Making Movies is the third album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album produced the single "Romeo and Juliet", which reached the number 8 position on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached the number one position on album charts in Italy and Norway, the number 19 position in the United States, and the number four position in the United Kingdom. Making Movies was certified platinum in the United States, and double-platinum in the United Kingdom. After the Communiqué Tour ended on 21 December 1979 in London, Mark Knopfler spent the first half of 1980 writing the songs for Dire Straits' next album. He contacted Jimmy Iovine after hearing Iovine's production on the song "Because the Night" by Patti Smith—a song she had co-written with Bruce Springsteen. Iovine, who had also worked on Springsteen's Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town albums, was instrumental in recruiting E Street Band keyboardist Roy Bittan for the Making Movies sessions. Without Bittan, the album's "cinematic power and evocative landscapes might have been impossible to achieve." Making Movies is the third album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album produced the single "Romeo and Juliet", which reached the number 8 position on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached the number one position on album charts in Italy and Norway, the number 19 position in the United States, and the number four position in the United Kingdom. Making Movies was certified platinum in the United States, and double-platinum in the United Kingdom. After the Communiqué Tour ended on 21 December 1979 in London, Mark Knopfler spent the first half of 1980 writing the songs for Dire Straits' next album. He contacted Jimmy Iovine after hearing Iovine's production on the song "Because the Night" by Patti Smith—a song she had co-written with Bruce Springsteen. Iovine, who had also worked on Springsteen's Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town albums, was instrumental in recruiting E Street Band keyboardist Roy Bittan for the Making Movies sessions. Without Bittan, the album's "cinematic power and evocative landscapes might have been impossible to achieve." false 2025-11-07 21:24:12 2019 2019-10-29 2019-10-29 45 Blues Rock Classic Rock Country Rock Pop Rock Progressive Rock Rock Roots Rock 111278 2181072 6d412d99-fce0-42c6-a512-6b1d05490651 614e3804-7d34-41ba-857f-811bad7c2b7a 5b0a15ce-8aa9-323b-8fb6-02b657756ba9 /media/data/media5/Music/Dire Straits/Making Movies/folder.jpg Dire Straits Dire Straits 1 1 08:12 1 2 06:00 1 3 06:16 2 3 06:42 2 4 05:12 2 5 04:49 2 6 03:27 2 7 04:08 Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). They were active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1990 to 1995.Their first single, "Sultans of Swing", from their 1978 self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts. It was followed by hit singles including "Romeo and Juliet" (1981), "Private Investigations" (1982), "Twisting by the Pool" (1983), "Money for Nothing" (1985), and "Walk of Life" (1985). Their most commercially successful album, Brothers in Arms (1985), has sold more than 30 million copies; it was the first album to sell a million copies on compact disc and is the eighth-bestselling album in UK history. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Albums, Dire Straits have spent over 1,100 weeks on the UK albums chart, the fifth most of all time.Dire Straits' sound draws from various influences, including country, folk, the blues rock of J. J. Cale, and jazz. Their stripped-down sound contrasted with punk rock and demonstrated a roots rock influence that emerged from pub rock. There were several changes in personnel, with Mark Knopfler and Illsley being the only members who lasted from the beginning of the band's existence to the end. After their first breakup in 1988, Knopfler told Rolling Stone: "A lot of press reports were saying we were the biggest band in the world. There's not an accent then on the music, there's an accent on popularity. I needed a rest." They disbanded for good in 1995, after which Knopfler launched a solo career full-time. He has since declined numerous reunion offers.Dire Straits were called "the biggest British rock band of the 80s" by Classic Rock magazine; their 1985–1986 world tour, which included a performance at Live Aid in July 1985, set a record in Australasia. Their final world tour from 1991 to 1992 sold 7.1 million tickets. Dire Straits won four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards (Best British Group twice), two MTV Video Music Awards, and various other awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Dire Straits have sold over 120 million units worldwide, including 51.4 million certified units, making them one of the best-selling music artists.