Science Fiction

Science Fiction

Science Fiction

Track Listings
 
1. Ain't That Just Like a Woman
2. Painting a Picture
3. Instrumental
4. I've Written Home to Mother
5. Freak Out Song
6. Goin' to the River
7. Nobody Likes Me
8. Science Fiction

Science Fiction,Alice Cooper,Columbia River,Hard Rock,Heavy Metal
The Science Fiction Album
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The penultimate collection ...
  • Muisic of the Spheres
  • The Ulllllltimate Sci-Fi Music Collection
  • SciFi Album gift
  • Away From to be a Collectible Peace
The Science Fiction Album
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie SoundtracksMovie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Star WarsStar Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Star TrekStar Trek | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000066HE5
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

  1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
  2. Aliens
  3. Sound Effect - The Nostromo
  4. Alien
  5. A.I.
  6. Armageddon
  7. Sound Effect - Apollo 13 Lift-off
  8. Apollo 13
  9. Back To The Future
  10. Battle Beyond The Stars
  11. Battlestar Galactica
  12. The Black Hole
  13. Contact
  14. Capricorn One
  15. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
  16. The Day The Earth Stood Still
  17. Dune

Tracks:

  1. Galaxy Quest
  2. Sound Effect - Dogfight in Space
  3. Enemy Mine
  4. Ghostbusters
  5. Gremlins
  6. Heavy Metal
  7. Independence Day
  8. E.T.
  9. Judge Dredd
  10. The Last Starfighter
  11. Lifeforce
  12. Sound Effect - Crash Landing
  13. Lost In Space
  14. Mars Attacks
  15. The Matrix
  16. Predator
  17. The Right Stuff

Tracks:

  1. Moonraker
  2. Robocop
  3. Silent Running
  4. Sound Effect - Alien Organism
  5. Species
  6. Stargate
  7. Starship Troopers
  8. Starman
  9. Star Trek - TV Theme
  10. Star Trek: The Motion Picture End Title
  11. Klingon Attack
  12. Sound Effect - Warp Drive
  13. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
  14. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
  15. Star Trek: Generations
  16. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Tracks:

  1. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
  2. Sound Effect - Transporter Crew
  3. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Theme
  4. Star Trek First Contact
  5. Star Wars
  6. The Empire Strikes Back
  7. The Empire Strikes Back
  8. Return of the Jedi
  9. Sound Effect - Battle Stations
  10. Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - The Flag Parade
  11. Anakin's Theme
  12. The Adventures of Jar Jar
  13. Duel of the Fates
  14. The Time Machine
  15. Things to Come
  16. The Thing From Another World
  17. War of the Worlds
  18. When Worlds Collide
  19. Total Recall
  20. You Only Live Twice
  21. Superman

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The penultimate collection ..........2006-12-07

Generally I agree with Strategos in his ecstatic Spotlight Review above. It is a joy to here some of the most memorable themes and cues from some of the most memorable science fiction and fantasy movies (re)recorded in great sound and in lavish (re)orchestrations, played by renowned classical orchestras, namely the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra, no less.

I have always had a weak spot for (good, or maybe even intelligent) science fiction/fantasy and film music, especially its way of evoking mystery, grandure and wide open spaces. Call it a weakness if you want. But it was maybe really kick started off, for as far as I can remember, with Star Trek. But especially Star Trek II, III and IV - essentially a trilogy - because of their very romantic but very warm, human core, set on the broadest canvasses of unlimited and mysterious outer space. But then there was the music for adding that essential extra dimension of emotion and atmosphere. I am happy that much of the music on this album is from the Star Trek series and films, often equaling or sometimes even outclassing the original recordings.

This kind of music (for the movies) should be seen as an art on its own rights with its own merits and qualities. As such, the musical sequences on these CD's are a beautifully played cross section of some of the most evoking orchestral music for science fiction/fantasy film ever created. And I very much like the nicely blended, wide and deep orchestral soundpicture with enough reverberation to evoke a sense of wide open spaces.
I am quite thrilled by tracks like the evocative music from Dune, truly transporting one to the vastly sands of Arrakis (the music is wonderful, but to my great regret I think the movie itself is a flawed masterpiece at best, alas.). And then there is the very different, goofy music for Ghostbusters (memories of childhood), the spoofy but electrifying music from Mars Attacks (lovingly parodist music, this, with not a little touch of irony) and the happily adventurous, forward driving Theme from Galaxy Quest ('Never give up, never surrender!'), now also used for the internet-based fan-series Star Trek: The Hidden Frontier. On the other side of the spectrum we have the atmospheric music for Enemy Mine (an underestimated 'little' movie), the Theme from The Right Stuff (actually science FACT, not fiction, this film, just like Apollo 13, of course), the eerily attractive music for Species, the original End Title for Alien (not used in the theatrical version of the movie, where it was replaced by music from howard Hanson's Second Symphony), the exquisitely exotic music for Stargate, the sweet and warmly sympathetic, beautifully re-orchestrated, theme for Starman, the title cue for Star Trek: TOS (much more melodiously played than the original! If only a series nowadays could continue to be as thought provoking and as original as Star Trek was during its launch, fourty years ago ...) and a truly overpowering End Titles Suite from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. I especially like the thrillingly grandiloquent rendition here of the music for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. And how nice it is to hear the (thematic) similarities between James Horner's music for The Wrath of Khan, his great break-through as a film music composer, and his (two years) earlier music for Battle Beyond the Stars (which did indeed help him earn the job for writing the music for Star Trek II) ...

