Slava Tsukerman, the Russian-born author and director of the stylish 1982 cult hit “Liquid Sky,” died on Monday. He was 85 years old.
Video streamer Vinegar Sky was among those who announced his death.
Liquid Sky released a statement on social media, saying: “We are saddened to learn of the passing of Slava Tsukelman, director of the new wave classic ‘Liquid Sky’. Slava was a true visionary and uncompromising artist who became an international sensation with ‘SKY’ and helped change art, fashion and music forever.”
In the nearly two years leading up to the release of LIQUID SKY, Slava and his wife and longtime collaborator Nina Kerova frequently invited us out to eat and visit the New York neighborhoods that inspired them, from the East Village to Brighton Beach. Their kindness made us a pleasure to work with, and we are honored that they trusted us to restore and present Slava’s masterpiece on home video. ”
Tsukerman directed films in the Soviet Union and Israel before moving to New York in 1976.
“Liquid Sky,” starring Anne Carlyle, blends scenes from the downtown fashion and music world with a sci-fi plot about UFOs sucking the energy of Manhattan’s counterculture. The film’s colorful aesthetic resonated with fans of new wave music at the time and became an indie hit, but its style was also influenced by the Russian origins of Tsukelman and his wife and co-screenwriter Nina V. Kerova.
J. Hoberman revisited “Liquid Sky” in the New York Times during its 4K restoration, writing, “Liquid Sky” has a particularly Soviet quality.It’s not just a montage film with lots of parallel action. The costumes, make-up, hairstyles, production design, and even the jerky dancing all very much suggest the Russian Constructivist avant-garde of the 1920s, whose true ancestor was director Yakov Protazanov. The 1924 Soviet space opera Aelita depicts, among other things, the Martian revolution. ”
“Liquid Sky” surprisingly grossed $1.7 million on a $500,000 budget and remained on Variety’s top-grossing movies chart for more than six months.
Tsukerman went on to direct commercials and music videos for Nile Rodgers, as well as the Lee Grant and Ben Gazzara indie film Poor Liza, and the documentaries Stalin’s Wife and F. Murray Abraham, Sam Robards, and Ally Sheedy’s Perestroika.
Reviewing Perestroika, Variety wrote, “It’s a deeply strange, refreshingly existential cocktail from Milan Kundera and Federico Fellini. The film is…emotionally funny, visually appealing, and somehow consistently a joy to watch. It has demonstrated cult status and a following in every corner of every venue where the film is shown these days.”
In 2017, Tsukerman collaborated with Vinegar Syndrome on the making-of documentary “Liquid Sky Revisited.”
He is survived by his wife.
Liquid Sky, Anne Carlyle, 1982
Courtesy of Everett Collection
