[Mini Theater Revisited] Part 8: The beginning of the “Shibuya Theater”, the blooming of the mini theater…Part 3: The music movie that changed the night in Shibuya, Part 2

Long line on Koen-dori, Shibuya

Japanese fashion brands were also involved in the promotion. Nowadays, other movie companies are also doing tie-ups with brands, but at the time it was rare.

One of the highlights of the film is a scene in which lead singer David Byrne wears a Big, big suit and dances while singing "Girlfriend Is Better" (the lyric includes the line "Stop Making Sense").

The poster features an impressive photo of only suits, so we thought of a campaign in collaboration with fashion manufacturer Men's Bigi. They made T-shirts and also produced an original commercial film for movie theaters that was 2-3 minutes long.

The manufacturer was already aware of the reputation of the work overseas, and perhaps because they thought it would improve their own image, they readily accepted the tie-up. Advertising involving fashion brands like this was rare at the time.

He also placed an advertisement in the recruitment magazine ``Part-Time Job News'' (now ``AN'') saying ``Movie staff wanted.'' Although I was called a staff member, my actual job was to pass out flyers for movies in Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc., but this announcement received a better response than I expected, and a line formed in front of the building where my part-time job interview was scheduled. The advertising department is beginning to feel a sense of success.

``I had a lot of inquiries before it was released, so I started to think it would be a hit.Anyway, the good thing about it was that it wasn't a strangely snobbish movie,'' says Endo.

Once released, it was a huge success at the box office, especially in Shibuya, where it had a long run of about three months. Even though it was only released as a late show, it was able to raise box office revenue of nearly 100 million yen.

``During the screening, some people seemed to be clapping and dancing in the back of the theater, as if they were watching Tora-san's movie,'' Endo said.

Tetsuo Ijichi, Endo's colleague in the advertising department, said, ``I was happy that we were able to bring a live feel to the venue and cross over with music fans.''

At the time, I was in love with this movie and went to the theater several times, but I remember seeing a long line in front of Shibuya Joy Cinema on Koen-dori, and that alone increased my excitement for the movie. . No one in the audience was dancing during the episode I saw, but there was applause at the end of each song, which made me feel like I was actually at a concert.

In the movie, the audience seats are not shown except for the last song, so you can enjoy the performance on stage from the perspective of the audience at the concert venue. It is not just a sweet love song, but a layer of nonsense words that reveals the loneliness and madness of city dwellers. Since the members have art school backgrounds, they are good at visual presentation, using minimal props such as lamps and slides to create different expressions for each song.

The film was shot at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. David Byrne's mysterious presence as he sings and dances in a monotone suit conveys the sophisticated power of the 1980s performance, when minimalism was in vogue (when I watch "Psycho Killer," which sings of the feelings of a clever murderer, now I am reminded of Dr. Lecter, the intelligent murderer from Jonathan Demme's later masterpiece, " The Silence of the Lambs " (1990)).

On the back of the movie's poster are also printed comments from the late film and music critic Yuji Konno, who interacted with Byrne during his lifetime.

"The ending begins with David Byrne's white sneakers and all the staff members in black uniforms on stage. At that point, for the first time, the camera steps off the stage and enters the audience. Every face shines with happiness. What a beautiful view. Talking Heads' music is the sound of happiness for both the performer and the listener."

According to Endo, this live film was a show that attracted young audiences who were interested in music, art, fashion, etc. It broke the barriers of conventional film festivals that targeted moviegoers, and became a film that truly embodied the spirit of "Stop Making Sense" (which is why it influenced screenings at Parco and other venues).

On the other hand, Mr. Ijichi also told me the following story.

``I think Japanese audiences back then had the energy to try new things. Kuzui Enterprises sold their movies in conjunction with events. Japan was in the early days of mini-theaters, the independent film movement was flourishing, and independent music was being born.As a result, there were places that accepted these New York independent films. I think it was an interesting time when distribution companies came out and produced their own color, and video companies were also selling alternative products."

Keith Haring creates the logo