Film review and podcast by c d kaplan
Quirky and mannered as usual, David Byrne’s last major effort was a defined-run stage show on Broadway called “American Utopia.”
HBO has brought it to the screen, filmed exquisitely by fellow New Yorker, long time mutual admirer Spike Lee.
What you get is lots of Byrne’s music, staged down to the most minute tic. Byrne’s inclusive world view. And a intriguing geometry of motion on a cool gray stage.
Lee was up to the task of immersing the cinema audience both inside and outside the endeavor.
For more explanation of what I mean by that last somewhat confusing sentence, listen to the podcast review above.
Ready for more great music? wfpk.org/stream