Rating: 
Summary: WOW! No other rock performance on video even comes close.
Review: A stupendously energetic, entertaining & enlightening movie. In its way it was the pinnacle of Rock & Roll, maybe even its culmination, because everything before had been getting better & better & everything since...well, to be kind, at its best it's derivative - many variations on a theme. The whole extended Talking Heads band was at its peak here, singing, dancing, playing a multitude of instruments, never breaking stride, never a pause or lull of even a tiny dead spot. The genius of course is David Byrne. After watching him in this film, how could anyone not consider him to be the very best. And the movie itself as far as I'm concerned is the best Jonathan Demme has ever done, and I love his film work - from Crazy Mama to Something Wild.
Rating:
Summary: Best concert film
Review: This is the best concert film ever. Directed by the genius Jonathan Demme, we never see the crowd, and seldom even hear it. The sound is great. The song list is great, and many genres of music are represented.I watch this over and over and can play it as background music without even watching it. It's great!
Rating: 
Summary: It Stinks!
Review: I got this for a gift from my stepbrother who is a big Talking Heads fan. We opened it up on New Years Eve and it was a "party killer" ....boring as hell. From the opening song the sync of the music and whats on screen is horrible! Its like watching one of those old Godzilla movies. I 'm not sure what is on the audio is even from the same performance as whats on the video. Its so bad. There is barely any ambience of a live recording which gives it a very lifeless feel. If it wasn't for the occasional pause between songs I would not even know the audience was present. I also hear serious overdubbing going on that the untrained ear probably would not hear. Is this a live concert or a music video? I think it falls somewhere in between. At times the groove is really bad. The drummer and bass player either could not hear each other or didn't care. When it does groove I suspect they fixed it in the studio later. Keep in mind Stop Making Sense was done almost 20 years ago....and it reeks of old age! But it does look like it was a really great concert if you were there in person. Unless you are a big fan and can overlook its many faults don't waste your money.
Rating:
Summary: Still a classic!!
Review: I have fond memories of watching a friend's copy of this over and over in the '80's! When I saw it was being re-released, newly mastered, I had to have it. This is maybe THE quintessential concert video ever! It succeeds not because of a million-dollar light & laser show, or shock value, but because it's just very creative and artistic in it's minimalism. David Byrne is a genius, albeit a quirky one. It's still awesome...I've turned my 7-year-old son into a Talking Heads fan! There is some extra footage on this one, but it's tacked on to the end of the tape, instead of in the flow of the concert, which I thought was kind of strange. Other that that my only gripe is that I didn't hold out for the DVD! Buy it!!
Rating:
Summary: The best music DVD
Review: I make it short at the risk of repeating what almost everybody of the reviewers have already stated: This IS the best music DVD. Amazing that this is 1984 vintage - but unmatched by most modern concerts. Watch it - and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Great even for non-fans.
Review: I'm not a big fan of the Talking Heads. More just a casual admirer. But even so, I love this dvd. The concert is amazing, not only with musicianship, but the whole concept of building the staging up from nothing is pulled off fantastically. The included commentaries make this a must buy for anyone interested in music -- especially the art of live performance.
Rating:
Summary: Still My Favorite Band
Review: I've been a Heads fan since 1980, when my brother sent me a tape with songs from Fear Of Music on it. They just got better and better after that (at least 'til Naked, but that's another story). I almost saw the Stop Making Sense concert in Detroit in mid-83, but had strep throat. Later that year, I had the good fortune to see them in Binghamton, NY. WOW!! One review describes the crescendo from Psycho Killer to Burning Down The House as orgasmic. That perfectly sums up the build up in the concert. By the time they played Burning Down The House, everyone was dancing and no one sat down 'til it was over! (I'm reminded of the amp in Spinal Tap that goes to 11. He claims that when most bands hit 10, they've got no where to go. This concert does it for real. Most bands come out all at once and really have no where to go. TH found a beautiful way to find somewhere to go) All this is a prelude to say that the DVD captures this wonderfully. Each time I watch, I am back there watching it, in heaven on earth! It just doesn't get old; their music is as fresh and innovative today as it was back then. I just watched it again yesterday: same delight as always. I've even managed to get my 3 kids hooked on them. The DVD also does a wonderful job capturing the band's delight and playfulness. In the concert I saw, Byrne handed his mike to Steve Scales to take off part of his big suit (too hot, I'm sure). He got hung up in the suit, and it was time to sing again, but Scales ran away, forcing Byrne to hop frantically after him to get it back! You see similiar fun in the DVD. The switch to The Tom Tom Club in the middle was an utterly unexpected delight, and was a wonderful complement to the TH music. Even if you're not a TH fan, give this a try - I do not think there has ever been any concert that was this good.
Rating:
Summary: Yes, It's All True
Review: This movie is amazing. The performances are superb and energy surges through every song. As for the guy who gave it one star for the commentary...Uhhh...You can turn the commentary off.
Rating:
Summary: you critics are slippery people
Review: perhaps the finest example of executing film language to capture a performance. if the realist can overlook the obviation that some shots are not from what is being played, the experience works with the picture on and off
Rating:
Summary: Lovely!
Review: David Byrne and crew offer an earnest performance. Great for the metabolism of the mind. Rock videos don't get better; Byrne has never been more intense; entertainment can't get healthier than this. And if they are still offering a set, do get the other video -- "True Stories" -- as well. Both films are wonderful.
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