Ra Movie Reviews

Related Subjects: Historical
Family movie reviews for "Ra" sorted by average review score:
Sun Ra - A Joyful Noise
Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (09 September, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Robert Mugge
One of jazz music's most entertaining and eccentric figures is profiled in Robert Mugge's hourlong, 1980 profile of the late bandleader-keyboardist-composer Sun Ra. "I don't consider myself one of the humans," he once said. "I'm a spiritual being," who was reputed to eschew the usual jazzman's indulgences of drugs and sex and who, despite the weird trappings (he and his big band, the Intergalactic Omniverse Arkestra, usually performed in glittery costumes that combined African, alien, and thrift-shop styles), infused his music with a strong sense of discipline and precision. Here we see Ra and the band rehearsing and performing; their "joyful noise" is free, sometimes chaotic, but also clearly blues-based, somewhat reminiscent of Monk or Mingus (there's even a rendition of "'Round Midnight"). Ra is also interviewed surrounded by the Egyptian artifacts and antiquities that were an important element of his "mythocracy." He clearly loves having an audience--and how can you not enjoy listening to a guy who also chooses the White House as a backdrop for solemn pronouncements like "I'm not a part of history--I'm more a part of mystery, which is my story"? --Sam Graham
Average review score:

it's so hard to make anything out of this dvd
i gave it 3 stars for its eccentricity--which in some circles may be viewed as creativity. otherwise i think the whole thing swings between charlatanry and a few artistic sparks.

classic sun ra
if you are a sun ra fan then this is a must. if you want an introduction to sun ra you couldnt ask for much better. great live performances and classic quotes from the master of the one liner. " with all the school and hospitals you got, your supposed to have a better world than this" and" you cant have a whitehouse if you dont have a blackhouse, in fact you cant have anything without its opposite" and the timeless " space is the place." some of the music on this dvd is simply awesome. horns echoing ancient egypt, synthesizers making modern musicians look pathetic, an ancient infinity drum and a moog synthesizer. sun ra, tho he would deny he is of our species, is the man.

A Fantastic Documentary of a Fascinating Musician
Robert Mugge's "A Joyful Noise" is a great film that anyone who is interested in Sun Ra should buy immediately. It captures the Arkestra in a variety of environments, including at their communal home in Philadelphia, in concert at various locations, and even on a rooftop. The film also features excellent interviews with many members of the group, including the legendary John Gilmore, Danny Thompson, and, of course, the genius Mr. Ra himself. What is particularly wonderful about this film is that it provides various examples of their music and the philosophical context in which the group operated. This video is absolutely essential. This is also a good film to show to the small children in your family, because it will allow their ears to become accustomed to the puissant possibilities of sound.

With the film in mind, let's get a couple things straight about Sun Ra. First, his tendency to embark on long orations that invoked ancient Egypt and outer space were extremely sincere. It was not a joke or a ploy to attract attention. Secondly, Sun Ra and his associates gave their entire lives to create music that was truly revolutionary in its ability to radically reform the sonic conventions with which most of us are familiar. His desire to essentially choose a life of near poverty in order to create innovative jazz music is something that, in my opinion, illustrates how deadly serious he was about his music.

If there is any problem with the film, it is that most of the music segments are short and incomplete. Of course, the director clearly was trying to assemble a documentary, not a concert film, so this is understandable.

Sun Ra - Space Is The Place
Released in DVD by Wea Corp (28 October, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: John Coney
This peculiar, rather warped feature is a product of the highly original mind of the late "musician-thinker" Sun Ra (the former Herman "Sonny" Blount, an accomplished jazz pianist and bandleader). The 82-minute, 1974 film melds effects that are straight out of '50s Japanese sci-fi, politics reflecting '60s racial radicalism, and the overall vibe of '70s blaxploitation films, with some African-Egyptian mythology thrown in for good measure. It isn't exactly a masterpiece of cinema; the production values are mediocre, the story is thin (Ra, who co-wrote, portrays an alien who offers oppressed African Americans the opportunity to seek their "alter-destiny" in outer space; complications ensue before his spaceship departs with true believers on board), the acting amateurish. But it's entertaining--Ra's array of costumes (especially his headgear) is impressive, and we do at least get a taste of his Intergalactic Solar Arkestra's heady brew of avant-garde jazz. --Sam Graham
Average review score:

