Liquid Sky Blu Ray Review (Vinegar Syndrome)
Liquid Sky is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Slava Tsukerman (Perestroika, Poor Liza, & Of Jerusalem Stone). He was also the co-writer, editor, producer, wrote lyrics for a song, & he composed some music for it. He was a successful Documentary & TV film maker in other countries before he tried doing some cinema. It debuted at the Montreal Film festival that year. The budget was only $500,000 & it made $1.7 million in the first few months. It made the most money for independent film in 1983! It spent 28 weeks on Variety’s top grossing films box office chart. It won several awards including Montreal World, Sydney, Cartagena, Brussels International, & Cinemanila International Film Festival. Liquid Sky is a phrase which is a slang term for heroin. Lead actress/actor Anne Carlisle adapted & wrote a novel based off the film in 1987. It really inspired the club scene that took off in the early 2000s. In 2014, Slava Tsukerman announced he was planning on doing a sequel to Liquid Sky with Anne Carlisle returning. Obviously, nothing has happened yet but maybe this blu ray release from Vinegar Syndrome will draw more interest & inspire them to make it after talking about it for awhile!!!!
The film opens showing a dance club & an unidentified spacecraft landing on the roof of a New York apartment. Jimmy (played by: Anne Carlisle from Perfect Strangers & Desperately Seeking Susan) is trying to score from the drug dealing Adrian (played by: Paula E. Sheppard from Alice Sweet Alice) but he has no money to pay for it. He leaves with rival model Margaret (also played by: Anne Carlisle from Crocodile Dundee & The Suicide Club) to her place which she shares with her girlfriend Adrian. Still trying to get something for nothing when they arrive. They get together for an artistic fashion performance. Paul (played by: Stanley Knapp from Mother’s Day) is just worried about getting high & his girlfriend Katherine (played by: Elaine C. Grove from Love of Life) isn’t happy about it. Margaret goes to the club to con some cocaine out of Vincent (played by: Jack Adalist from HellBound, Deadly Heroes, & Chain of Command) but he offers her something else. He’s wants to get laid & uses his father’s influence to try to seduce her. He forces her to take drugs & they start to fight. The spacecraft is spying on them.
He ends up raping Margaret after she tries to run away from him. German scientist Johann Hoffman (played by: Otto von Wernherr from Perfect Strangers & The Package) arrives in New York & starts investigating around looking for other life. Jimmy uses his mother Sylvia (played by: Susan Doukas from The Prowler & BloodRage) to get money. Johann relies on the only person he knows here & asks Owen (played by editor Bob Brady for Super Fly, Super Fly T.N.T., & A Nightmare on Elm Street 2) for help. Owen meets up with former student Margaret. He seduces her & after sex he won’t wake up. Adrian shows up to her apartment to a surprise. They get into a heated argument over it. Johann & Sylvia spying from across see everything. Johann claims it was the aliens who did it. Katherine struggles to get Paul to go to her party. Johann confronts Adrian at the store & she thinks he is a cop. After rejecting Paul several times Margaret lets him have his way with her because she just doesn’t care anymore. Margaret’s pussy is a instrument of death apparently. Johann thinks the aliens are interested in heroine. They need to kill after orgasm. Margaret gets interviewed for a fashion magazine. After some glamorous shots she decides to take matters in her own hands creating a path of destruction. She transforms into something else. Johann tries to save Margaret from all this chaos!!!!
Liquid Sky is a video time capsule for the 80s. It covers the world of fashion & the night club scene during the time very well. It represents that era to the fullest in this film from the style, music, & visuals. Speaking of visuals, this was beautifully shot by DP Yuri Neyman (Normality, D.O.A., Framed, & Heart of the Deal). It simply looks amazing & would drive anyone on LSD crazy! Anne Carlisle really shines in this for her dual role performance. It features a few familiar faces from other genre films. Liquid Sky is a very weird movie so it might take you more than one viewing to fully understand it. I haven’t really seen anything like it before besides maybe Dark Angel (I Come in Peace) that had a few similarities years later on but overall that’s a completely different thing. It definitely stands out from all the other 80s sci fi productions. It’s kinda funny because it has that similar tone that was heavily used in 80s slashers that sex leads to dangerous situations. This midnight movie features a brand new 4K restoration from it’s original 35MM camera negative from Vinegar Syndrome. VS is so good at restorations that other labels come to them for help. That has to tell you something about their quality. Get rid of all your old VHS, DVD, & any format for Liquid Sky because this is the only version you need to own for it now!!!!
The limited edition release of Liquid Sky sold out on it’s original Black Friday release & I must admit it probably had the coolest looking slipcover of all time. I am definitely glad Vinegar Syndrome decided to re-release this for the people who missed out on it during it’s original run. Vinegar Syndrome really went all out & hit a home run for this home video release! It’s LOADED with all kinds of special features. There’s a quick 1 minute + introduction from director, co-writer, editor, producer, lyricist, & composer Slava Tsukerman about experiencing Liquid Sky in restored high definition. You get an Audio Commentary with co-writer/star Anne Carlisle & the creative force behind this Slava Tsukerman who still has a passion for this project. Next is an almost 16 minute interview with Tsukerman covering various topics like origin story, what inspired him for film making, & many other details about the film. After that, you get an almost 10 minute discussion with lead actress/actor Anne Carlisle talking about art leading her to acting, experience on the film, & multiple other things.
“Liquid Sky Revisited” is the TRUE highlight of these extras! It’s almost 53 minutes & this making of documentary explains alot about the inspiration & production of this cult classic. It also includes rehearsal & casting tapes to get a glimpse of the raw talent involved in this film. You get a 37 minute Q&A at the Alamo Drafthouse with Slava Tsukerman, Anne Carlisle, & Clive Smith. 13 minutes of various Outtakes. An almost 10 minute Alternate Opening Sequence. About 12 minutes of Rehearsal Footage. Still Gallery & 4 Trailers for Liquid Sky. VS also includes reversible artwork of the original & a DVD copy of this release. That’s hours of entertainment besides the actual movie! That’s release of the year consideration with the quality of everything. Vinegar Syndrome delivers an unforgettable blu ray release for a film that maybe would have got a proper chance if it wasn’t for them. It’s available everywhere right now, check it out. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