But on the 'down side', if one is looking for - for example - the gorgeously expansively played End Titles from Cocoon, it is not included here: one has to acquire the album that 'kicked it all off', so to say, namely 'Space and Beyond', also on Silva Screen. I was very pleased also with the inclusion on that album of some of the music from the series Star Trek: The Next Generation, namely where one of the characters, Tasha Yar, in one of the episodes (Skin of Evil) is saying goodbye to her crewmmates: sweetly sentimental and simple music which I have always wanted to own on CD. I guess that a few cues from the other two sequals ('Alien Invasion: Space and Beyond II' and 'Space3: Beyond the Final Frontier') didn't make it onto this 4 CD collection-album as well, but I guess that it would be the 'better part of the bargain' to opt to buy this 'The Science Fiction Album' instead of buying all three albums separately. Well, of course it is for yourself to ultimately decide what you really want ;-)

If I were to nitpick (which is not easy with such a marvellous project as this one), then I would say that while all music is performed with magnificent grandure and with style, some of it is not performed as crisply and as technically 'on the spot' as some of the original recordings: ensemble is a little slack and the playing somewhat stilted sometimes, losing some of the edge and the originality of the writing. ET and Star Wars spring to mind, but then the soundtracks for Star Wars are traditionally recorded with the magnificent London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro John Williams himself, and these superior recordings (especially the ones for Episode I, II and III) can't really be bettered, IMHO. Likewise for the music from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, I believe that in the end one really has to resort to the ultimate reference, namely the original recording (which is true in many other instances of 'original recordings'), and then the 20th anniversay colector's edition of this soundtrack on Columbia/Legacy (truly unmissable, this veritable classic of sci-fi/film music soundtracks!).

But all in all this 4CD-collection amounts to probably being the penultimate high quality sci-fi music album collection (I certainly know of no other project that comes as close quality as well as quantity wise), with some of the most memorable musical moments from classic to modern sci-fi/fantasy film captured in lavish orchestrations.
Collection-wise: five *stars*. Playing: generally four *stars*, sometimes more. The recording quality: five *stars*. The music (qualified on its own merits as film music) and its (re)orchestrations: generally five *stars*. In the end this is all highly recommended, and certainly not to be missed by science fiction and fantasy film music fans. Klaatu barada nikto.

5 out of 5 stars Muisic of the Spheres.......2006-11-06

You wonderful four disk collection of SF music. It startsa up the the grand master of SF music, 2001: A space Odyssey all the way to Superman. This is all American SF music and several themes I would have liked to have included are not there. All in all though, a collection you will enjoy.

5 out of 5 stars The Ulllllltimate Sci-Fi Music Collection.......2005-10-23

If one person gives great gifts, it's the illustrious Codemaster Talon. I've received a fair number of gifts in my lifetime, but so far, my older sister's take the cake. Take this one for instance. I'm real big on orchestral music, to the point where I listen to them more than any other kind of music. I've got orchestral versions of video game themes, orchestral soundtracks to truck-loads of anime shows (Big O, Escaflowne, and Giant Robo are incredible), and could probably spend the rest of my life just trying to study the nuances of all the classical music I've got. Being such a huge fan of orchestral music, I also have come to believe that orchestra music produced for movies and television is the new classical music (or as someone once said, Mozart would be making music for movies if he were alive today). Being a huge sci-fi fan, that kind of music has always been particularly near and dear to my heart. But were I to buy each and every soundtrack for every sci-fi I liked it would cost quite a bundle, and would include a lot of sub-par music along with the grandiose and fantastic main and memorable themes. That's where this beauty comes in.

The moment I ripped off the shrink-wrap and popped it into my cd player was a moment of great trepidation. Believe me when I tell that I've seen my fair share of sub-par orchestral recording in my lifetime. Very often they are in those big super-packs of music, and suffer from poor direction, improper mastering, and sometime even pathetic orchestration (or worse yet have something sounding like a cheap synthesizer and a kazoo in place of a full orchestra). I needn't have worried though. This sucker is fantastic.

Many people who are not audiophiles will probably miss the point of this cd collection. It is not the original versions of the pieces. It is re-orchestrations, mostly by the phenomenal Prague Symphony Orchestra. Many of these themes didn't sound all that hot in there original versions because they were low budget films or were not recorded in high-fidelity. Here they are given the full treatment, mastered with the most loving care imaginable. Often the version found in these cds is SUPERIOR to the original.

Remember the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey? Of course you do. But how many times have you heard a cheap imitation of the original version from the movie, starting too low in volume and ending too high (and missing the essential pipe-organ that gives it that extra oomph)? Well, this first track in the entire collection is not only everything it should be instrumental and timing-wise, but it also has been oh-so-carefully adjusted during the mastering process so that at no time is the music either too low or too high in volume (surely a benchmark for every other recording ever to be made of the piece).

Or what about the theme from the (at-the-time) uber-creepy The Black Hole? The orchestration of this piece of music goes from tiumphant to terrifying and back again, with a splendor and cleanness that I CERTAINLY don't remember being in the original recording.

Then there's the new version of the theme from Independence Day, complete with a violin solo, a far more electrifying ending climax, and a chorus so thunderous that you feel like applauding at the end. Simply indescribable. Kind of like the MIND-BLOWING rendition of the theme from The Last Star Fighter. This has been one of my favorite themes for a long time now, but I've never heard it played like this. I think the original version of the theme is something like 1 minute long, but this new version doesn't just fade out (HAHAHAHA!!!!) THIS version is THREE minutes long, goes through the main theme THREE times, with the final strains being so triumphant and joyous I could not help but feel an electrifying charge the first dozen or so times (come to think of it, I still feel that way). This is superior to the original in EVERY way. AWESOME.

And let's not forget the incredible new rendition of Stargate with it's heavy use of clarinets (for Egyptian effect!) and a triumphant new ending (completely lacking the chanting from the original version. This version is so different that for the first minute it is very hard to tell that it is in fact Stargate. But then the main theme kicks in, and then you get this incredible flute solo for my favorite part of theme (the whole thing is played slower, but arguably more powerfully than the original). My goodness. At first I found the thing so different I didn't like it. But then I listened to it again. And again. And again.

I could go on and on, talking about the fantastic new rendition of Moon Raker, the ear-popping Battlestar Galactica, the classic Star Trek (First Contact has a minute or two of the theme from Star Trek:The Motion Picture before going into the main theme), or the sweet renditions of music from the Star Wars movies (or the music from E.T.).

I have to mention though that this collection was not picked based merely on what people want, or on what is popular. No, the people who made it obviously thought a GOOD music collection was better than a popular one. That's why you get a heartbreakingly beautiful theme from A.I. instead of the main theme. It's why you get music from movies that you probably never gave a second thought to the music (because the movie was lousy). It's why you get Armageddon, Judge Dredd, and Robocop (who would have guessed their music was so COOL when there was all that crazy action and bad-acting going on on-screen).

