The Song: Space Oddity

One of Bowie’s best-loved tracks, Space Oddity tells the story of poor old Major Tom who finds himself “sitting in a tin can” (not a real tin can) “far above the world”. Planet Earth is blue, and there’s nothing he can do. Understandably, he gets a little bit down in the dumps.

The single was quite significant, released in 1969, the year of the lunar landing, which ensured its success in Britain. We feel it’s about time Major Tom was given the Hollywood treatment.

The Movie:

Of course, the title Space Oddity is a pun on the title of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey released the preceding year. So what better way to honour the Major’s memory than with a spoof?!

The film opens with Kubrick’s iconic ape-and-bone scene, though with a ‘hilarious’ twist: the seat is cut out of the monkey suits so that every time they turn around, the audience see bums. Brilliant, right? You ain’t heard nothing yet.

We follow Major Tom, a lazy, idiot stoner, who’s been sent into space for some ludicrous reason in an exhibition of appalling judgement by Ground Control.

Once there, he encounters some really stupid and unfunny Star Wars/Trek/Apollo 13 skits which make you want to burrow into your own skin in a last ditch attempt to find an exit route from the cinema.

The finale features a huge floating baby. It talks. And swears. Try not to swear back.

The Cast:

Rob Schneider is Major Tom. Lee Evans is an operator at Ground Control and the baby is voiced by Chris Rock. Prepare to have a really, really bad time.

Sample Dialogue:

GC: This is ground control to Major Tom. The papers want to know whose shirts you wear. I told them that you wear your own damned shirts.

Audience: Huh?

Next: Five Years