Liquid Sky

[JULIAN]

I rented this film 17 years ago and enjoyed it--it was punk
and freaky, the colors we're cool and the soundtrack sounded like a 1970's zombie flick-- very hypnotic effect overall.
Rented it again the other night and enjoyed it all over again
from a different perspective. Ive since given up drugs and booze and the constant references to drugs throughout made me shudder--total death scene and the movie does a good job of showing what fiends people can be for that s**t. Seeing those pre-punk photos of the lovely Anne Carlisle was worth the price of the rental and I still think they are the central "omygod" moment of the film. Weird, powerful,captivating and oddly relaxing period piece from the heart of new wave's glammy,punky,future-now,shiny soul. Worthwhile film on a lot of different levels.

[Mit]

So, you say you're looking for a movie dripping with great ideas and bad dialogue. You say you're looking for a film drenched in 1983 style-- drugged-out new York City art cognisinti bulls**t?...Then, this is your film...A minor (and I mean minor) mini-masterpiece with the best "Kurzwille" keyboard synth soundtrack I've ever heard...Heck, buy the film just for the soundtrack...**** out of *****

[Sylvia]

I'm going to buy this movie and play it for my conservative husband and watch his face.  It will be at least as interesting as the movie.  He married me because I was exciting, liberal, raised in Hollywood, had green hair, etc.  OK, sweetheart, here come the perks!

[Alex]

Put the chicken in the pot!
Here he is ...  Miss America...
and they call me beautiful... and I kill with my c**t...
Is'nt it fashionable.
So com'on who's next,who wants to teach me?

Why do you wear all this weird make-up and strange clothes?
Your strange...
What do you mean by that,I'm not wearing rags!
Your wearing what they want from you...baby.
Who are they?
America.

Liquid Sky is the key to heaven.

[CHARLES ELIASON]

Space aliens hooked on endorphins produced during sex, twelve year olds sniffing airplane glue, same thing. The premise is sound as well as realistic. the fun thing about the film is the vehicle that the director uses to present the characters and the imagery, that being space aliens hooked on endorphins, what a blast.

Its just fun, lighten up and enjoy it for what it is.

Pure and simple, Liquid Sky is what it is. To compare the film to any other does nothing but lead one away from any appreciation of that that is unique. Think about it.

[Rebekah]

Well, reading these comments has been fascinating, and I am now moved to tell my own Liquid Sky anecdote.  I first heard of this movie back in 1983 (I was 21) on a Siskel & Ebert episode where they reviewed it and, yes, HATED it!  But watching the clips they showed and hearing the plot described, my immediate reaction was "I have GOT to see this movie!"  My first opportunity was a midnight showing at an ancient downtown movie house with the most dreadful sound system that prevented me from hearing/comprehending about half the dialogue, but I loved it anyway.  In the late 80's I made a copy of a VHS version I'd rented [oops, don't tell anybody!] so I could have it for my very own.  

It's a morality play of sorts, kind of a New York predecessor to "Less than Zero," wherein a bunch of young, shallow, narcissistic, sexually confused punkasses spend their free time (i.e., most of their waking hours) trying to numb themselves into oblivion.  I guess it was a trend back then. Come to think of it, I was one of those punkasses for a time, and both LS and LtZ reflected our zeitgeist, but just really exaggerated it for dramatic effect.  

Gah, didn't mean to get analytical there...anyway I loved its low budget, the incredibly intriguing one-of-a-kind plot, the weird music, the awkward acting and dialogue, the colors, the whole vibe of the thing, because it WAS so very different from most of the movies that were being put out, and 22 years later, it still is!  And yes, I now own the DVD!

[J.E.W.]

I saw this movie in NYC in the Waverley in Greenwich Village in '85 while an alien of a different kind. I've since realised it was made by a bunch of visionaries living on a spaceship(NYC), off the coast of Amerikay. What else were they gonna do? The metaphor of the Empire State building as a hypo syringe is especially good. All those things happeniing to those people? May as well have been pages from the script of my own life.
Got into healinig 20 years later

[antonia]

I was born in 1982.  My older sister was about 13 when I was born...but a few years later she saw this movie at a friend's house.  She said it was the first art that really spoke to her.  She completely identified with Margaret.  
In the 90's she rented this movie over and over and showed it to anyone who would sit still (for a little while).  Of course I saw it--in waves...it scared me a bit.  When I was about 18 I watched it all the way through.  I realized that although I don't identify with the character of Margaret, I look almost EXACTLY like her.  Especially in the montage of pictures from her youth.  I was extremely thin as a teenager, and those photos are identical with mine.
Maybe that's why this movie has a place among my favorites of The Third Man, and Annie Hall.  Maybe it's because I'm an artist.  Whatever the reason, I see this as a subtle masterpiece and I'm glad to find my comrades here.  ;)

[Virginia Plane]

    I like this movie a lot but then again I have very minority opinions on a lot of SF/fantasy movies, for example I think Blade runner is MASSIVELY overrated.

