Big Time (1988 film)
Big Time | |
---|---|
![]() promotional poster | |
Directed by | Chris Blum |
Produced by |
Chris Blackwell (executive producer) Catherine Peacock (associate producer) Luc Roeg (producer) |
Written by |
Kathleen Brennan Tom Waits |
Starring | Tom Waits |
Cinematography | Daniel Hainey |
Edited by | Glen Scantlebury |
Distributed by | Island Visual Arts (1988) (USA) (theatrical) |
Release date |
Canada: 15 September 1988 (Toronto Film Festival) USA: 30 September 1988 (New York City, New York) Finland: 12 May 1989 |
Running time |
90 minutes (V) 87 minutes (NYT/MFB) |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $148,426 (USA) |
Big Time is a 1988 American musical film, centered on Tom Waits.
Cast
- Tom Waits - Himself
- Michael L. Blair - Musician
- Ralph Carney - Musician
- Greg Cohen - Musician
- Marc Ribot - Musician
- Willie Schwarz - Musician
Songs
- "Frank's Wild Years"
- "Shore Leave"
- "Way Down in the Hole"
- "Hang On St. Christopher"
- "Telephone Call From Istanbul"
- "Cold, Cold Ground"
- "Straight to the Top (Vegas)"
- "Strange Weather"
- "Gun Street Girl"
- "9th and Hennepin"
- "Clap Hands"
- "Time"
- "Rain Dogs"
- "Train Song"
- "Sixteen Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six"
- "I'll Take New York"
- "It's More Than Rain"
- "Johnsburg, Illinois"
- "Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)"
- "Big Black Mariah"
Trivia
- Filming took place wholly in Los Angeles, California, USA and San Francisco, California, USA.
- The tagline was: The concert was "the best live performance of the year." The movie is BIG TIME.
Critical response
Jon Pareles wrote a negative review in The New York Times, saying even fans of Waits would find it "frustrating and off-putting" and that it "turns Mr. Waits's performance into a freak show."[1] Richard Harrington wrote a negative review in The Washington Post, describing the film as "More an indulgence than a concert" and the songs as "often intriguing" but "only rarely [...] listenable".[2] Jeffrey M. Anderson, in a mixed review for Combustible Celluloid, described the film as "a treat" for fans of Tom Waits and "one hell of a show."[3] Time Out magazine called it a "magnificent movie" and "A concert film unlike any other".[4] TV Guide gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, calling it "more performance than music" and a "work that demands to be taken on its own terms."[5]
Formats
Big Time was issued on LaserDisc, VHS and Betamax in Japan, but was only issued on VHS in North America. No official DVD or BluRay edition has yet been released.
References
- ↑ Pareles, Jon (September 30, 1988). "Review/Film - 'Big Time,' a Look at the Rock Star Tom Waits". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- ↑ Harrington, Richard (October 1, 1988). "'Big Time'". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- ↑ Anderson, Jeffrey M. (September 15, 1988). "Big Time (1988): Tom Waits for No Man". Combustible Celluloid. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- ↑ MC. "Big Time". Time Out. Time Out Group Plc. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- ↑ "Big Time". TV Guide. Retrieved 25 November 2017.