I said it before and I'll say it again. This cd-set was mastered with tender-loving-care, and it shows BIG-TIME. High-fidelity the likes of which I have not seen since the days when cds were brand-new in the world. Dolby Surround. Perfectly balanced. BEAUTIUFL orchestrations. About the only thing that makes me scratch my head is the weird sound-effect tracks (Oooookay.....). Other than that, it's PERFECT. Obviously they could not include every sci-fi theme ever (no one can), but this collection is REALLY GOOD. A lot of great themes that got away (forgotten gems :), new versions of old favorites, and under-appreciated classics aplenty, but ALWAYS the full and complete versions with nothing cut-out (the theme from Dune is quite extended).

If you love movie music (and sci-fi movie music in particular) you MUST buy this awesome collection). It is not the original recordings. Almost always the new ones are better (if they aren't better they're just equal). This is what you have been waiting for. I for one am going to be buying quite a few cds from this company in the future. Give your ears the treat they deserve. Buy it NOW.

5 out of 5 stars SciFi Album gift.......2005-07-20

I bought the Science Fiction Album as a gift for my son who is twenty-one years old. He is a musician, and also a huge fan of many SciFi shows and movies. I thought this would be the perfect thing for him and I was right. He loves it!

3 out of 5 stars Away From to be a Collectible Peace.......2004-12-16

If you like Sci-Fi movies and want a compilation of their important scores, this is the CD-set to buy. But let me warn you about that very few songs in the cds are from the original soundtracks. Most of them is re-recorded by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. But the sound quality of cds are very good, because they have HDCD and Dolby Surround labels. This set is away from to be a collectible peace, but it is a good general compilation of favorite Sci-Fi movie scores.
Complete Science Fiction Sessions
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A beautiful set of albums...
  • crucial american music
  • quite exquisite
  • long-awaited Ornette masterpiece as deluxe CD
  • absolutely essential
Complete Science Fiction Sessions
Ornette Coleman
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004T0PM
Release Date: 2000-05-02

Tracks:

  1. What Reason Could I Give?
  2. Civilization Day
  3. Street Woman
  4. Science Fiction
  5. Rock the Clock
  6. All My Life
  7. Law Years
  8. Jungle Is a Skyscraper
  9. School Work
  10. Country Town Blues
  11. Street Woman [Alternate Take][*]
  12. Civilization Day [Alternate Take][*]

Tracks:

  1. Happy House
  2. Elizabeth
  3. Written Word
  4. Broken Shadows
  5. Rubber Gloves
  6. Good Girl Blues
  7. Is It Forever?

Amazon.com

This two-CD set combines a pair of Ornette Coleman's Columbia LPs, Science Fiction and Broken Shadows, and adds three tracks--a new piece, an alternate take, and an alternate mix. Most of the material comes from sessions in September 1971, when Coleman surrounded himself with old associates--including the group with which he'd made his startling New York debut a dozen years earlier: trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Billy Higgins. Also along were tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, drummer Ed Blackwell, and trumpeter Bobby Bradford, another longtime associate. The seven musicians recorded as two distinct quartets, as a quintet with Bradford, and as a septet, while other guests contributed to still more permutations. All the musicians were deeply immersed in Coleman's musical language: the complex, sometimes jagged tunes; the emotional directness that drew on the wellspring of the blues; the sprung rhythms and melodic freedom that had first defined the free-jazz movement.

The set's first CD consists largely of quartet and quintet pieces. There are new groupings that take new directions, such as two evocative songs with the gifted Indian vocalist Asha Puthi, accompanied by a septet with two classical trumpeters and Higgins on tympani. And on "Science Fiction," the band breathes seething chaos around the poet David Henderson's voice. Much of the second CD concentrates on the septet, a group that inevitably invokes Coleman's most radical grouping, the "double quartet" that recorded Free Jazz in 1960, with five of the original members present. The pieces here are shorter, with more clearly defined compositional materials, but the collective improvisations are still bracing and the rhythmic dialogues often stunning. While Cherry and Coleman no longer worked together regularly, they shared a vision and empathy unique in jazz, and the shifting densities and internal meters of "Elizabeth" are something to behold. "Good Girl Blues" and "Is It Forever" catch Coleman layering and alternating different components--Kansas City blues, swing, bop, free, and classical--to create unique musical spaces. This is one of Coleman's strangest groupings, with his regular band joined by blues singer Webster Armstrong, guitarist Jim Hall, hard-bop pianist Cedar Walton, and a woodwind quintet. This is essential hearing, varied and intriguing music from one of the greatest architects, composers, and improvisers in the history of jazz. Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A beautiful set of albums..........2005-12-10

While other reviewers have mentioned that it would be useful to hear earlier Ornette albums to have some frame of reference for this one, it's the first Coleman album I ever heard: That said, I became absolutely immersed in it. The variation created by using so many different group configurations, keeps proceedings consistantly strong and simultaneously varied. The tracks featuring the Indian vocalist are absolutely breathtaking, and Coleman's playing on these albums is at once obtuse and very catchy. While this music may be complex, it still manages to retain accessibility and warmth. This is the Coleman album I will keep coming back to.

5 out of 5 stars crucial american music.......2005-01-04

this collection of music represents a groundbreaking period in modern american music. ornette put together the perfect ensemble(s) to accomplish the task and they performed beautifully. the whole record is a wonderful meditation on and sublime interpretation of the whole of american music up to 1970.

none of ornette's stuff is for the casual listener, of course, so it's worth the time and effort to peruse his earlier works to build a frame of reference for this record. i consider this to be the pinnacle of ornette's recorded work - which is not to say i don't love his later stuff. but these recordings seem to me the essence of ornette's contribution to music.

5 out of 5 stars quite exquisite.......2000-05-20

this is a collection of two ornette albums that were previously unavailable on cd in the united states, Broken Shadows and Science Fiction. these two albums, comprised here as one, are lost holes in the vast Ornette Coleman discography. The instrumentation is quite ride spread, including some very interesting vocal pieces. all in all any Ornette fan should buy this and listen to it regularly. it is excellent.

5 out of 5 stars long-awaited Ornette masterpiece as deluxe CD.......2000-05-07

At last! SCIENCE FICTION on CD -- 24-bit mapped, and given the full Mosaic-style treatment by Michael Cuscuna. Included are 2 alternate takes and 1 never before released track from the original 1971 sessions, along with all the material from those sessions originally released in 1982 as BROKEN SHADOWS.

