Big Time | |
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![]() promotional poster | |
Directed by | Chris Blum |
Written by | Kathleen Brennan Tom Waits |
Produced by | Chris Blackwell (executive producer) Catherine Peacock (associate producer) Luc Roeg (producer) |
Starring | Tom Waits |
Cinematography | Daniel Hainey |
Edited by | Glen Scantlebury |
Distributed by | Island Visual Arts (1988) (USA) (theatrical) |
Release dates |
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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 directed by Chris Blum.
A concert film centering on singer Tom Waits featuring songs from the albums Swordfishtrombones , Rain Dogs and Franks Wild Years . [1]
Filming took place in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. [2]
There were no known existing 35mm prints of this concert film until an archival one appeared in the late 2010s. [3] [4]
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." [5] 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". [6] 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." [7] Time Out magazine called it a "magnificent movie" and "A concert film unlike any other". [8] 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." [9]
Big Time was issued on LaserDisc, VHS in Japan, UK and Yugoslavia, but was only issued on VHS in North America. [10] No official DVD [11] or Blu-ray edition has yet been released, though the film was made available for streaming on the Amazon Prime platform on September 1, 2020. [12]
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Big Time or The Big Time may refer to:
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