Was Sun Ra a brilliant visionary, or just fucking nuts? Were his Egyptian getups necessary for sublime cosmic communication or just plain excessive? His obscure film, "Space is the Place," answers a resounding "yes" to all of these questions.
"Space," a "sci-fi blaxploitation" film, is a fictional tale about Sun Ra arriving to Earth from Saturn. He seeks to take the black race from Earth to create a new colony on Saturn, where they can live in peace and harmony. In the process, he plays a cosmic game of cards in the middle of a desert with a pimp who seeks to exploit Sun Ra's mysterious character for personal gain. Making things more complex are two soul brothers that are mystified by Sun Ra's message and follow him around. Worse yet, two NASA scientists seek to capture Sun Ra to gain information about travelling the cosmos. This really is the plot.
If you're looking for a linear structure, forget about it. Haphazard is the best word to describe the editing, though fans of Sun Ra aren't known for commercial tastes. Avid fans of blaxploitation will find much to like about this film, but this film is far away from "Black Caesar" or "Shaft." The talk of intergalactic emancipation and the apocalypse will certainly blow your mind. The special effects are rather crude, but the film's about the message, not technical wizardry.
The film's real treat is a performance by Sun Ra and his Arkestra. It shows him and his band at the height of their innovation and emotional power. Of course, like the rest of the film, it must be seen to be truly believed.
The Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz will be playing "Space is the Place" tonight at 10:15 as part of its Music Monday series.
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