SCIENCE FICTION is the first Ornette record I heard, in 1975, and I still love it. Most of it sounds quite like the great Atlantic recordings of 1959-62, with Charlie Haden on bass, either Ed Blackwell or Billy Higgins on drums, and Don Cherry or Bobby Bradford on trumpet (and all 5 on some tracks). Dewey Redman, in Ornette's working band of the time, also plays on many of the tracks. The twist is that there are several vocal tracks -- the 2 with Asha Puthli, the female pop/classical singer from Bombay, are heartbreakingly beautiful. (Some critics did not approve, but they weren't listening!) The title track features the poet David Henderson, and it truly sounds like Science Fiction. Two more vocal tracks, from BROKEN SHADOWS, are more conventional, and frankly can be safely skipped. A highlight of the set is "Law Years," one of Ornette's best known and often covered compositions (by Old and New Dreams and Ken Vandermark, among others). The variety of styles and textures made the original SCIENCE FICTION, to me, Ornette's greatest accomplishment as a cohesive album. (Be aware that many critics disagreed.) There is a wrenching intensity to every track on the original album, the first 8 of the 19 collected here, making a statement greater than the sum of the individual pieces, a testimony to Ornette's compositional vision. It is interesting to find that "School Work" is the theme used in DANCING IN YOUR HEAD, Ornette's first electric Prime Time recording from 1976. That was to be Ornette's new direction following this work, so SCIENCE FICTION stands as the last great recording before Ornette's "Second Period."

Absolutely essential!

5 out of 5 stars absolutely essential.......2000-05-06

When all is said and done, these will go down as some of Ornette's greatest works. By the time he did these, he was very tight with Cherry, Haden, Higgins, Blackwell, and Redman so anything he did with those musicians was outstanding.

Some of the cuts (Civilization Day, Street Woman, Law Years, Country Town Blues) more or less follow the Atlantic model (see "Beauty is a Rare Thing")

There also are two very beautiful songs (What Reason Could I Give and All My Life) sung by a fabulous Indian singer (who later appeared on a recording by Henry Threadgill), and some more densely layered compositions (Rock the Clock, Science Fiction, Jungle Is A Skyscraper) with sizzling energy that captures the times they were recorded in.

There may be a few selections which are half-baked, but this is a box set whose purpose is to document a series of sessions.

Don't miss this masterpiece!
The Rocky Horror Show (2000 Broadway Revival Cast)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • One of my favorite cast recordings
  • Thougt You Were The Candyman Didn't ya freggy!
  • The Rockiest Recording to Date
  • Good recording, bad show.
  • Oh Daphne!
The Rocky Horror Show (2000 Broadway Revival Cast)
Alice Ripley , Tom Hewitt , Raul Esparza , Sebastian Lacause , Jarrod Emick , Lea Delaria , Daphne Rubin-Vega , and Richard O'Brien
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005B605
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

  1. Overture
  2. Science Fiction Double Feature
  3. Damn It, Janet
  4. Over At The Frankenstein Place
  5. Time Warp
  6. Sweet Transvestite
  7. The Sword Of Damocles
  8. I Can Make You A Man
  9. Hot Patootie
  10. I Can Make You A Man (reprise)
  11. Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me
  12. Once In A While
  13. Eddie's Teddy
  14. Planet Schmanet-Wise Up Janet Weiss
  15. Floor Show/Rose Tint My World
  16. I'm Going Home
  17. Spaceship
  18. Super Heroes
  19. Science Fiction Double Feature (reprise)
  20. Time Warp (reprise)

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The movie version of The Rocky Horror Show has turned into such an enduring cult success that it has pretty much obliterated the fact that it all started with a stage show. And now Richard O'Brien's musical is back on stage, where some say it truly belongs (it was nominated for the category Best Revival of a Musical in the 2001 Tony Awards). With a great cast that includes Dick Cavett, Alice Ripley (Janet), Tom Hewitt (Frank 'N' Furter), and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Magenta), the revival fires on all cylinders. Note that while Joan Jett was in the cast as Columbia, she's not on the CD (Kristen Lee Kelly is). But Lea DeLaria, last seen stealing the show in On the Town, more than compensates by playing both Eddie (Meat Loaf in the movie!) and Dr. Scott--and doing great by both. As a bonus, the song "Once in a While" is back after being cut from the movie. Bursting with energy, this recording brings the rock back in Rocky. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of my favorite cast recordings.......2007-01-17

This was the first Rocky Horror album I've ever listened to besides the movie soundtrack. Despite the lack of Joan Jett as Columbia and the 2nd Usherette, this album is sweet. Daphne-Rubin Vega is perfect as Magenta. And Tom Hewlett 's interpretation as Frank N. Furter is just in sync with the character. But he's still no Tim Curry. And the rest of the cast is sublime. And with Dick Cavett as the Criminologist and famed lesbian comedienne Lea DeLaria as both Eddie and Dr. Scott is just excellent.

5 out of 5 stars Thougt You Were The Candyman Didn't ya freggy!.......2006-06-22

I thought that this was gonna be just another edition of the Rocky Horror Show.But boy was I wrong.I loved it they really modernized and gave it more of a Rock flavor than in the original play which was more pop.I just loved how they had the Overture and Space shipa partof the cd.They really recreated great for broadway.When i heard that broadway was doing Then Rocky Horror Show I didn't know what to think.Because Rocky Horror had been an off-broadway show for many years.The thought of it being onBroadway was just amazing Because people back in the 70's and 80's always thought that The Rocky Horror Show was much too trashy to be put on Broadway.Because you always think about broadway plays as being classy and eligent.They didn't want a play about Sex and Horror and Gay Transvestites.But this was just a head turner.I loved it.It's definitely 5 stars.The cd quality was great.It was so professionally done and it was great.I think any RHS Fan will love it.This was no candyman!

