The Grand Illusion

Talking Heads singer David Byrne plays host to this patchwork of tabloid-inspired tales, set in the fictional town of Virgil, Texas. Cruising the streets in his cherry-red drop-top, Byrne introduces viewers to the local eccentrics gearing up for the town's 150th anniversary. They include a community leader (Spalding Gray) with a thing for veggies, a woman (Swoosie Kurtz) so lazy she won't leave her bed, a lovelorn country singer (John Goodman) and more! New, restored 4K transfer, supervised by director David Byrne and cinematogra­pher Ed Lachman with 5.1 surround mix.

“3-1/2 stars. This movie does what some painters try to do: It recasts ordinary images into strange new shapes.” Roger Ebert

“Joyous, daft and hauntingly original…” Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times

“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.” The Criterion Collection

“It’s like 60 Minutes on acid.” David Byrne