The galaxies are waiting.

October 27, 2011 10:32 PM

In 1974, Sun Ra and his Arkestra released a film. In which he plays cards with a pimp and travels through space and time. There is social commentary. And music. He also made an album with the same name.

(previously)

posted by ooklala (20 comments total)

Caught this movie one night when I couldn't sleep and was never really sure I was really awake. I love Sun Ra, even the stuff I don't like.
posted by Hoopo at 10:43 PM on October 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

"Bitches is mine!"
posted by pipian at 10:47 PM on October 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Afrofuturism at its funkiest!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:51 PM on October 27, 2011

Takes me back. I remember having a conversation with the director John Coney in '73 when I was a kid, and he was trying to explain this film to me since he was working on it at the time. Never actually saw any of it until this evening. It's much weirder than his description of it! I remember that he said it was an exasperating project. Thanks for posting this!
posted by gallois at 11:09 PM on October 27, 2011

I really hope this is the full movie. I went looking for it a couple years back and I could only find weird 20 minute clips on YouTube (the "a film" link is still loading for me).

For years, I've been trying to write a comic book where Sun Ra and ? from the Mysterions team up to fight crime through time, and this movie kept showing up when I was researching Sun Ra. Apparently, there's a book out there too that collects all of Sun Ra's writings about Afrofuturism, but none of the libraries I have access to own a copy and googlebooks had it crippled.
posted by klangklangston at 11:34 PM on October 27, 2011

Ah, Sun Ra.
The Gene Ra of avant-garde Jazz Rock.
Why are you so celebrated,
While Gene Ra is so humiliated?
He shoulda set that Time Cube
To a syncopated
Beat.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:26 AM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Thanks for this. I saw Sun Ra many years ago, tripping. SPACE IS THE PLACE! It really is. You gotta know.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:51 AM on October 28, 2011

Klangklangston: I don't read many comic books, but I would read that one. Nightly.
posted by .kobayashi. at 3:27 AM on October 28, 2011

I'm so happy that my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama counts Sun Ra as one of its native sons. Born in the Magic City, and buried there as well.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:00 AM on October 28, 2011

we all travel through space and time.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 6:10 AM on October 28, 2011

flapjax: Wait. I thought we'd all agreed that Sun Ra was born on Saturn?
posted by .kobayashi. at 6:10 AM on October 28, 2011

I thought we'd all agreed that Sun Ra was born on Saturn?

For most people, Birmingham, Alabama might as well be Saturn.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:33 AM on October 28, 2011

we all travel through space and time.

But some of us do it with more aplomb than others.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:33 AM on October 28, 2011

If you find Earth boring
just the same old same thing
come on and sign up with
Outerspaceways Incorporated
posted by Asbestos McPinto at 6:44 AM on October 28, 2011

I also wish I had a space ship that was controlled by a Moog.
posted by Asbestos McPinto at 6:45 AM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

I saw Sun Ra and his Arkestra perform outdoors in Meridian Park in DC when I was about 15 in the mid-1960s. One of the most awesome concerts I ever saw/heard/imbibed/experienced/soaked up. I'd read a comic book for sure.
posted by mareli at 7:19 AM on October 28, 2011

Gotta watch this later when I have time to absorb it.
Not from the film, but now Nuclear War is going to be in my head all day.
posted by chococat at 8:28 AM on October 28, 2011

I talked to him on a radio call-in show once and asked him if mankind is destined to leave the planet and begin again elsewhere. He said something like, "If Man doesn't do that, he's a dead duck."

I saw Sun Ra as often as possible in the 70's up until the 80's...and every concert was completely different in every way. I've read his biography, but I'd rather take his word for it. He was born on Saturn.
posted by kozad at 11:39 AM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]

Yeah, yeah. Liverpool Polytechnic Students Union circa 1971 or 72 here.

The week after Sun Ra and his Arkestra I saw Funkadelic on the Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow tour.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 8:58 PM on October 28, 2011

The week after Sun Ra and his Arkestra I saw Funkadelic on the Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow tour.

Peter, if you'd only seen Lee "Scratch" Perry the week after that, you'd have hit the trifecta!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:20 AM on October 29, 2011