4 out of 5 stars The Rockiest Recording to Date.......2006-06-07

This 2000 Broadway revival of the cult classic THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW boasts a completely re-vamped orchestration of Richard O'Brien's score. This is certainly the most rock-fused version of these songs to date, and right from the "Overture" the listener can assume this. Many may not be able to accept this harder, bolder score and I myself am a bit skeptical, considering the more piano-driven and sci-fi sounding orchestrations of the film soundtrack or Roxy cast recording. However, it is so interesting to hear these songs done like this that I cannot help but enjoy it. The performances are half-and-half. Daphne Rubin-Vega belts out the opening number in that great gravelly voice she has, and Raul Esparzza sends chills down my spine every time I hear his two great solo moments ("The darkness must flow down the river...." and "Frank 'N' Furter, it's all over..."). Sebastian LaCause is amazing as Rocky, as thankless a part that is. Eddie and Dr. Scott being portrayed by a woman (Lea DeLaria) is one of the strangest casting decisions ever and is too distracting to be able to even listen to her (his? I don't know!!!) songs: "Hot Patootie" and "Eddie's Teddy." Tom Hewitt does his best as Frank 'N' Furter, but the character was so well defined by Tim Curry in the film (one of the most underrated performances ever) that one can't help but ignore him. I'd say that this recording is something every ROCKY HORROR fan should listen to; it just all depends on whether you like the new or original orchestrations.

3 out of 5 stars Good recording, bad show........2006-03-10

Rocky Horror is an American institution. It's indelible, unforgettable, and entirely unique. But without the audience participation, the show is revealed - it's simply not very good. It's a passable (if dated) parody of '50s B-movies with a transvestite main character and some halfway decent songs. The show lives with and dies without an audience. The lyrics, the characters - nothing is half as fun without the audience throwing and shouting and bantering right along.

That said, this is a VERY good recording of what's there. Tom Hewitt does as good a job as anyone trying to fill Tim Curry's sequined heels, and brings some nice twists to the table instead of going the Curry-imitation route. Raul Esparza as Riff-Raff is electric - his rendition of "Time Warp" is unlike anything else you're likely to hear on a cast recording. He blasts it right into outer space, screaming like the world's going to end. Daphne Rubin-Vega is plenty of fun as Columbia, giving a nicely sinuous and raw-edged sexiness to the role. The orchestra gives their all to the new arrangements, and they sound crystal clear.

It's definitely the best recording of the show available, even sans Tim Curry.

3 out of 5 stars Oh Daphne!.......2005-12-29

Most of the reviews have it right here - this production wasn't really Rocky at it's best. That being said, I must say that Daphne Ruben-Vega as magenta is probably one of the most interesting, refreshing, and note worthy things about this recording. Very cool in that regard.

That's All...
1000 Airplanes on the Roof
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Philip Glass CD
  • Great fun!
  • Know before you buy!
  • Did not like it
  • 1000 Airplanes: A Spacy Opera
1000 Airplanes on the Roof

Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Philip Glass - Songs from Liquid Days
  2. The Photographer
  3. Philip Glass : The Voyage: An Opera in Three Acts
  4. Powaqqatsi (1988 Film)
  5. Glass: Akhnaten

ASIN: B00000DR5Q
Release Date: 1992-07-01

Tracks:

  1. 1000 Airplane On The Roof
  2. City Walk
  3. Girlfriend
  4. My Building Disappeared
  5. Screens Of Memory
  6. What Time Is Grey
  7. Labyrinth
  8. Return To The Hive
  9. Three Truths
  10. The Encounter
  11. Grey Cloud Over New York
  12. Where Have You Been Asked The Doctor
  13. A Normal Man Running

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Philip Glass CD.......2007-04-05

The service I received on this order was excellent. I was stunned at how quickly the package arrived.
The CD itself I don't much care for. That having been said, please understand I am not a big fan of New Age music. I bought the CD because a drum and bugle corps called Phantom Regiment is performing material from it in their field show this summer. I am very curious to see what the staff gleaned from this.

5 out of 5 stars Great fun!.......2007-03-19

This is incidental music to a play, so it's all wordless [the voice of Linda Ronstadt being used as an instrument] and contained. It's Glass' take on a classic sci-fi score...his version of the original Star Trek theme. [that's why the electric keyboard sound...which is not "cheesy" but essential to the scale and mood of the piece] Sometimes dreamy, sometime frantic, it is full of invention and mood.
Great for driving!!

5 out of 5 stars Know before you buy!.......2005-08-04

This is not typical Glass music, I do not believe. The emphasis of the opera as well as the music is to create an impression of the incredible and amazing, not so much to create a landscape and gaze at it, as Philip Glass music often does.

For someone who is new to Philip Glass' older works, this may be a gentle introduction. For more seasoned fans who do not know about the opera, you may want to do your homework first.

2 out of 5 stars Did not like it.......2005-03-12

As a huge fan of early Philip Glass, I was anticipating wonderful things when I bought this album.

It disappointed me greatly, though. The organic tone of the Farfisa organs was gone, replaced by a very cheesy plastic dull sounding FM synthesis keyboard sound.

And the compositions seemed to be rehashes of the earlier Glass idioms.

I ended up getting rid of this album, after trying a few more times to get into it.

And that's pretty sad (compare to my favorite Glass albums -- including "Music in 12 Parts", "Einstein on the Beach", "North Star", "Akhnaten", "Satyagraha", "Dance Pieces", "The Photographer")

5 out of 5 stars 1000 Airplanes: A Spacy Opera.......2003-11-23

I wasn't sure what to think of this album after listening to it a couple of times. I found myself enamored with Track 10, however, a very fast, powerful, maddening tune, and felt the need to go back and re-evaluate the entire album. I found that the album is quick, very thematic, thought-provoking. In fact, I didn't know anything about the theme of the album, but as I listened, I felt I was on the brink of insanity. As it happens, a friend of mine mentioned that the opera is just that--about someone who is a bit whacked. This album is a top five of mine. It's a bit spacy, edgy, crazy. Linda Ronstadt's out-of-this-world vocals are awesome. If you like Philip Glass, you'll love this album!
Science Fiction Movie Themes (Film Score Anthology)
Average customer rating: 2 out of 5 stars
  • Robotic and Science Fiction Movie Soundtrack
  • IT STINKS
  • Cool variation of the themes.
  • Too synthetic!
Science Fiction Movie Themes (Film Score Anthology)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001VLQ
Release Date: 1990-05-11

Tracks:

  1. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
  2. Blade Runner
  3. Alien
  4. Return Of The Jedi
  5. Star Wars
  6. E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial)
  7. Silent Moon
  8. Battlestar Galactica
  9. The Unending Story
  10. Noah's Ark
  11. Raumpatrouille Orion
  12. Cosmic Wind
  13. Star Trek
  14. Close Encounters
  15. War Of The Worlds

Product Description

Excellent condition, includes original Cd, case, and all paperwork, First Class shipping, ask me for my complete Cd List file! :)

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Robotic and Science Fiction Movie Soundtrack.......2005-11-05

This cd contained some bad music overall but some of the really good ones were excellent. So I guess I wouldnt recommend anyone to buy this CD.

