Stop Making Sense

Talking Heads perform in Jonathan Demme's concert movie

"Why stop making sense ? Why a movie ? Why a big suit ? Where do the odd movements come from ? What will the band do next ?" So ran the tagline for this one-of-a-kind document of Talking Heads at the peak of their powers.

Althought it gives the impression of being a single concert with no edits or breaks, the footage for Stop Making Sense was brought together from three different shows. In one show the camera was positioned solely at the side of the stage, this is what gives you that "well how did the get the camera to disappear so fast?" moments.

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The band members themselves all seem to be enjoying the performance but they are never really engaging to look at, except that is for frontman David Byrne. Contorting his body into all sorts of strange positions, running around the stage and that oddly soulful voice mean he is never less than a magnetic presence. The ever expanding suit certainly helps.

The music itself is fabulous. Everyone knows "Once In A Lifetime" not least because it was resurrected for the movie "Down & Out In Beverly Hills". But songs like "Slippery People", "Life During Wartime" and the closing "Crosseyed and Painless" all reveal a truly innovative and funky art-rock band.

The concert starts with a Byrne walking onto the stage, setting down a cassette player next to him and uttering the words "Hi, I've got a tape I'd like to play you". He begins a thrilling performance of Psycho Killer with just himself, his acoustic guitar and the tape player for company. Oddly this may be the most thrilling moment of the concert, which speaks volumes about Byrne's magnetism.

Where this succeeds against other filmed concerts is in its visual qualitites. The camera swoops around the stage making you feel part of the action. The set design is ever changing and random words flash up on screens behind the band. Let the music and visuals flow over you - just don't try and make sense of it all.