In the lead up to the Talking Heads’ 1984 tour that followed their fifth studio album, Speaking Tongues, released in 1983, David Byrne and Co enlisted the directorial help of Jonathon Demme to create a concert film. Directed by the man who went on to make the 1991 classic Silence of the Lambs, Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense went on to win the National Society of Film Critics’ (NSFC) award for best non-fiction film. Founded in 1966, the NSFC is known in the film industry as one of the ‘big four’, making the 1984 award among the most prestigious of the year.
In March of 2023, film studio A24, known for the production of critically acclaimed films like Ari Aster’s Misommar, Daniel Kwan’s and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, acquired the distribution rights for Stop Making Sense. In September of 2023, the film was restored and re-released in public cinemas across the world. Alongside the film, a remastered track list from the feature was released both online and on physical formats. Financially, A24’s distribution deal was wildly successful. According to Variety, the re-release drew $5m (£3.9m) in sales, a figure that, admittedly by a small margin, outstripped the film’s original run in 1984. The film was not only successful at the box office, but it was also a hit with audiences, with viral footage from 2023 showing audiences leaping out of their seats to dance along to the 16-track setlist.
Given the popularity of the re-release, and the film’s 40th anniversary landing on this year, Stop Making Sense will return to cinemas once again. Seeing limited release across the US, Canada, and UK, cinemagoers will be able to catch the show starting January 27. Tickets are currently available, but make sure to grab them fast, as there are only six screenings currently scheduled in the United Kingdom, five of which are at the Prince Charles Cinema in London.
As well as the film’s re-re-release, A24 has announced that they will sell a collection of limited-edition merchandise. The September 2023 release saw a range of clothing and a DVD/BluRay edition being sold. This year’s showing will bring with it a Zine, as well as a pre-sale for another round of home releases on January 27th.
Whether you are a long-standing Talking Heads fan or you were born over a decade after the band’s final studio album, Stop Making Sense proves the enduring appeal of David Byrne’s enigmatic band.
London’s King Charles Cinema will be hosting Stop Making Sense on the 27th of January, the 24th of February, the 30th of March, the 27th of April, and the 25th of May. Additionally, the Warwick University’s Student Cinema will feature the film on the 22nd of February.
