DESTINATION PLANET NEGRO – The SLIFF 2013 Review

Review by Sam Moffitt

DESTINATION PLANET NEGRO is a  pretty good satire on race relations and a nice parody of 50s science fiction space movies. Starting in the 1930s and in black and white leaders of the Negro, or Colored community, come up with a plan to get away from troublesome white people. Namely go by rocket ship to Mars, an idea taken directly from Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles. A Negro physicist, his daughter and a Colored pilot blast off in the rocket ship, powered by fuel made from peanuts and sweet potatoes by a hilarious George Washington Carver. Along for the ride is a jive talking robot named Strom who steals every scene he’s in.

Instead of Mars they go through a time warp and land in the present day in America and have to learn to deal with hip hop culture, texting and a Black President, something unheard of in their time. Destination Planet Negro is that rare comedy that actually gets funnier as it goes along. The rocket ship and especially the hardware inside are spot on, beautifully done. Obviously done on a low budget this is great stuff, highly recommended, don’t miss this one!

DESTINATION PLANET NEGRO screens Saturday November 16th at 8:30pm at The Tivoli Theater as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival. Writer/director Kevin Willmott will be in attendance and will host a Q&A after the film.

Ticket information can be found HERE

http://www.cinemastlouis.org/destination-planet-negro