Space is the Place

Directed by John Coney

Starring the Afrofuturism jazz star Sun Ra, this loosely-based biopic offers the uninitiated a tantalising glimpse into his fantastical world. Born in 1914 as Herman Poole Blount, he had a vision in his thirties that he had somehow originated from Saturn and promptly changed his name to Sun Ra. Dressed from then on in elaborate Egyptian-inspired papal robes, and arriving in a music-powered space ship, he spent the next 50 years on a mission to enlighten the world with his unique experimental music, and save the black race from social injustice by starting an all-black colony in the sky. Unmissable.

Duration:
85 minutes

Languages:
English

Country of origin:
USA

Year of production:
1974