Stop Making Sense

In the organizer's words:

In 1983, director Jonathan Demme attended a Talking Heads concert. This gave rise to the idea of turning the show into a concert film. The film was shot over the course of three concert evenings at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. A man in a voluminous suit entered the stage, placed a tape recorder next to him and began to sing. The first sequences looked like a studio rehearsal. Only after David Byrne's charismatic performance of "Psycho Killer" and as more band members entered the stage and played with each song did it become obvious that this was a live concert.
Director Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, USA 1991) staged the "Talking Heads" performance like a movie. The film dispenses with backstage scenes, accompanying interviews and other accessories, giving the audience the feeling that they are witnessing a carefully choreographed performance. It was this film and the soundtrack of the same name that made the "Talking Heads" instantly popular. Legendary and described by many critics as the best concert film of all time, STOP MAKING SENSE is returning to cinemas in a restored 4K version to mark its 40th anniversary.

Keeping film history alive is an essential part of the film culture work of community cinemas. Does a film like "Stop Making Sense" - seen again or for the first time - seem as revolutionary today as it did back then, 40 years on? Can silent or black and white films still inspire us on the big screen today? You can find out at the KoKi.