Stop Making Sense
“Why stop making sense? Why a movie? Why a big suit? Where do the odd movements come from? What will the band do next?”
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2023-08-17
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
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
Release History & Theatrical Window
Streaming Window: 224 DaysToronto International Film Festival (4K Restoration)
Festival / Special Debut
September 22, 2023
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 3, 2024
VOD & Digital Platforms
October 13, 2009
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1.2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$12.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
10.39x
+$11.3M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Screenplay & Story
- Jonathan Demme
- Original Score
- Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Bernie Worrell
- Original Title
- Stop Making Sense
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, French
- Runtime
- 1h 28m
- Production Budget
- $1.2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $12.5M
- Production Studios
- Talking Heads Films, Arnold Stiefel Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Jonathan Demme
Jonathan Demme
Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Bernie Worrell
Jordan Cronenweth
Lisa Day
Gary Kurfirst, Gary Goetzman
Department Leadership Roster
Jonathan Demme
Writer
Jordan Cronenweth
Director of Photography
Jonathan Demme
Director
Jerry Harrison
Original Music Composer
Tina Weymouth
Original Music Composer
Lisa Day
Editor
David Byrne
Original Music Composer
Chris Frantz
Original Music Composer
Gary Goetzman
Producer
Bernie Worrell
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Stop Making Sense.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Stop Making Sense.
Movie Collection
Music/Concerts (tmdb)
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Every A24 Film
Every A24 Movie Ever A24 EST. 2012 NEW YORK, NY A24厂牌全收录： 收录由知名独立娱乐公司 A24（成立于2012年）制作或发行的所有电影。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:37:38 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 250 Documentary Films
Letterboxd's official Top 250 documentary feature films, ranked by average member rating. Letterboxd 官方 Top 250 最佳纪录长片榜单： 根据平台用户的平均评分进行排序的纪录长片精选榜单。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:36:46 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Stop Making Sense
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Stop Making Sense about?
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.
Who directed Stop Making Sense?
Stop Making Sense was directed by Jonathan Demme.
Who stars in Stop Making Sense?
The principal cast of Stop Making Sense includes David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Ednah Holt.
When was Stop Making Sense released and how long is it?
Stop Making Sense was released in 1984 with a total runtime of 1h 28m.
What was the box office and production budget of Stop Making Sense?
Stop Making Sense had a reported production budget of $1.2M and grossed $12.5M at the worldwide box office (10.39 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Stop Making Sense?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Stop Making Sense was composed by Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Bernie Worrell.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Stop Making Sense?
Stop Making Sense holds official age classifications: GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).