The Nomi Song (2004) Review
April 11th 2010 20:28
Documentaries are a mixed bag, sometimes their informative, other times their politically fueled tripe. Sometimes, their entertaining, more often their boring and tedious. As a man who enjoys to soak up all the
obscure knowledge I can, Perhaps I have a bit more affinity for documentaries than most, but upon discovering 2004's “The Nomi Song” I found a documentary that anyone who likes music will love.
Through use of rare footage and interviews, we hear the story of a man who's influence on music and art is undeniable. An average person probably haven't heard of Klause Nomi, he was a fairly obscure musician who sadly died from AIDs just as his career was getting started. His weird stage presence, consisting of mime-like face makeup, a plastic triangular tux, and a beautiful, pitch perfect soprano voice, had immeasurable influence on 1980's MTV culture. In the film, we hear from his songwriters, friends, roommates and lovers, all telling the story of a kind loving but eccentric man who wanted to entertain people most of all. His strange stage shows involving music, dance and art that were all the rage in the late 70's alphabet city. The documentary is about his life . His friends and associate attest that Nomi's strange presence wasn't limited to the stage, he enjoyed performing for friends, even once giving an impromptu performance on a mound of snow in the middle of a chilling New York night, one witness of the performance saying he was like “A creature from another dimension”.
For better or for worse his music and dance are literally like nothing I've ever seen. His performances are without comparison, and beautiful for those with an taste for the strange and unusual. Behind
this we learn about Klaus as a man, from what everyone says he was an eccentric but kind person. He dealt with the difficulties of a life in the arts, scratching out a living as a pastry chef while working smokey bars, vaudeville stages, and punk rock venues. He was just as often cheered in the streets as he was booed off stage but he never sold out, never lost faith in his unique form of performance art. Klaus also struggled being a homosexual artist, in a world that was still filled with paranoia and hatred even in the New York's more liberal Alphabet city. When Klaus contracted AIDs (Still known back then as “Gay Cancer”) it was still a disease that wasn't understood, people feared catching his ailment, and even his closes friends were not with him when he died.
The Documentary tells the story of this strange man in ways strange as he was. Scenes of old B-movies run with footage of Nomi's haunting performances, and unusual set pieces are put behind the talking heads to keep things whimsical and interesting, and the music provided by Nomi and other Avant Garde artists of the day keep this documentary from getting boring. Best thing about this movie, is thanks to Hulu you can see it free, streaming through a high-speed connection, so you really don't have an excuse to see it if your curious.
The story itself is to bizarre and sad to be anything but real life and it will really make you think. It's not a story with a happy ending, Klaus died alone, and most of the world never seeing his talent. However, to those he did touch he will never be forgotten and thanks to this film you too can be touched by this man's beautiful music and art. Everyone shares their fond memories of a man so strange you could't help but love him. His closest friends to this day will never say Klaus Nomi Died, they just smile and say "He left the Earth".
He came from outer space, to save the human race
Klaus Nomi's look is like nothing before or since, he literally defies description
The Documentary tells the story of this strange man in ways strange as he was. Scenes of old B-movies run with footage of Nomi's haunting performances, and unusual set pieces are put behind the talking heads to keep things whimsical and interesting, and the music provided by Nomi and other Avant Garde artists of the day keep this documentary from getting boring. Best thing about this movie, is thanks to Hulu you can see it free, streaming through a high-speed connection, so you really don't have an excuse to see it if your curious.
The story itself is to bizarre and sad to be anything but real life and it will really make you think. It's not a story with a happy ending, Klaus died alone, and most of the world never seeing his talent. However, to those he did touch he will never be forgotten and thanks to this film you too can be touched by this man's beautiful music and art. Everyone shares their fond memories of a man so strange you could't help but love him. His closest friends to this day will never say Klaus Nomi Died, they just smile and say "He left the Earth".
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