Abstract: Disclosed are various reverse-mode direct-view liquid crystal displays employing a liquid crystal having a characteristic wavelength in the non-visible spectrum, including reflective, transmissive and reflective-transmissive mode displays. In accordance with the principles disclosed, a direct-view liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a front substantially transparent substrate, a rear substrate, and a controllable cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) disposed between the front and rear substrates and having a characteristic wavelength to reflect non-visible spectrum; the portions of the controllable CLC can selectively exhibit a planar state or a focal-conic state, the portions of the CLC in the planar state appearing dark, and the portions of the CLC in the focal-conic state appearing bright, to an observer of the LCD.