Space is the place is a hard to find movie to be sure I searched for years to find it and finally saw it tonight at a local college in a show that included a concert of avant-gard jazz. Those familiar with Sun Ra's oeuvre will not be shocked by its content. The plot centers around Sun Ra arriving on earth with his Arkestra to spread his philosophy of the music of the universe and to take back as many black folks as he can to repopulate his home planet and fill it with "human vibrations". The plot is not as disjointed or hard to swallow as one might think, there are good characterizations, especially by the overseer/devil character. There are some comic moments as well, like whenever the overseer kicks out the news caster every time he gets the two chicks in the room alone and he thinks he is going to finally score. The music is of courser superb as well. I will agree with a previous poster that this period of sun Ra's music was far from his best, but still makes for a great soundtrack. The Sun Ra devotee will love it and it serves as a good introduction to The world of Sun Ra for those unfamiliar with his work as well. watch it with an open mind.
Space Is the Place
1974
Action / Music / Sci-Fi
Space Is the Place
1974
Action / Music / Sci-Fi
Plot summary
Sun Ra and his Solar Myth Arkestra return to Earth after several years in space. Ra proclaims himself "the alter-destiny", meets with inner-city youths and battles with the devil himself to save the black race.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
August 09, 2019 at 09:40 AM
Director
Top cast
Movie Reviews
outa sight a must for Sun Ra fans and new inductees
Afrofuturistic Cinematic Brilliance
Sun Ra plays a cosmic seer who lands in his spaceship (powered by music) on Earth and makes plans to resettle black people on a new planet from the white power structure. He is like the Moses figure in this sci-fi blaxploitation film which mixes surrealism, avant-garde jazz in a proposal like no other. Danny Ray Thompson. A mainstay in the Sun Ra Arkestra since the late 60s who's undulating baritone sax riff makes up the backbone of the evergreen Space Is The Place. A rare, unmissable trash-culture, sci-fi classic tantalizing glimpse into RA's fantastical world.
One of my favorite musical bios of all time which offers sharp social commentary and a stylish Afrofuturist vision. A truly great biography of melancholic musician, an Afrofuturist long before it was named, devastatingly multi-layered and esoteric. One of the best 'cult films' ever that defies genre categorisation and manages to truly uphold its otherworldly feel while burning itself in your brain. FYI Interestingly the first person of African descent in space was Afro-Cuban Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, via Soviet Interkosmos program in 1980. Highly recommend for those who love surrealistic films and a fan of Coltrane (John & Alice), Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, and Cannonball Adderley.
The earth cannot move without music. The earth moves in a certain rhythm, a certain sound, a certain note. When the music stops the earth will stop and everything upon it will die.
Sun Ra, Space is the Place.
Too disjointed for me
This film is very random and disjointed. There is not much structure or consistency so it is hard to follow. The characterisation is a bit abstract and mythological. It will probably be easier to swallow for those who are already familiar with Sun Ra.