True Stories
Friday, June 14 - Saturday, June 22, 2024
“Music icon David Byrne was inspired by tabloid headlines to make his sole foray into feature-film directing, an ode to the extraordinariness of ordinary American life and a distillation of what was in his own idiosyncratic mind. The Talking Heads front man plays a visitor to Virgil, Texas, who introduces us to the citizens of the town during preparations for its Celebration of Specialness. As shot by cinematographer Ed Lachman, Texas becomes a hyperrealistic late-capitalist landscape of endless vistas, shopping malls, and prefab metal buildings. In TRUE STORIES, Byrne uses his songs to stitch together pop iconography, voodoo rituals, and a singular variety show—all in the service of uncovering the rich mysteries that lurk under the surface of everyday experience.” – Criterion Collection
Playing as part of our new midnight series Let’s Go Crazy: Cult Musicals.
- Country USA
- Year 1986
- Running Time 89 minutes
- Distributor Warner Brothers
- Director David Byrne
- Writer David Byrne, Stephen Tobolowsky, Beth Henley
- Editor Caroline Biggerstaff
- Cinematographer Ed Lachman
- Cast David Byrne, John Goodman, Annie McEnroe, Jo Harvey Allen, Spalding Gray
- Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil
IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.