1 out of 5 stars IT STINKS.......2004-10-13

Disco sci-fi?? They got to be kidding. Stay away from this mess. The 1 star rating is false. It's the only way I could get this thru. It's really a big ZERO.

4 out of 5 stars Cool variation of the themes........1999-07-13

These are some of the best science fiction movie themes thrown onto one CD. The music is changed into a more jazzy, futuristic tone. Some of the songs suck, but it is an overall good CD.

2 out of 5 stars Too synthetic!.......1999-04-14

This is actually a re-release of a CD that originally offered several more tracks, including "The Twilight Zone" and a jazzy variation on "2001."

This version offers no substitutes for the missing tracks, and the new arrangements of the surviving tunes are lifeless interpretations pumped out of a sytnthesized orchestra.

The kiddies might like the upbeat tempos, though.

Caveat emptor!
Murder On Beaver Street
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Pay No Attention To The Song Titles!
  • AWESOME!!!
Murder On Beaver Street
The Route 66 Killers
Manufacturer: GraveWax Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Graveyard Shindig
  2. Instrumentals

ASIN: B0002BSFPO
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

  1. Ballade of the Headless Horseman
  2. Dia de los Muertos
  3. Murder On Beaver Street
  4. The Jabervock
  5. Monsterbation
  6. El Conquistador
  7. Baba Yaga
  8. The Mummy's Curse
  9. Ghoul Tango
  10. Shallow Grave
  11. Masque of the Red Death
  12. Tale of the Drunken Prospector
  13. The Bandito
  14. Death, Death, Death
  15. The Devil's Martini
  16. The Beginning of the End

Album Description

This is dark instrumental surf music. Reminiscent of classic surf artists, Dick Dale & the Del-Tones and The Ventures but with a darker modern twist. Murder On Beaver Street shifts between different styles within the surf genre. For example, the fast picking style of Dick Dale, the spaghetti western feel of Ennio Morricone, and the primitive rock and roll style of Link Wray.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Pay No Attention To The Song Titles!.......2005-09-03

Overall this is well-played instrumental surf music of a gentle nature. I have no idea where the group came up with song titles like "The Mummy's Curse," "Shallow Grave," or "Death, Death, Death." There is nothing eerie or ominous about any of it. In fact this CD could be played in the background of a quiet get-together with friends and set a very nice ambience. It is worth owning but don't buy it expecting music in the "horror surf" genre.

5 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!!.......2004-06-08

This CD is great. If you are looking for a different type of music other than the same old pop music out these days, pick up this CD!!! You can feel the soul in the instruments these guys play and you WILL be caught dancing or jumping around!!! This is the best surf I have heard!!!
Video Commander
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Video Commander

    Manufacturer: Kama Kosmic Krusader
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000CAF4AY
    Release Date: 2005-08-30
    Out Of This World (Science Fiction Anthology)
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Jabba's Theme in all its glory
    • The Music of the Stars
    • Great example of substandard Williams/Pops
    • Great for science-fiction fans
    Out Of This World (Science Fiction Anthology)
    John Williams , and The Boston Pops
    Manufacturer: Polygram Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B0000040W0
    Release Date: 1990-10-25

    Tracks:

    1. 2001: A Space Oddyssey (Introduction From 'Also Sprach Zarathustra')
    2. E.T. ('Adventures On Earth')
    3. Alien (Closing Title)
    4. Star Trek - The Television Show (Main Theme)
    5. Battlestar Galactica (Main Title)
    6. Star Trek - The Motion Picture (Main Title)
    7. Twilight Zone (Theme And Variations)
    8. Return Of The Jedi: 'Parade Of The Ewoks'
    9. Return Of The Jedi: 'Luke And Leia'
    10. Return Of The Jedi: 'Jabba The Hutt'
    11. Return Of The Jedi: 'The Forest Battle'

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Jabba's Theme in all its glory.......2005-05-10

    The whole CD, short though it is, is good, but the real reason for a John Williams fan to buy this one is the concert version of "Jabba's Theme" from "Return of the Jedi." That particular theme appears on the "Jedi" soundtracks, but not as a complete and contained work, which is what you get here. And, naturally, it's fantastic.

    4 out of 5 stars The Music of the Stars.......2003-08-28

    Out of This World is a 1990 Philips reissue of a Boston Pops album first released in 1983, shortly after the release of Return of the Jedi. As with 1982's Aisle Seat, conductor John Williams and producer John McClure showcase music from classic science fiction movies and TV series. Although 5 of the 11 tracks were composed by Williams ("Adventures on Earth" from E.T. and a concert hall suite from "Return of the Jedi"), Star Trek fans will be happy to know that Alexander Courage's "Main Theme" from the Original Series and Jerry Goldsmith's "Main Title" from Star Trek: The Motion Picture were included.

    As always, "America's Orchestra" tackles each composition with the same sensitivity and care as if they were pieces by Mozart or Beethoven. The pieces are relatively short -- "Adventures on Earth," the longest single piece, lasts slightly over nine minutes, while the Closing Title from "Alien" runs shy of the three-minute mark -- and are evocative of those hours spent in front of the television or in the darkness of the movie theaters where we went on those astral voyages of the imagination.

    2 out of 5 stars Great example of substandard Williams/Pops.......2002-09-19

    This recording is shaky at best. At worst, Williams and his engineer were drunk during the recording sessions. The main problem with this album is, the orchestra sounds like an amateur or college orchestra, rather than a major professional organization. The ensemble sounds thin, as if lacking enough musicians to pull off the grand scope of the music. The engineering is sub-par compared to other Williams/Boston Pops releases. The sound quality seems lackluster for a 1983 recording (couldn't they have mixed it to get rid of the shrill woodwinds and brass?). Worst of all, the orchestra plays out of tune at several points (specifically in the French horns, trumpets and woodwinds). Especially in the "ET" and "Return of the Jedi" tracks, is this REALLY the Boston Pops??