[Charlie]

I also really, really like 'Liquid Sky.' I also was prompted to cybersearch "where is she now?" info on Anne Carlisle without success. I liked Adrian's impromptu "You're Going to Hell" ("your lies, your lies") number even more than "Rhythm Box." I also liked the sound morphing of the reporter's questions. The movie is one of my favorites!

[Dave]

I'll never EVER understand how anyone can like this.  This was so painful, stupid, cheap, pointless, annoying, trashy, garbage.  The music was the worst.  A waste of perfectly good film, time, and money.  500,000$?!? 500,000$ to make this stuff?!?  That money could have helped starving children.  But no, instead, some cheap independent filmmakers decided to get high and film this trash.

The worst is all of the positive comments.  Hey, you Liquid Sky lovers, why don't you justify why you liked this garbage for a change, hein?  You keep telling us haters that we're totally wrong without giving any reasons.  Why don't you backup your sh*t, because I'm 100% positive that this is a complete waste, from start to finish.

Part of me thinks that Liquid Sky lovers aren't even serious.  They're just saying they liked it to disagree, or to be different (or to annoy).  Honestly, I can't imagine anyone liking this.  It's like the visual equivalent to Reed's Metal Machine Music (which was by the way, highly drug-influenced as well).  Drugs = bad work.  Everyone knows that. 

Unless someone can precisely explain the significance of this film, let's all try to keep it with all the other trashy bad movies on this site, where it belongs.  No one is ever going to resurrect this b*tch.  THIS SH*T IS AWFUL DEAD.

[ireland4ever]

Used to watch this movie years ago. Used to have the album too. Don't know what made me think of it the other day.  Googled it & found way more than I thought I ever would.  I think the cool thing about this movie was that it was just very different.  Weird - yes, obviously.  Bad - yeah, bad at times, from what I remember.  Annoying synth music - sure, but, for me, at least, as this was not a genre of music I was accustomed to, it was also gratifyingly.....well, different.  Made me step outside my box, so to speak (no pun intended to the memorable Rhythm Box song)  Sometimes, you just have to do/see/listen to something different.  Would love to be able to walk into Blockbuster like I used to and get a copy off the shelf & watch it for old times sake, but I bet I can't (heck, our local Blockbusters didn't even have a copy of Somewhere In Time when I checked a few weeks back.....guess I've been walking down movie memory lane lately....and, oh what different ends of the street those two movies are on, eh?!).  Anyway, I just think it is such an 80's statement.  Do you want these characters as your children's role models?  No, you might not even want your children to EVER see it     But, hey, what's a little warped voyueristic 80's fun once in  a while among the  adults who were there firsthand.....it's just a movie (or, as we are teaching my daughter about what she sees on TV/movies.....they are all just playing dress up).
Enjoy - don't take it so seriously.....do you think the people who made it or were in it did?

[Chuck]

Whenever I see people reviewing this movie I have to wonder........what drugs were you on when you saw this movie and LIKED it? My ex-wife's step-sister (Brenda Hutchenson) did most of the soundtrack. Even after years at the Exploratorium, her music hasn't changed much. At least her CD of her playing a didjeridoo didn't make my ears bleed like the "sounds" in this movie. I actually bought it just to subject unsuspecting friends to hell on earth and an excruciating headache.

[Thomas]

I saw Liquid Sky back in it's theatrical release back in 1982.  I was speeding at the time, and I thought it was pretty bad then...I watched it again this morning, it's even worse when your clean and sober....

[Pat Sinatra]

Hmmmm. Worst Movie ever? I'm so glad I was in it. Filming it was quite interesting. There was a blackout from 12th Street south the first day of shooting at a niteclub called Heat. I was one of the very few extras who returned the following day. Hey, that's me in the opening sequence. I'm the first HUMAN face on screen! My very cool, vintage rhinestone sunglasses are still fabulous today. Needless to say, I never continued with my "acting" career. Tattoo anyone?

Pat Sinatra
www.patsinatra.com