This German documentary offers a tragic profile of the notorious death angel, Nico, who died of a brain hemorrhage, the result of a long-term drug addiction, in 1988. Long after her death, German model and entertainer Nico has remained a darkly mysterious cult figure. She was born Crista Paffgen in Cologne and took her professional name from photographer Nico Papatakis. She began modeling in the early 1950s and this lead her to appear in Fellinis classic, La Dolce Vita. Though Nico was blessed with a rare combination of beauty and brains, she was depressive and utterly lacking in ambition; she spent much of her life simply drifting about through various film and commercial appearances until she met avant-garde artist Andy Warhol. He introduced her to the band, The Velvet Underground, and to its leader, Lou Reed, with whom she had an affair that resulted in the tone-deaf beautys occasionally singing with them--much to the discomfiture of the other band members. Later she went on to become a solo act. She became addicted to heroine and eventually could no longer disguise its effects. In 1986, she switched to methadone, but it was too late. Included are film clips, commercial clips, archival photos, songs, and interviews with those that knew her including members of the Velvet Underground, Paul Morissey, ex-Factory members Viva and Billy Name, songwriter Jackson Browne, and avant-garde filmmaker Jonas Mekas. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
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