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The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

6.7
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Ratings: 6.7/10 from 3,418 users  
Reviews: 37 user | 18 critic

A mute alien with the appearance of a black human is chased by outer-space bounty hunters through the streets of Harlem.

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Title: The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

The Brother from Another Planet (1984) on IMDb 6.7/10

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2 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Rosanna Carter ...
West Indian Woman
Ray Ramirez ...
Hispanic Man
Yves Rene ...
Haitian Man
Peter Richardson ...
Islamic Man
Ginny Yang ...
Korean Shopkeeper
...
Fly
...
Odell
Leonard Jackson ...
Smokey
...
Walter
Maggie Renzi ...
Noreen
...
Noreen's Client
...
Sam
Minnie Gentry ...
Mrs. Brown
...
Bernice (as Ren Woods)
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Storyline

The Brother is an alien who has crash-landed on Earth, in New York City. While mute, strongly empathic, and able to fix things, he resembles a Black man with strange feet. His attempt to make a place for himself in Harlem is an allegory for the immigrant experience in the United States. Meanwhile, two bounty hunters from the Brother's home planet arrive and try to capture him. Written by Reid Gagle

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

This illegal alien chose the New York streets over the men in black. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity | See all certifications »
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Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

7 September 1984 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Apo allon planiti  »

Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$3,700,000 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

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. See more »

Goofs

In the scene where the Brother is brought in to fix video games, the woman there is playing Robotron, but the sound effects are from Galaga, not Robotron. See more »

Quotes

Smokey: [Men in Black have just left] White folks get stranger all the time.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Destroy All Humans! 2 (2006) See more »

Soundtracks

"Two People in the World"
Sung by Little Anthony and the Imperials
By Barett and Wright
Big Seven Music Corp., Music Publishers
Courtesy of Roulette Records (1958)
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Saw somethin' strange, watch your back, 'cause you never quite know where the M.I.B.s is at.
10 April 2013 | by (Hampshire, England) – See all my reviews

A mute, three-toed, super-sensory humanoid (a fine performance from Joe Morton) arrives on Earth, appropriately landing near Ellis Island and taking up residence in Harlem, where his African American appearance helps him to blend in with the locals. The inquisitive alien sets about exploring his strange new environment, absorbing the unique sights and sounds of '80s New York with the help of his otherworldly sense of touch and his removable eyeball, but his journey of discovery is interrupted when he finds himself being hunted by two mysterious men in black...

Although writer/director/star John Sayles' strongly suggests that Morton's character is an escaped slave and makes references to class divide, racism and America's history of slavery, he ensures that The Brother From Another Planet doesn't ram a moralistic or political message down the viewer's throat, focusing instead on examining the human condition though the use of interesting characters, quirky dialogue and intriguing situations. The film is all the better for it—a somewhat bizarre but fun sci-fi adventure on the surface, but one that can be dissected, examined and discussed on a deeper level if so desired.


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