Po' boy don't quite gittit.
But it is undoubtedly a feast for the eyes and ears. Sun Ra isa bejeweled jazzman on an ambiguously funky mission to save one planetor another by putting on a concert; all the while he is engaged in a card game with the devil, the progression of which dictates the funked-up variables of reality. Ah, plot, what a triviality you are. There's more than enough to keep the really open-minded interested: probably the biggest microphone haircuts ever captured on film, dazzlingly awesome (in a campy way you've never experienced) effects (i.e. the spaceship), and inspired musical renditions throughout. Most, however, will have their patience tried to the limit, not even reaching the unanimous highlight of the film: the resuscitation of a thought-to-be-dead black man with a medical procedure that can only be called some serious old-school skills (I won't give it away). Will Sun Ra prevail! Who cares. Sit back and enjoy the trip.

well done dvd edition
it is with great anticipation that I have been awaiting the plexifilms dvd release of SITP. Having seen the VHS version of the film countless times, as well as being aware of plexifilms high standards from the release of Wilco's "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," my expectations have been high.

the design of the package is clean and well done--very classy. Although this is a new transfer of the film, this is hardly a restoration in the vein of "Casablanca." There are still many blemishes and defects from the tranfer print that have not been cleaned up at all, as far as I can see. That said, color and saturation are richer, definition is clearer (especially noted in textures etc.), blacks are deeper, and there are no evident digital artifacts from compression. The soundtrack has less background noise, and hiss, but this is hardly a new 5.1 remix or anything. In fact, I have yet to determine if the soundtrack is in stereo or mono. the most significant aspects of this release is that the frame has been restored to its original widescreen presentation, and roughly 15 minutes of footage has been restored. Unfortunately, the restored footage is mostly scenes of sex and violence and does little to further the plot. I understand why Sun Ra cut this footage for the VHS edition, and I actually prefer the shorter cut of the film.

I found the interview with director and producer very good, but too short. the team comes across as being very sympathetic, supportive, and admiring of Sun Ra's music and myth. There are some nice revelations (the bad effects are not just a budgetary limitation, but a satire of cheesy 50's science fiction, sun ra wrote his own dialogue, the film was originally to be a concert film in a planetarium, etc). Considering how much more light they could have shed though it is dissappointing only because it is too short. The interview is illustrated with some gorgeous previously unseen still promo shots from the set and film.

For me the real jewel of this DVD are the "Home Movies" shot by Richard Wilkinson. Having not been there to see the earlier days of the Arkestra, those days are to me a mythic time. While watching the footage I was almost giddy with excitement, literally catching myself holding my breath in concentration! The Arkestra at the pyramids, dancing, in the studio, in the streets, in concert. Great shots of Sun Ra, John Gilmore, June Tyson, Marshall Allen...the stuff of dreams. amazing! in fact, I would pay just to see this few minutes of film.

"We are living in the space age..."
If you're a fan of the avant garde, the obscure, or the psychedlic, please do yourself a favor, and get your hands on 'Space is the Place'. Non-linear, but a true underground classic. Witness: not-of-this-earth music, the funky rightenous of Ra, and the bending of your mind. I'd heard good (and bad) things about this film, so my curiosity was peaked. Usually when very strong reactions are evoked of such diametric opposition, it can only mean one thing: Great Art. This movie is truly mind blowing. I can think of nowhere else, where one can obtain: Sci-Fi, Blaxplotation, Philosophy, Space Jazz, and the hella ill coustumes in one easy-to-swallow capsule. I picked this up on Ebay cuz it's outta print, I strongly urge you to view this film if you are into: Sun Ra, space Jazz, being high, or wicked sounds to sample. (PS- this is available @ the Detroit Public Library, so it may be available at your public library as well).....Peace...

__________________
Sun Ra:
"If you can't involve your spirit in the creative process, you can never expect to defeat the destructive elements on earth."

Related Subjects: Historical