Battle Angel Alita via IMDB

Battle Angel Alita is a 1993 cyberpunk anime film with a persistent, eloquent presence on “Most Underrated” lists. It’s due for a James Cameron-directed live action update next year, and we at Cryptosphere Global HQ sincerely join hands and bow heads to wish it the best, ie to escape the Curse of Aeon Flux. Live action adaptations of animated cyberpunk originals tend to be…lifeless. We’ll bend your ear about the glory that could have been Aeon Flux with Charlize some other time.

Battle Angel Alita begins with Cyberdoctor Daisuke Ido’s discovery of a decommissioned and battered female-identified cyborg (you can tell from the receeding jawline and the false eyelashes) on a junk heap. Delighted, he nabs the dinged up remnant and doctors her back to “life.” She finds work as a bounty hunter, and all is well (at least, if you’re not on her hit list) until she discovers a terrible secret about her employers. The remarks on Youtube explain:

A pawn in a game played with living pieces, Gally finds herself set into motion against such foes as brutal spine thieves, the brain-eating gladiator Greweicia, the sinister Mr. Vector and the beautiful but ruthless Dr. Chiren. Gally must make a terrible choice between her own code of honor and the life of the man she loves.

We have paired this hidden gem with the Angel Face Cocktail by Walter Pintus of the Rivoli Bar in London. It’s a celestial combination of Calvados, gin, and apricot brandy, brought back to earth by the addition of spiced apple and port syrup. He says of the recipe, “This cocktail pre-dates Prohibition in the United States, but stories about its origins are fuzzy and conflicting at best. It reminds me of spring flavours, blossoming trees and beautiful feelings.”

The syrup must be made in advance and, with Tawny Port, it won’t be cheap. Cook Tawny Port (the recipe says a litre, but I’m assuming you’re not a Russian Oligarch, so just use a cup or so, how much do you think you’ll go through in a week anyway?) with apples, as much sugar as you can dissolve in the syrup, and your choice of spices. Should take about an hour to infuse everything nicely and boil it down. Cue the “apple spice cocktails have no apples in them” hordes…

• 1 oz Calvados Père Magloire 12 years old
• 3/4 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
• 1 oz Apricot Brandy
• 1/2 oz Apple Spice Syrup

Once you’ve got your cold syrup, shake all your ingredients in a cocktail strainer over ice and serve in a chilled Martini glass. If you’re going to be fancy and create an apple fan garnish (do eet!) remember to brush it with or dip it in lemon juice so it doesn’t go brown before you’re finished.

Divine!

Angel Face Cocktail via Calvados-Cocktails.com

Categories: 90's, AI, Cocktails, Cyber, Cyberpunk, Film Friday, Futurism, Hackers, Media, Movies, Movies