The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

John Sayles

Writer:

John Sayles (writer)

Release Date:

7 September 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Welcome to a world of crude beauty... of danger and excitement... of wonders, legend, and imagination... Welcome to Harlem, Brother.

Plot:

A mute alien is chased by outer-space bounty hunters through the streets of Harlem in this thought-provoking cult classic.

Plot Keywords:

Mute | Alien | Black Man | Extraterrestrial | Bar

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Joe Morton	...	The Brother
Rosanna Carter	...	West Indian Woman
Ray Ramirez	...	Hispanic Man
Yves Rene	...	Haitian Man
Peter Richardson	...	Islamic Man
Ginny Yang	...	Korean Shopkeeper
Daryl Edwards	...	Fly
Steve James	...	Odell
Leonard Jackson	...	Smokey
Bill Cobbs	...	Walter
Maggie Renzi	...	Noreen
Olga Merediz	...	Noreen's Client
Tom Wright	...	Sam
Minnie Gentry	...	Mrs. Brown
Ren Woods	...	Bernice

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

108 min | Australia:106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:M | Finland:K-8 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ellis Island, New York Harbor, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Anarchist's Convention Films

Trivia:

The entrance and exit scenes of the Men in Black's first appearance in the bar were filmed entirely in reverse with the camera upside down, according to director Sayles' commentary on the restored print. The two men started on the bar stools, then backed out of the room for the entrance; while the exit was filmed with the two outside the bar and backing into it, including Strathairn replacing the cookies in the cookie bowl.

Goofs:

Continuity: After sitting on the steps listening to the cop, The Brother walks away leaving the cop sitting there. The cop has his cap on when they're both on the steps, but in the next shot of The Brother walking away, his cap is off and he soon puts it on.

Quotes:

Fly: (about Harlem) I'd rather be a cockroach on a baseboard up here than the Emperor of Mississippi.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Destroy All Humans! 2 (2006) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Dinero

Typical Sayles

What I love about Sayles is that he never forgets that first and foremost, movies should tell stories.

This one is a real gem in the rough. It has the irreverence and SciFi conventions of Barry Sonnenfeld's MIB but with social commentary instead of a budget. Also, instead of merely clever comments on NYC life, Sayles shows his characteristic political side by highlighting little tableaux of real life. Slipping in the Harriet Tubman subplot was pure Sayles.

I especially loved his usage of music and the chemistry of the barroom regulars. That fight with the MIB was a hoot! Sayles, a Corman vet, knows that special effects shouldn't be used for the sake of having them.