tlavideo.com

Review

What I wouldn’t have done to be part of the bohemian, creative community in Manhattan during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. I’m sure I’m romanticizing it all out of proportion, but show me where such an environment still exists. That is the overwhelming sense I had while watching The Nomi Song. Only in such an environment could someone like Klaus Nomi have landed and been appreciated. An angular, robotic, and androgynous creature, Klaus was a Frenchman raised in Germany and later relocated to the villages of the Big Apple. With much training and preparation, he developed a literally unbelievable, operatic voice that necessitated disclaimers as to their legitimacy. Easily and deservedly becoming a sensation, Klaus was on his way. Unfortunately, the new disease of the time took hold of him before he was able to experience his all but guaranteed bounty of success. This documentary is a fascinating and well assembled glimpse at an era, of a place, and of a man who, “came from outer space, to save the human race.” If there is a fault in the movie, it could be it’s length. But frankly, with so much footage of this strange creature (they don’t just reuse the same footage throughout the film,) I don’t think it such a bad thing.

 -- Justin Hallman