Thanks to my friend Maura, I recently experienced 1980's The Apple.* Or as I like to think of it, what happens when you watch All That Jazz, Xanadu, and Freak Orlando at the same time. Like, layered over one another with all three audio tracks at top volume. But with the least sexy sexiness and kink ever, somehow. Even the pelvic pops fail to pop.
(Speaking of the divine Ulrike Ottinger, she has a new film out, Paris Calligrammes, available here with French, English, or German narration.)
But seriously, WTF was going on in 1979 to yield so many hallucinogenic music films maudit in 1980? Popeye, Flash Gordon, Times Square, Can't Stop the Music, The Great American Rock 'n' Roll Swindle... (spoiler: cocaine, speeeeeeed, benzedrine, poppers) Out of the Blue, Christiane F.... (spoiler: heroin)
*The reviews on Amaz*n are a fun read. BIM!
