tour, but there are so many highlights, simply beginning with David Byrne's awkward dance to the opening 'Psycho Killer' (reworked with only David, an acoustic guitar and Roland drum machine) performed on a virtually empty stage, as one-by-one we are introduced to all the players in this little drama.
When most filmmakers find the band boring, there are usually hundreds of jump cuts to the audience or behind the scenes taking the audience out of the experience ('The Last Waltz' and 'The Song Remains The Same' come easily to mind). Fortunately, the focus is entirely on the band - the audience in the theater is treated like the audience in the concert, and the only time the camera breaks away to the crowd is at the absolute end of the show, and we see that the original audience has been loving every minute of it, dancing in their seats or grooving in the aisles - this is just a fun concert film that you can't but help move to, and don't be embarassed if you start dancing, too.
Oh, there's some bonus stuff on there too, (like David Byrne's self-interview and two - three if you consider the second is a medley - excised songs from the original extended VHS release taken from an old 1" videotape master) but you'll get more mileage out of the restored concert footage, which looks rich and sounds stunning thanks to 3 separate mixes - PCM stereo, theatrical 5.1 and 'studio' 5.1 versions (the theatrical mix is really the best).
To borrow from David Byrne, overdubbed in post-production for the intermission break, "Does anybody have any questions?"
Rating: 
Summary: There's no such thing as bad Heads.
Review: I was never fortunate enough to see Talking Heads in concert. I was never fortunate enough to see Stop Making Sense at a movie theater. I WAS fortunate enough to buy the LP when I was a teenager. I finally saw a VHS version of the movie in the late 80's on a small TV screen with a mono speaker - blah. One of the first LP's I replaced with a CD was Stop Making Sense. I thought I had taken it as far as I could. Then I bought the DVD, then I bought a home theater system:
Step 1: I watched this masterpiece in widescreen and stereo sound for the first time. (Yes, the audio/video sync is off in places, esp. the beginning)
Step 2: I watched the movie again listening to the commentary track by Demme and band members. Great stuff here.
Step 3: I laid in the middle of the living room,closed my eyes, cranked up the 5.1 Studio Mix and heard this music like I had never heard it before! WOW! Same music, but what a difference between my old LP version and this DTS sound. My CD may never get used again.
The DVD isn't perfect, but the movie nearly is. Demme and Byrne had great vision. The music is so good, you can easily forgive the overdubs. I'll join the club: This is the best concert movie ever made. Daddy like.
Rating:
Summary: Burning down your house...
Review: Buy this DVD... go straight to "Song Selection" from the opening menu... click on Track 6, "Burning Down the House"... turn up the volume, sit back and prepare to be amazed. Quite simply one of the most brilliant pieces of live music ever recorded - speaker-bendingly good, superbly filmed and, above all, conceived & staged to be about as far away as you can get from a simple "pop video". Is it music or art?... who cares, because this cut on its own will tell you that your money's been well spent.
And there's more... "Life During Wartime" comes in only marginally behind for pure excitement and "Girlfriend is Better" - with its ridiculously effective "big suit" sequence - runs both tracks an equally close third. Absolutely classic "live" recordings and the adrenalin fuelled highlights of one of the best concerts you're ever likely to see. Building from simple beginnings, its 16 track sequence is, as the cover says, "The Citizen Kane of concert movies" - a reference point for how to make live music a creative audio & visual experience while, on the way, capturing a group at the peak of their powers. Not only one of the best music DVDs on offer but right up there as one of the most exciting and indispensable moments in rock.
Rating:
Summary: How I learned to love Talking Heads
Review: I'll admit it, I do not like 80's music. I find it poppy and annoying. But this, thi performance is a work of art. It made a Talking Heads fan out of me. It is not only interesting to watch, building in size and excitement; it'll make you dance whether you want to or not. I cannot say enough about this simple but amazing performance. Buy it, I guarentee you will NOT be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: What else can be said..
Review: There's not much else to say about this concert film. Anyone unfamiliar with it who stumbles upon these reviews will certainly understand that they should see it.
If you're still not sure... note that you don't have to be a talking heads fan or even know one of their songs to love this film. I dare say you don't even have to be a music fan... this film will just make you feel good regardless.
> edited to add: I see the most recent reviewer also mentions the workout benefits of the film... obviously I'm not the first to have thought that one up... we stopmakingsense exercisers should compare notes on # of viewings (I must have hit a few hundred by now)
PS: You should be standing when watching (to facilitate movement or dance). If you're all alone and feel funny then put on your sweat pants and jump on your exercise bike or stepper. It will be the funnest 10 pounds you ever lose.
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