THE NOMI SONG

Year: 2004
USA: Palm Pictures
Cast: Klaus Nomi, David Walter MacDermot III, Joey Arias, Janus, Boy Adrian
Interviews: Ann Magnuson, Kenny Scharf, Gabriele La Fari, Ira Siff, Page Wood, Kristian Hoffman, Trude Sperber, Ron Johnsen, Calvin Churchman, Alan Platt, Anthony Scibelli, Tony Frere, Man Parrish, Michael Halsband, Jay Jay French, JP Bommel, Pamela Rosenthal
Director: Andrew Horn
Country: Germany
Language: German (English subtitles)
USA: 96 mins
USA Release Date: 4 February 2005 (Limited Release)


Synopsis

Looks like an alien, sings like a diva - Klaus Nomi was one of the 1980s' most profoundly bizarre characters. He was a cult figure in the New Wave underground scene, a genuine counter tenor who sang pop music like opera and brought opera to club audiences and made them like it. He was a performer with a "look" so strong, that his first audiences went wild before he even opened his mouth. On the verge of international fame as a singer, he became instead one of the first gay artists to die of AIDS. But the reaction Klaus Nomi provoked was so strong, that he is still unforgettable, even 20 years after his death.

In the end, his recorded output consists of re-reissues, in various forms, of only two LP's and a live album. Part documentary, part music film, part sci-fi, The Nomi Song is a "non-fiction film", or maybe even an oral history. It's not just the tale, it's the telling. But it is also visual, partly because Klaus himself was so visual, someone who's main concern was putting forth an image of himself in everything he did - literally illustrated by the photos, films, videos and artworks that go with it and featuring many never before seen live performances.