Synopsis
A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.
Key facts
Cast
David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Ednah Holt, Lynn Mabry, Steven Scales, Alex Weir
Original language
English
First release
October 19, 1984 (United States)
Awards
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Non-Fiction Film
Filming locations
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Crew
Screenplay
Jonathan Demme
Producer
Gary Goetzman
Cinematography
Jordan Cronenweth
Editing
Lisa Day
Music
Bernie Worrell, Chris Frantz, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth
Trailer
Stills
Reviews
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Festival History
Soundtracks
| Vinyl LP | Stop Making Sense (1984) | 11 releases, 1984-2024: Sire, Sire Records Company |
| CD | Stop Making Sense (1984) | 7 releases, 2019-2024: EMI, Rhino Records, Sire |
| Cassette | Stop Making Sense (1984) | 19 releases, 1984-1994: Bajo Bongo, EMI, Fame |
| MiniDisc | Stop Making Sense (1984) | 1 release, 1992: EMI |
Releases & classifications
| Theatrical | United States | October 19, 1984 |
| Theatrical | Denmark | November 16, 1984 |
| Theatrical | Finland | November 16, 1984 |
| Theatrical | Sweden | November 16, 1984 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | November 26, 1984 |
| Theatrical | Netherlands | April 4, 1985 |
| Theatrical | Japan | August 3, 1985 |
| Theatrical | United States | September 15, 1999 |
| Streaming | Ireland | November 8, 2014 |
| Theatrical | Australia | September 17, 2023 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | September 22, 2023 |
| Theatrical | United States | September 22, 2023 |
| Theatrical | United States | September 29, 2023 |
| Theatrical | Netherlands | January 11, 2024 |
| Theatrical | Japan | February 2, 2024 |
| Theatrical | Germany | March 28, 2024 |
| Streaming | United Kingdom | April 8, 2024 |
| Streaming | United States | May 3, 2024 |
| Theatrical | Brazil | August 29, 2024 |
| Theatrical | United States | October 2, 2024 |
| Theatrical | Italy | November 11, 2024 |
| Theatrical | Poland | December 25, 2024 |
| Theatrical | South Korea | August 13, 2025 |
| Classification | United States | PG |
Versions & editions
| Home video | Netherlands | October 5, 2001 |
| Home video | Netherlands | January 1, 2009 |
| Home video | United States | October 13, 2009 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | November 16, 2015 |
| Home video | United States | May 8, 2024 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | June 21, 2024 |
Full credits
| Director | Jonathan Demme |
| Cast | David Byrne (Self - Vocals, Guitar), Chris Frantz (Self - Drums, Vocals), Jerry Harrison (Self - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals), Tina Weymouth (Self - Bass, Percussion, Vocals), Ednah Holt (Self - Backing Vocals), Lynn Mabry (Self - Backing Vocals), Steven Scales (Self - Percussion), Alex Weir (Self - Guitar, Vocals), Bernie Worrell (Self - Keyboards) |
| Screenplay | Jonathan Demme |
| Producer | Gary Goetzman |
| Executive producer | Gary Kurfirst |
| Cinematography | Jordan Cronenweth |
| Editing | Lisa Day |
| Music | Bernie Worrell, Chris Frantz, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth |
Additional data: TMDB.
Source: Cinémathèque québécoise, linked catalogue data (CC BY 4.0)
