Stop Making Sense vs. WarGames
I don’t actually watch concert videos, I don’t even know if I would even consider them films given that most I’ve “seen” consists of two or three shots that are cut between for two hours. Usually, I just pop one in and let it play in the background as I do something else. However, Stop Making Sense is most certainly a film and makes me interested in checking out if there are other films like this.
In part, I think it’s because this concert is clearly played for the camera. The visual style, lighting, the staging of certain shots demands a kind of foresight that actual filmmaking requires. So while it makes for a great film, I wonder if it was all that great of a concert because a lot of it seemed staged more for the camera than anything else. However, we do get a wide shot of what the audience would see and I guess it looks interesting enough. I’m not much of a concert guy either so I wouldn’t know how this compares to seeing a group like this live.
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense - PsychoKillerAs far as the music goes, I guess it’s good. I’m not really a big music person. The tunes are catchy and the lyrics are usually smart and better a lot of the dumb stuff that passes for music lyrics which is why I’m turned off by music in the first place. The style is unique, which is my nice way of saying it sounded really strange. I can’t really give much more insight than that. Just watch a little clip up above and form your own thoughts. I’m no barometer for music quality. However, I will say that the one solo the backup guitarist gave sucked. That girl can’t sing at all.
What I do think is particularity clever in the setup of performances is how the show gradually adds more and more members and performers to the group until the finale. At the beginning it’s just a one man show and by the end you’ve got this stage with a big group of people. It’s a cool progression and evolution throughout the show that keeps everything from being static and stale.
The same thing could be said for the constant shifting in lighting, sets and visual style that kept me interested in actually looking at the film in addition to watching it. Plus, the wardrobe is constantly changing and Alex Weir actually ends up being a surprising kind of Charlie Chaplinesque physical performer.
However, for me the last couple of songs peter out and the energy that this whole film is gradually building up towards just dissipates before reaching fruition. To me, the show could have ended a couple songs earlier where the music, performances and staging seemed to be at its peak. Still, I was surprised by how well-crafted and engaging this film was given that it’s about something most of us just listen to and rarely ever watch.
So I’ve seen this one before and had a blast with it. I expected some dumb ‘80s flick and actually ended up watching a surprisingly sophisticated, thoughtful and compelling blockbuster. It’s way better than any of the blockbusters I’ve seen this summer, that’s for sure. As I watched it again, I marveled it how well-crafted this film actually is.
Take the big opening sequence about the missle test. What could have been just a simple setup of tone and the stakes actually has a lot of energy and intensity to it and brings up the big conflict that carries the entire film: the depersonalization of war. All this man has to do is flip a switch and he’ll have killed millions. How as humans do we deal with that of thing?
But instead of being this serious, self-important pondering on the nature of the cold war, the film is through the eyes of a kid. This might seem gimmicky and silly to have the film be about Matthew Broderick, but I think it reinforces the human element even more as the David character actually goes through quite an interesting development throughout the story.
Plus, it has Ally Sheedy which is God’s gift to ‘80s teenagers. You guys were so lucky back then. Who did my generation have? The Olsen twins? Man, we got jipped. Now most guys are interested in girls with the big rack or something, but I like my girls to be cute and Ally Sheedy might be one of the cutest women I’ve ever seen. One of her goofy smiles and she’s won me over. I mean, she’s even really-- no especially—cute when she’s all sweaty from working out.
However, far be it from me to paint this film as perfect, because it isn’t. I think the big flaw is that some of the dramatics are a bit too heavy. Sometimes it seems like the film is going too far out of its way to make something rather simple turn into something with some gravitas. There’s a bit late in the film when they are rushing somewhere and instead of just getting there it ends in a big crash that the film doesn’t need at all. It’s little bits like that which take the film just a tiny bit over the edge.
However, all is forgiven moments later with this harrowing scene. I swear, this is one of the most frightening moments I’ve seen on film. The flashing white and the dulled sound effects give this ghostly feel to the map as we watch the visualization of nuclear bombs wiping out America. I get a few chills just thinking about the scene.
I think this also demonstrates the strong visual style of the film. What surprised me is how Badham takes a lot of shots of what could just be what is on a screen and actually placed the faces of the performers in the reflection. This makes what could be very stale shots visually interesting. It’s these kinds of little visual flourishes that made the film gripping to watch.
The ‘80s may be known for a lot of corniness, and maybe this is a bit corny, but damn this is a fine thriller that is just as relevant and powerful today, if not more so, as it was 27 years ago. I think the cautionary tale of technology depersonalizing war and the faults of computers running things is something that we need even more of in this day and age. We’ve become far too complacent and it’s amazing that 27 years ago someone could see where we’ve essentially ended up even if we aren’t on the verge of total destruction.
So I've guess I've got to choose between these two. Both are solid in their own rights and I find both kind of lose energy by the end. But for me, one of these clearly--Oh, wait, what's that? Turns out that sneaky little WORP slipped a nuke past the radar system and made a sneak attack. Wonder what he hit...