Queer moments in history-1982


Liquid Sky


The plot: A junkie bisexual model from Connecticut, her dealer/performance artist girlfriend, a junkie boy model (both played by Anne Carlisle), a German scientist, invisible aliens, and a Fairlight synthesizer explore sexuality and drugs in 1980's New York. 

So, that's more like the Uncomfortable Plot Summaries version, but you get the picture. 

Seriously though, there's more to Liquid Sky than the weirdness. Co-written by Anne Carlisle (who also wrote a novel version) and director Slava Tsukerman, Liquid Sky offers a fictionalized but seemingly authentic glimpse into the New York underground fashion/new wave scene of the early 80's, deals with drug addiction and sexuality/sexual violence/violence, and plays with gender roles and performance through an abstract, arty, and really good looking lens. At times Liquid Sky can be hard to watch (see: sexual violence, violence, drug addiction, etc. ), but unlike a lot of movies made these days,  it doesn't feel overly gratuitous.  This movie takes those kind of heavy concepts, wraps them up in a queer-punk-psychedelic-sci fi blanket, and hangs it off a balcony to dangle above the onlookers below. 

If all that isn't enough to convince you, the soundtrack is incredible. Baroque-inspired and made on the Fairlight CMI (the first digital sampling synth), it is a quirky and minimal must hear for any electronic music fan. (One of my friends has the original vinyl and I am SO jealous.) The score is absolutely integral to the overall atmosphere of the film and is one of the most memorable parts of an already very memorable movie. 

If what I've described doesn't totally turn you off, and if you can find it-see Liquid Sky. Even if you hate it, it's worth seeing. I've included the trailer and some clips for you to get a taste and some music from the film for you to enjoy! 






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