Tales of the Otherworldly in Film
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Filomena Leimone
Liquid Sky is an extremely surreal film. I think it's important to mention that this movie is not for everyone. It contains some very strange and disturbing depictions of sexual abuse and addiction. Protagonist Margaret (played by Anne Carlisle) is a fashion model and drug addict living with her abusive dealer girlfriend. Her life of oppression takes a big turn when a tiny alien spaceship lands on the roof of her New York apartment.
Liquid Sky was produced with a meager budget of $50,000 but made $1.7million worldwide, a shocking win for such an experimental indie film. Within its nonsensical opening scene it becomes very obvious that Liquid Sky was an indie film, and the career highlight for most of its inexperienced cast except for Otto Von Whernner who plays the noble scientist. Surprisingly he went on to be a backup singer for Madonna. Liquid Sky was directed and written by Slava Tsukerman, a Russian Jewish filmmaker and documentarian. Intrigued by a lack of information on Tsukerman I looked into him only to find he had directed a mix of serious historical documentaries such as “Stalin's Wife” and a random funky music video full of unsettling puppets singing 80’s R&B. I’ve seen a lot of people complain that low production value and bad acting hinder Liquid Sky but in my opinion it really adds an extra layer of surrealism and camp to an already weird film. Liquid Sky has a very unique and unsettling style with disjointed electronic music to complement already strange performances. The cinematography of Liquid Sky is one of its stronger aspects, featuring beauty shots of the NYC skyline as well as unfocused footage of the bustling streets highlighting the day to day grind of city life. One of the most iconic and recurring aspects of Liquid Sky’s visuals are the gritty thermal imaging shots used to represent the aliens' POV. I was initially drawn to the hair and makeup aspect of this movie and was pleasantly surprised by how integral to the plot it was. New wave fashion is yet another beauty standard enforced upon Margaret but this time by both men and women under a facade of self awareness. Despite how selfish and demeaning most every character in this film was I found they were all given nuance through theatrical monologues. Characters such as Margarets drama teacher weren't shy about stating their values to the camera yet I think this worked quite well as Liquid Sky isn't meant to be a realistic movie in the first place, rather a experimental exploration of gender roles, in which no one has the time to subtly imply what they think. In terms of cons I found some scenes hard to watch, the abuse of Margaret got a bit ridiculous and gratuitous at times but I think it serves a greater purpose to show how Margarets constant abuse has caused her to become so dejected. In conclusion I would recommend Liquid Sky if you're in the mood for something psychedelic, unapologetically 80’s and surprisingly insightful.
Repo Man is one of my all time favorite movies. With his parents having paid all his college tuition to a televangelist church scam, the disillusioned teen punk Otto (played by Emilio Estevez) stumbles into the car repossession business. While Otto learns the ropes of becoming a Repo Man, a strange man in a Chevy Malibu makes his way through the grimy streets of downtown LA with a radioactive extraterrestrial in his trunk. Part of what makes Repo Man so fun and unique is how mean every character is. It's a dog eat dog world and no ones going to let friendship get in the way of their success. When initially watching Repo Man I didn't like how Otto treats his girlfriend only to see her be just as shallow and petty. Essentially no one is a victim in this film and it's both comical and realistic. Money is at the heart of Repo Man, as Otto and the entirety of LA chase after a $20,000 bounty for the Chevy Malibu despite any risk to life or limb. This focus on the effects of capitalism is furthered by the film's production design, as store shelves are adorned with 6 packs of beer generically labelled “drink” and cans of “meat”. Harry Dean Stanton’s performance as the loveable yet sleazy Bud is fantastic, and was my first introduction to Stanton. I find it very funny how Emilio Estevez’s father and brother Martin and Charlie Sheen are best known for their gripping roles in Apocalypse Now, and Platoon, both gritty and intense depictions of the Vietnam War whereas Estevez’s breakout role was as a punk rock teenager searching for a radioactive alien. Another reason I love Repo Man so much is because of its soundtrack, as it introduced me to a lot of seminal punk bands, such as Suicidal Tendencies, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and the king, Iggy Pop. Repo Man also adds a unique LA touch with a cover of Devo’s Secret Agent Man in Spanish. Having lived in LA my whole life Repo Man features one of my favorite depictions of this strange and grimy yet wonderful city as portrayed through its cinematography. Neon lights flashing in a green nighttime haze and the saturated daytime of a hot summer day contrast with a both ridiculous and awesome bright yellow glowing alien car. Overall Repo Man is a fun and funky satire that I’d recommend to anyone.
