Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

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

Director:

Godfrey Reggio

Writers:

Ron Fricke, Michael Hoenig,

Stars:

Lou Dobbs, Ted Koppel

5 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Lou Dobbs	...	Himself (uncredited)
Ted Koppel	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Storyline

Koyaanisqatsi is a documentary (of sorts). It is also a visual concert of images set to the haunting music of 'Phillip Glass' . While there is no plot in the traditional sense, there is a definate scenario. The film opens on ancient native American cave drawings, while the soundtrack chants "Koyaanisqatsi" which is a Hopi indian term for "life out of balance". The film uses extensive time lapse photography (which speeds images up) and slow motion photography to make comparisons between different types of physical motion. In one of the first examples, we see cloud formations moving (sped up) intercut with a montage of ocean waves (slowed down) and in such a way we are able to see the similarities of movement between these natural forces. This technique of comparison exists throughout the film, and through it we learn more about the world around us. The film progresses from purely natural environments to nature as affected by man, and finally to man's own manmade environment, devoid of ...

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Plot Keywords:

technology | nature | environment | hopi | cloud | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Qatsi Trilogy site

Country:

USA

Release Date:

24 August 1983 (France)

Also Known As:

Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance

Filming Locations:

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Chinle, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

IRE Productions, Santa Fe Institute for Regional Education

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The longest shot in the film, that of the two United Airlines 747s (approximately 24 minutes in), lasts over 2 1/2 minutes.

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Goofs

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.

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Connections

Followed by Powaqqatsi (1988)

User Reviews

it remains profound

KOYAANISQATSI remains a profound statement over twenty years after its original release. the point then is the point now.

one of the great things about this film is that while the intrusion of man is initially presented as profane and abhorrent, ultimately there is found a symmetry to the human experience that is as organic as anything found in the `natural' world. i used to be tempted to perceive humans as the only species on the plant that didn't fit, that threw everything out of balance, as it were. but over time it has become apparent that even the blight of man on earth is a naturally occurring phenomenon. the evolution of life is the destruction of life. the circle is unbroken.