Metrograph’s ‘In Concert’ film series has Tom Waits’ ‘Big Time,’ ‘Stop Making Sense,’ ‘Downtown 81’ & more
Lower East Side arthouse / repertory cinema Metrograph will host the “In Concert” series from August 16 – 25, featuring six classic (and cult classic) music films from the 1980s. They’re not all concert docs, but they all definitely drop a pin in an era of underground and alternative sounds. Most are being shown in 35mm.
The lineup includes:
Big Time (1988): Tom Waits’ theatrical Frank’s Wild Years tour showcased his three breakthrough mid-’80s albums that also include Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs. Big Time was virtually un-seeable for nearly 20 years — it was only ever released on VHS and all 35mm copies were thought destroyed until a print surfaced in 2010.
Blank Generation (1980): Richard Hell stars as a fictionalized version of himself in Ulli Lommel’s film that features lots of Voidoids concert footage and Andy Warhol as himself.
The Cramps and The Mutants: The Napa State Tapes (1981): Psychobilly icons The Cramps‘ infamous 1978 performance at Napa State Mental Hospital with The Mutants is just as wild as that very basic description sounds. (Let’s just say The Cramps’s very primal style went over well.) Also shown: We Were There to Be, Mike Plante’s documentary short about the show, and Mike will be on hand to introduce select screenings.
Downtown ’81 (2000): Jean-Michel Basquiat, at the very start of his artworld stardom, starred in this surreal film made by photographer Edo Bertoglio and Warhol associate Glenn O’Brien. Downtown 81 was shot in 1980 and 1981 but didn’t actually get released till 2000. What it lacks in coherent plot it more than makes up for in vibe, and features many famous Downtown New York luminaries, including John Lurie, Fab 5 Freddy, Debbie Harry, as well as musical performances by DNA, James White and the Blacks, and Kid Creole and the Coconuts.
Song for Drella (1990): A live perfomance of Lou Reed and John Cale’s 1990 album that paid tribute to Andy Warhol. Preceding it will be short film Scenes of the Life of Andy Warhol and Songs for Drella director Ed Lachman will be on hand for a post-screening Q&A.
Stop Making Sense (1984): Talking Heads were captured in their peak by director Jonathon Demme on what many consider to be the best concert film ever. This is the new A24 4K restoration.
For screening dates and showtimes, head to Metrograph’s website. Check out trailers for the films below.
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