‘Stop Making Sense’ Trailer: Jonathan Demme’s Classic Talking Heads Concert 2Doc Gets A 4K Restoration At TIFF

Forty years ago, the late filmmaker Jonathan Demme and the art-punk band The Talking Heads made one of the most outstanding concert docs of all time, “Stop Making Sense.” Now on this milestone anniversary, the beloved concert doc returns to theaters with a TIFF World Premiere and Global IMAX Live event on September 11 in a pristine new 4K restoration. Following that debut, the doc will then exclusively open in IMAX on September 22 and in theaters everywhere on September 29.

READ MORE: The Essentials: 10 Best Jonathan Demme Films

To celebrate the upcoming release, A24, who is spearheaded the re-release, has released a new trailer for the re-release.

Here’s the official synopsis, but the short version is this is truly one of the best concert docs, narrative-like in how it builds and completely dynamic and engaging.

The greatest concert film of all time, Stop Making Sense brings to the screen Talking Heads at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983: David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison, alongside an ecstatic ensemble of supporting musicians. Renowned filmmaker Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) captures the band at their exhilarating best in this new and complete restoration for the film’s 40th anniversary.    

In 2021, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” which is pretty rare for a concert doc.

Following its TIFF premiere, this new 4K restoration of “Stop Making Sense” arrives back in theaters in IMAX on September 22 and then regular theatrical release on September 29. Check out the vibrant new trailer below.