    Perhaps I'm being too critical. After all, Williams had only been the conductor at the Boston Pops for a few seasons before undertaking this mess. However, this recording pales in comparison to his other recordings of the era. The cuts from "Return of the Jedi" are nothing special; there are any of a number of other re-recordings of these tracks that I would recommend over this one. Williams' conducting seems uncertain during the pieces he didn't compose, for example, the excruciating tempo variations in "Battlestar Galactica" and the unbearably slow rendition of the "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" theme (Goldsmith would have picked up the pace significantly).

    The BPO as heard on this album lacks the panache and polish of later recordings (including subsequent Williams efforts), and this is easily the worst Boston Pops album I've heard. In the end, for what you get in this collection, I recommend Erich Kunzel's "Star Tracks" compilation over this hackneyed effort. You'll find better performances and higher quality in the Cincinnati Pops compilation, with renditions of these great themes sounding more faithful to their original versions.

    5 out of 5 stars Great for science-fiction fans.......2000-08-31

    If you are a science-fiction tv/movie lover you'll find this CD to be great. Boston Pops offer their usual performing excellence, very well conducted by John Williams. Very enjoyable, indeed.
    "Neil Norman - Greatest Science Fiction Hits, Vol. 2"
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • Look! Up in the sky!
    • "Sci-Fi film score collectors"
    • Second Encounter Even Closer
    "Neil Norman - Greatest Science Fiction Hits, Vol. 2"
    Neil Norman
    Manufacturer: Gnp Crescendo
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000001OVW
    Release Date: 1992-07-06

    Tracks:

    1. Star Wars/Empire Strikes Back Medley: March Of The Jedi Knights/Princess Leia/Cantina Band...
    2. Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea
    3. Daughter Of The Lesser Moon
    4. Sinbad & The Eye Of The Tiger
    5. The Time Tunnel
    6. Twilight Zone
    7. Star Trek: The Motion Picture
    8. Buck Rogers In The 25th Century
    9. War Of The Satellites
    10. Vampire Planet
    11. Dr. Who
    12. The Adventures Of Superman
    13. Dark Star
    14. March Of The Lizard-Men

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Look! Up in the sky!.......2005-01-16

    This is the second volume of science fiction music rerecorded by Neil Norman, with help from the late great Les Baxter. This time around, the arrangements are closer to the original soundtrack versions, although some of the music still has a bit of a "synth pop" feel to it. The "Star Wars/Empire Strikes Back" medley in particular sounds rather "discofied". I should also mention that there are three songs here that are not from science fiction movies or TV shows at all. "Daughter of the Lesser Moon", "Vampire Planet" and "March of the Lizard-Men" are all original tunes written by Les Baxter or Neil Norman especially for this album. "Vampire Planet" is boring, but the other two are pretty good. Overall, this is a pretty entertaining album if you are a science fiction fan.

    4 out of 5 stars "Sci-Fi film score collectors".......2000-03-05

    The follow up album is actually much better than Volume One and seems to be concentrating on the "Original Soundtrack" arrangments more. While the series fans and avid film score collectors will prefer the original soundtracks, this is still quite good and entertaining.

    Some stand outs - ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (Leon Klatzkin) which is not heard on too many compilations - DARK STAR (John Carpenter) another selection seldom issued - DOCTOR WHO (Ron Grainer) well represented arrangement - and BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY (Glen Larson) much hailed series with this familar and enjoyable theme.

    This collection from GNP/Crescendo Records is a must for any Sci-Fi film score collector, from the small tube to the BIG SCREEN, good variety of tracks on this "2nd Venture" into the realm of space and beyond.

    Total Time: 33:51 on 14 Tracks/ GNP-Crescendo Records - GNPD 2122 (1986)

    4 out of 5 stars Second Encounter Even Closer.......1999-04-14

    This follow-up CD is actually superior to Vol. 1 in many ways. Although the arrangements are still somewhat jazzy, there seems to be an effort to stay closer to the original scores. Some standouts are "Dr. Who", "The Adventures of Superman", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", and "Twilight Zone."
    Sun Ra - Space Is The Place
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Space is Not the place
    • pretty good
    • More Archetypal Than Archestral
    • What a bizarre delight!
    • Sun Ra universe will be verified by physics!
    Sun Ra - Space Is The Place

    Manufacturer: Plexifilm
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
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    Similar Items:
    1. A Joyful Noise
    2. Sun Ra - The Magic Sun
    3. The Wisdom of Sun Ra: Sun Ra's Polemical Broadsheets and Streetcorner Leaflets
    4. Space Is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra
    5. Live in Oakland

    ASIN: B0000CD5F5
    Release Date: 2003-10-28

    Amazon.com

    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

    Description

    DESCRIPTION:Science fiction, blaxploitation, cosmic free-jazz and radical race politics combine when Sun Ra returns to earth in his music-powered space ship to battle for the future of the black race and offer an "alter-destiny" to those who would join him. Intentionally created as an homage to the low-budget science fiction films of the 50's and 60's, SPACE IS THE PLACE became a visual embodiment of Sun Ra's Afro-Egyptian myth of salvation in outer space. The special effects, outrageous plot line and apocalyptic message harmonize with the otherworldly score and a climactic live performance by one of the most innovative and profound groups in jazz history. After having traveled through space in a yellow spaceship propelled by music, Sun Ra finds a planet he believes could serve as a new home for the black race. Returning to earth, he lands in Oakland, California circa 1972 and has to battle The Overseer, played by Ray Johnson (from 1971's DIRTY HARRY), a supernatural villain exploiting the black people. The Overseer, the FBI, and NASA -- who are after Ra's Black Space Program -- attempt to assassinate Ra, who escapes into space with his followers before the destruction of Earth. Cosmic blaxploitation cum sociological critique, SPACE IS THE PLACE defies categorization. It is at once a platform for Sun Ra's radical racial philosophies, an indictment of the government's policies in Vietnam-era U.S., cult camp flick, sci-fi movie and concert film with unforgettable performances by the Intergalactic Solar Arkestra. Since its extremely limited release in 1974 -- the film played very briefly in San Francisco and New York -- SPACE IS THE PLACE has become an underground legend spoken about but never seen, and if so, in poorly dubbed bootlegs or in the severely adulterated 1992 VHS version.

