Space Is the Place (1974)

In the untamed cosmos of the space age, Sun Ra, an avant-jazz maestro and cosmic philosopher, adorned in pharaonic jest, miraculously lands his interstellar vessel in Oakland, following years of being presumed missing in the galactic wilderness. Amid the surging tide of Black Power, Ra alights from his ship, declaring himself as the "alter-destiny" of the universe. He engages the marginalized black youth of the inner city in a raw discourse that vacillates between myth and reality, ominously warning of a fate reminiscent of their African ancestors' chains, should they defy his call to the stars. A high-stakes, celestial card duel ensues between Ra and The Overseer, a sinister puppet master, with the destiny of the entire black race dangling in the balance. Emerging victorious, Ra secures the privilege of a world concert, a spectacle of cosmic proportions, featuring mesmerizing performances by the legendary Arkestra. However, the shadows of danger loom as assassins, dispatched by the embittered Overseer, attempt to extinguish Ra's light. In a dramatic turn of events, Ra evaporates, only to reappear and shepherd his people to safety, departing from a planet Earth on the brink of devastation.

Space Is the Place is a science fiction movie featuring Sun Ra and directed by John Coney.

Space Is the Place is currently streaming on Criterion Channel and Max Amazon Channel.