Big Time (1988 film)

Big Time is a 1988 American musical film centered on singer Tom Waits.

Big Time
promotional poster
Directed byChris Blum
Produced byChris Blackwell (executive producer)
Catherine Peacock (associate producer)
Luc Roeg (producer)
Written byKathleen Brennan
Tom Waits
StarringTom Waits
CinematographyDaniel Hainey
Edited byGlen Scantlebury
Distributed byIsland 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)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$148,426 (USA)

Filming took place in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California and features songs from the albums Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs and Franks Wild Years.

Cast

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"
  • "More Than Rain"
  • "Johnsburg, Illinois"
  • "Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)"
  • "Big Black Mariah"

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 Blu-ray edition has yet been released. It was made available for streaming on the Amazon Prime platform on September 1, 2020.[6]

References
  1. 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.
  2. Harrington, Richard (October 1, 1988). "'Big Time'". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  3. Anderson, Jeffrey M. (September 15, 1988). "Big Time (1988): Tom Waits for No Man". Combustible Celluloid. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  4. MC. "Big Time". Time Out. Time Out Group Plc. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  5. "Big Time". TV Guide. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  6. Archer, John. "Amazon Video Announces New Films And TV Shows For September (2020)". Forbes. Retrieved September 9, 2020.


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