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Space is Not the place.......2007-07-21

    Appropriately named a blaxploitation film, Space is the Place does more harm than good in promoting "blackness", in spite of its attempts to weave in sophisticated technological and mythic themes. It is an arduous task finding positive representations and ideas amidst the white noise of drugs, bitches, pimps, and, well, noise. Ironically, part of the process is not understanding, as finally clarified in Sun Ra's concert approaching the end of the film.

    The good versus evil, religious, and Egyptian themes are relatively transparent, and the exclusive application to blacks (though strangely only to American blacks), is a reaction to the same monopolization on the part of whites. There is a mythical garden, an Eden-like place, an ark in the form of a space ship, and immortality in space/heaven, all reserved for blacks. Rather than promoting equality and peaceful coexistence, the message is one of segregation and near mutual annihilation. This could be because the divide between blacks and whites seems wide and hopelessly irreparable, or because blacks themselves are unable to rise up out of their oppressed state without outside or divine assistance. In all these cases thus far, the militant pro-black attitude actually agrees a great deal with white racism, promoting segregation and stating that blacks bear a great responsibility for their own plight, and cannot get their acts together.

    This negative presentation of disenfranchised groups continues in the hyper-sexualization of black women (and white women), seen in the whores, stories of abused women, told by their men and pimps, nurses, and numerous silent women riding in cars. Another notable phenomenon is the use of exploiting women to elevate one's status, especially if the woman is white. This implies not only that the assignment of female is even more subjugating than blackness, and that white women are a greater prize than black ones: the overseer's choice woman is white, and he first shows sexual interest in the white nurse, who happens to bring her black friend. Lines like "...do what your daddy says, and everything will be fine--it's better than shooting up on the stoop, isn't it?" both deprive women of the ability to make choices, and imply their predisposition to drugs and catering to their carnal instincts; this resembles the antiquated, racist, white perceptions of blacks, this time transferred to women. The line spoken by the pimp, who defends the fact that he beat his woman to the point of hospitalization, says "bitches need it". Somehow this man receives salvation in the end, but why, we never know.

    The alternating predatory or impotent black male persists throughout Space is the Place. The best example of this is in the devil-like Overseer, and his pathetic (half-white?) assistant. It could be, however, that the impotent part of him comes from that inner whiteness in his personality, since the two NASA men are unable to perform in the same brothel on the same day.

    The concert is the moment where Sun Ra explains his philosophy. Throughout the film, he establishes music as a balancing, mathematical, sophisticated force that can power anything from spaceships to an entire race. It can cause chaos, revolution, and salvation, so the fact that Sun Ra uses his unusual form of jazz to spread his message is expected. He asks, at the end of the film, for blind trust, for understanding that blacks are "the pattern and spirit of man", he asks them to not be afraid and to embrace their ignorance as their salvation. It is an ambiguous ending resulting in the salvation of whores, teenage hoodlums who save Sun Ra from the NASA men, a pimp who abuses women, and the black half of Jimmy Fey, helper of the Overseer.

    If nothing else, this film may be good for a laugh as some charmingly dated things can be, but whether in its own context of the time or now, it is offensive to the mind and ear. Best seen with a group of drunk friends, I would imagine.

    3 out of 5 stars pretty good.......2006-03-31

    this film is pretty nice but not nearly as great as the documentary A Joyful Noise. I highly recommend purchasing A Joyful Noise first because it provides a deeper look into Sun Ra.

    4 out of 5 stars More Archetypal Than Archestral.......2005-05-25

    I picked up this curious period piece of psychedelic, indie-fueled moviemaking some time ago. Sorry now I waited so long to view it. It's a delightful combination of '70's pop culture, science fiction fantasy, Sun Ra musical storytelling through his Inter-Galactical Outer Space Archestra, and black pride allegory that manages to be quite on point.

    Initially, I was too fascinated by the imagery and music to think much about any message. In retrospect, Sun Ra is a spiritual being from a space colony playing chess with an earthly demonic pimpmaster for big stakes: the souls of exploited people, black (mostly) and white. The pimpmaster also plays the system, selling his black brothers and sisters to addiction and prostitution for his own pleasure, trapping them in an oppressive, seemingly inescapable existence. A third main character is the media commentator--Jimmy Fay--who seems to be a shill for the pimpmaster and his worldly culture but eventually comes around (perhaps more John the Baptist than Jesus Christ) to sharing the enlightened message of Sun Ra, joining those who are delivered from bondage. All ends happily in a Sun Ra space colony of resurrected, reborn black/white humanity.

    Even if you don't buy the Biblical allegory, it's still a cool trip, with a bit of harmless nudity and violence for good measure (just like Cecil De Mille).

    5 out of 5 stars What a bizarre delight!.......2004-10-07

    What a simultaneously hysterical with fits of lucidity presentation! The running battle between Ra and "Overseer" is a great subtext. Gives some insights into the man, somewhat in spite of Sun Ra's best efforts to stay a "Mystery". The cheesey effects and over the top acting has to be viewed as an ultimate camp cult movie. A JOYFUL NOISE is almost as bizarre, but probably more accessible. Most of the charm is that you can't tell whether he is plain nuts or goofing with you. I understand this was very calculated and intentional on his part.

    Parliament/Funkadelic owe more to this guy than I think anybody realizes. I don't know if George Clinton has ever acknowledged his debt to Sun Ra, at least conceptually, for doing the full blown conceptual thing decades before him.

    5 out of 5 stars Sun Ra universe will be verified by physics!.......2004-02-23

    What a great super-fly atmosphere, Oakland in the early 70s.
    Ra has some great parts, and as always the music is tops.

    SPACE IS THE PLACE!

    Music Info:

    1. Secret Treaties
    2. She Loves Me She Loves Me Not
    3. Slave to the Thrill
    4. Souls at Zero
    5. Sublime Dementia
    6. Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas
    7. Terrible Certainty
    8. Terrible Certainty [Import]
    9. The Best of the Rest
    10. The Essential Michael Schenker Group

    Music Info

    music info

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