Set against the 80's punk scene, most of the main characters in Liquid Sky work as avant-garde models. If the movement had been as bizarre as depicted in the film, I have no doubt it would still be around today. For a low-budget movie, the acting is surprisingly good. Anne Carlisle (who also worked on the script and wrote a novel based on the film) plays dual roles. She stars as the main character, Margaret, a small town girl who moved to New York City seeking fame and fortune. Margaret realized most of her dreams, but life as a model seems joyless and empty. She performs a monologue in fluorescent makeup near the end of the film that is genuinely heartbreaking; such moments of cinematic magic occur when terrific acting meets profound writing. Carlisle also plays Jimmy, a gay male model, and Margaret's chief antagonist. Paula Sheppard, star of "Alice Sweet Alice" is perfect as Margaret's girlfriend, a lesbian drug dealer.
Then the aliens show up. Though the creatures themselves remain invisible, their spaceship is roughly the size of a dinner plate.
While the special effects are a constant reminder of the film's $500,000 budget, they do possess a certain rough charm. Sometimes the film is shot from the alien's point-of-view, a cheap effect achieved by polarizing the film stock.
What turns Liquid Sky from mere curiosity into a cult classic is the deft direction of Vladislav Tsukerman. He creates a rich sense of mood and character through the use of unexpected and original camera angles and mise en scène. With the help of some precise editing, Tsukerman juggles a myriad of subplots; the overall effect is too interesting to be disjointed. Admittedly, the downstairs heroin addict has too much screen time and little to do with the plot (even though his drug of choice provides the film with its name.)
Review of Liquid Sky
