I wouldn't be surprised if you've never heard of Liquid Sky. I hadn't. A quick online search of websites like Ebay and Amazon.com revealed that finding a decent copy of this cult film is tougher than you might think. While there are a few VHS tapes still circulating around (if you even have a working player) and some import DVDs that you could take a chance on, there hasn't been an official U.S. version available for some time. Just like the freewheeling new-wave lifestyle depicted in the film, the movie faded away, becoming little more than a cinematic footnote as the most successful indie hit of 1983.
If the film's director, Slava Tsukerman, has anything to say about it, however, audiences will soon get another crack at Liquid Sky. He has been traveling the festival circuit this year with his personal 35mm print of the film, engaging old fans and courting new ones. This is how I happened upon the film, a revival showcase at the Maryland Film Festival last weekend. Turnout was modest, perhaps 80-90 people, but for a film that was considered niche even in its day, drawing those kind of numbers proves that Tsukerman's instinct may be right on the money.
Over the past few years, streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, and The Warner Archive have been unearthing more and more low-budget titles for the enjoyment of cinephiles, and distributers like Shout! Factory and Drafthouse Films have been carefully selecting titles to curate. The success of other eighties cult films, such as Miami Connection, certainly bolsters Tsukerman's chances at a second life for Liquid Sky; one he hopes will include a full digital restoration, a limited theatrical re-release, and new DVD and Blu-ray editions. There's also talk of a possible remake or sequel.
The story surrounds a fashion model named Margaret (Anne Carlisle), who seems to exist solely to be objectified by the dilettantes of New York's new-wave; taunted by her chief runway rival, Jimmy (also played by Carlisle); and sexually abused by the clientele of her drug-dealing lover Adrian (Paula E. Sheppard). Although Adrian dreams of leaving New York for Berlin, Margaret is listless and resigned to her fate. But, all that changes when a flying saucer lands on her rooftop looking to extract the endorphins out of human brains during the peak moments of pleasure -- first, though the highs of heroin use and then later via orgasm. Suddenly, Margaret's abusers receive their comeuppance, and she becomes empowered to take revenge.
At first glance, this is a pretty terrible movie. The acting is just awful, although Carlisle does improve by the end, and the technical credits (lighting, camerawork, and sound) are amateurish. But, this is a window into a strange world. Under a neon sheen, the costumes, makeup, and hairstyles create an impressive freak show that seems as alien as the brain-sucking extra-terrestrial in the film. Combine that with an eerie score that sounds like synthesized carnival music and the results are quite mesmerizing at times. It would be unfair not to also mention that the effects -- minus the cheesy flying saucer shots -- have aged very well. A great example of this is a series of point-of-view shots from the alien's perspective that instantly recall the thermal vision in Predator (a film made five years after Liquid Sky).
If you dig deeper, the movie works as a critique on the drug-fueled, sex-crazed, fashion-obsessed New York club scene of the day. Considering the timing of the release, which preceded any medical consensus on the nature of the disease, there's also more than enough ammunition to support it as an allegory for AIDS. It makes perfect sense that the growing number of deaths surrounding this mysterious plague would manifest in a non-horror movie plot where everyone who attains pleasure from either sex or drug use is killed. There's also a subplot involving a scientist who observes the alien, but only half-heartedly attempts to warn of its dangers, which could represent the tepid response from both the medical community and the government to understand and control the outbreak.
Of course, you don't have to buy into any of that to enjoy Liquid Sky in a cheesy, bad movie way, but it's just as worthy of serious discussion as it is a good skewering in the Mystery Science Theater tradition. I've barely touched on the character of Margaret, who I find more and more fascinating as time passes after the screening. She's kind of a punk heroine for a generation of girls who grew up being told what to desire, but wanted something different. Her monologue near the end of the film describing the perfect fairy tale life and how it bores her is one of the film's finest moments. And, as I sit here typing this, I find myself re-evaluating Carlisle's performance in the role. (Although there's no salvaging her performance as Jimmy, it's dreadful!)
My best wishes to Mr. Tsukerman in his efforts. When Liquid Sky comes back around, I'll be waiting with my ten bucks, or twenty-five for the Blu-ray. To keep track of his progress with the film, click here to sign up for his email list. Until next time...
If the film's director, Slava Tsukerman, has anything to say about it, however, audiences will soon get another crack at Liquid Sky. He has been traveling the festival circuit this year with his personal 35mm print of the film, engaging old fans and courting new ones. This is how I happened upon the film, a revival showcase at the Maryland Film Festival last weekend. Turnout was modest, perhaps 80-90 people, but for a film that was considered niche even in its day, drawing those kind of numbers proves that Tsukerman's instinct may be right on the money.
Over the past few years, streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, and The Warner Archive have been unearthing more and more low-budget titles for the enjoyment of cinephiles, and distributers like Shout! Factory and Drafthouse Films have been carefully selecting titles to curate. The success of other eighties cult films, such as Miami Connection, certainly bolsters Tsukerman's chances at a second life for Liquid Sky; one he hopes will include a full digital restoration, a limited theatrical re-release, and new DVD and Blu-ray editions. There's also talk of a possible remake or sequel.
At first glance, this is a pretty terrible movie. The acting is just awful, although Carlisle does improve by the end, and the technical credits (lighting, camerawork, and sound) are amateurish. But, this is a window into a strange world. Under a neon sheen, the costumes, makeup, and hairstyles create an impressive freak show that seems as alien as the brain-sucking extra-terrestrial in the film. Combine that with an eerie score that sounds like synthesized carnival music and the results are quite mesmerizing at times. It would be unfair not to also mention that the effects -- minus the cheesy flying saucer shots -- have aged very well. A great example of this is a series of point-of-view shots from the alien's perspective that instantly recall the thermal vision in Predator (a film made five years after Liquid Sky).
If you dig deeper, the movie works as a critique on the drug-fueled, sex-crazed, fashion-obsessed New York club scene of the day. Considering the timing of the release, which preceded any medical consensus on the nature of the disease, there's also more than enough ammunition to support it as an allegory for AIDS. It makes perfect sense that the growing number of deaths surrounding this mysterious plague would manifest in a non-horror movie plot where everyone who attains pleasure from either sex or drug use is killed. There's also a subplot involving a scientist who observes the alien, but only half-heartedly attempts to warn of its dangers, which could represent the tepid response from both the medical community and the government to understand and control the outbreak.
Of course, you don't have to buy into any of that to enjoy Liquid Sky in a cheesy, bad movie way, but it's just as worthy of serious discussion as it is a good skewering in the Mystery Science Theater tradition. I've barely touched on the character of Margaret, who I find more and more fascinating as time passes after the screening. She's kind of a punk heroine for a generation of girls who grew up being told what to desire, but wanted something different. Her monologue near the end of the film describing the perfect fairy tale life and how it bores her is one of the film's finest moments. And, as I sit here typing this, I find myself re-evaluating Carlisle's performance in the role. (Although there's no salvaging her performance as Jimmy, it's dreadful!)My best wishes to Mr. Tsukerman in his efforts. When Liquid Sky comes back around, I'll be waiting with my ten bucks, or twenty-five for the Blu-ray. To keep track of his progress with the film, click here to sign up for his email list. Until next time...
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