Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Godfrey Reggio

Writers:

Ron Fricke (writer)
Michael Hoenig (writer)

Release Date:

27 October 1983 (Australia)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

Until now, you've never really seen the world you live in.

Plot:

A movie with no conventional plot: merely a collection of expertly photographed scenes. Subject matter has a highly environmental theme.

Plot Keywords:

Environment | Technology | Nature | Native American | Cloud

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Ted Koppel

...

Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

None

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:G (video rating) | UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:7 | USA:Unrated | Germany:6 | Australia:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Santa Fe Institute for Regional Education

Trivia:

The cars being produced on the assembly line are Chevy Camaros.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: About an hour into the movie, the camera operator is reflected in the elevator's glass window as the elevator passes "between" floors while shooting the escalators.

Movie Connections:

Edited into The Killing of John Lennon (2006)

Out of balance

Godfrey Reggio's magnificent documentary "Koyaanitsqatsi" was an amazing experience when it first came out more than twenty years ago. Watching for a second time, this time in DVD format, one realizes how this movie makes the case that it must be seen in the big screen in order to get all the brilliant cinematography in its proper perspective. Even watching it in a 32 plasma screen, one realizes it pales in comparison when projected on a larger movie theater screen.

The images that are presented in the film are just beyond belief. The fantastic music score by that genius, Phillip Glass, compliments and enhances our experience. This film will live forever in spite of some of the comments submitted to this forum, because it deals with universal themes that will stay with us on this planet while human life will exist. This was pioneer movie making that later on became main stream. The originality being in the way the director presents the different sections in the film with some unusual photography that, while imitated, remains the standard for comparison with any new so called latest technique and innovation.

Kudos to Mr. Reggio, Mr. Glass and the people behind this gorgeous film.