Llik Your Idols

Llik Your Idols is a 2007 documentary film that explores the vibrant and controversial No Wave Cinema movement of the late 1970s and mid-1980s. Directed by Angelique Bosio, the film features interviews with some of the most influential figures in the movement, including Joe Coleman, Richard Hell, and Richard Kern.

The No Wave Cinema movement was unique for its rebellion against the Hollywood narrative and commercial film norms. Independent filmmakers in New York City created raw, often rough and handheld, films that epitomized the grittiness and anarchic spirit of the era. Challenging the status quo, these artists sought to capture the city’s decaying landscapes, vacuous consumer culture, and subversive subcultures.

Llik Your Idols offers an in-depth exploration of this subversive movement and its significant cultural impact. The film opens with a general context for those unfamiliar with No Wave, detailing the social and political environment from which it emerged. The documentary then moves into an intimate portrayal of the movement’s major players, including its rebellious avant-garde artists and punk rock musicians. As interviews unfold, a rich tapestry of anecdotes and insights inform the viewer about the movement’s philosophy and creative process.

One of the film's standout features is its interviews with Richard Kern, a key player in the No Wave movement, known for his transgressive and provocative films. His insights into the movement and the artistic ethos that fueled it provides invaluable context and perspective on No Wave’s impact on the broader independent film scene.

And then we have Richard Hell, punk rock pioneer and alternative film actor, providing an intriguing juxtaposition to Kern. Hell's involvement in underground culture and punk rock music offers a different perspective on the era, linking it with the No Wave Cinema and showing how these movements, while distinct, often fed off each other.

Llik Your Idols also showcases the interviews with Joe Coleman, a contemporary artist known for his highly detailed and often controversial work. Coleman’s perspective adds a layer of depth to the documentary, emphasizing the movement’s enduring influence and its inspiration drawn from underground comics and paraphilias.

Enhancing the narrative, the film integrates excerpts from No Wave productions, including groundbreaking films such as "You Killed Me First," "Submit to Me Now," and "Fingered." These cavities give the audience a firsthand experience of the rawness, absurdity, and subversive themes that defined No Wave Cinema.

In addition to its primary focus, the documentary also traces the movement's transition, exploring how it paved the way for the subsequent ‘Cinema of Transgression.’ By examining the influence of the No Wave movement, Llik Your Idols illustrates not just a historical timeline but the broader cultural impact that continues to resonate in the modern era of independent filmmaking.

Overlaying this detailed exploration are discussions that touch on themes including the nature of art and creativity, rebellion against establishment norms, and the celebration of the unconventional, all of which act as a meta-commentary on the essence of the No Wave Cinema movement itself.

Throughout, Llik Your Idols maintains an undercurrent of gritty realism, reflecting the ethos of the movement it explores. There's an earnestness in its narrative, making it not only a tribute to No Wave Cinema, but a fitting extension of its spirit. That being said, the film doesn't shy from critiquing its subject matter either, creating an honest and nuanced portrait of a complex movement and its enduring legacy.

In conclusion, Llik Your Idols serves as a thought-provoking cultural artifact, not only relaying the history of a distinctive, avant-garde film generation but also capturing the spirit of rebellion, creativity, and the radical questioning of mainstream societal norms that characterized it. More than just a simple documentary, it is a multi-faceted exploration into a largely ignored movement in film history, illuminating the peculiar path of independent cinema in New York City in the late 70s and 80s.