Demme's film is still the argument-ender for best concert movie: no crowd cutaways, no backstage padding, just a stage that assembles itself song by song until nine people are playing Burning Down the House at full tilt. The 4K restoration made it look and sound like it was shot last year, and the big suit lands differently in a room full of people who came out at midnight. Streaming it does not count.
What to expect
A midnight-hour screening in one of IFC Center's small Greenwich Village houses, drawing the kind of crowd that treats it as a participatory event rather than a quiet sit. The restoration is loud and bright by design. At 88 minutes with no support feature, you are back on Sixth Avenue not long after it starts.
Good to know
- A/B/C/D/E/F/M to West 4th Street is a block away, and the late trains run all night
- This is a Late Night Favorites booking, so the screenings are well after the last regular show
- Assistive listening and T-coil are available at IFC Center
- Runtime is 88 minutes with no intermission and no opening short
- Late shows at IFC fill up for titles like this - buy online rather than at the door
- It plays loud; sensitive ears may want to sit further back
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Common questions
Which restoration is this?
A24's 4K restoration of Jonathan Demme's 1984 film, the version that returned the concert to theaters.
Is there a screening on Sunday?
No. IFC Center lists this booking for the Friday and Saturday late shows only, as part of its Late Night Favorites series.
Is it a documentary about the band?
Not really. It is a concert film, shot over three nights at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, with no interviews or backstage footage.
