NUDES IN LIMBO (1983) ** ½

Nudes in Limbo is an artistic exploration of the nude form (both women and men are featured).  Director Bruce Seth Green’s aim here isn’t to titillate the audience.  He’s more concerned with seeing human body in motion.  (I can imagine this being show in both art and anatomy classes.)  It’s all shot in a very artsy manner and often looks like an ‘80s perfume ad.  In fact, the scenes of people lifting weights, working out on rowing machines, doing gymnastics, and hitting punching bags would’ve looked right at home in a Soloflex commercial if it wasn’t for the fact the models were naked.

Thanks to the ‘80s lighting, graphics, and hairstyles, it all has the feeling of one of those Electric Blue sequences played over and over again.  (Many segments feature models lying on top of giant light boxes, which kind of makes them look like they are in a tanning bed… or maybe sitting on top of a giant fax machine.)  Since it’s not especially sexy, it’s kind of hard to get too excited about it.  Even though there are many sequences crammed into the short running time (most are under a minute long), it does get rather repetitive in a hurry.

The main reason I watched it was for the participation of popular adult actresses, Scream Queens, and B-movie stars who briefly appear as figure models.  Shauna Grant, Michelle Bauer, and Linnea Quigley all appear in the buff, although they really don’t do anything particularly memorable.  Not only that, but Deadly Prey’s Ted Prior also pops up as one of the male models!

It should come as no surprise that the most successful bits are the ones that are, at the very least, vaguely sexual in nature.  The scenes of a woman standing under a stream of water and the shots of a model sensually caressing a phallic looking fluorescent light were among my favorites.  Green gives just about every nook and cranny its share of screen time too, as there are segments devoted to hands and feet in addition to all the butts and boobs. 

Even at fifty-two minutes, it all feels a bit overlong.  It probably would’ve been just right at a half-hour.  I can’t say it’s exactly boring, thanks to the acres of flesh on display.  It’s just that if it wasn’t for the participation of certain individuals, it would’ve been easy to skip.  I’m still glad I saw it.  Sort of.

Green later went on to have a long and varied career directing episodic television.