I've just watched francis ford coppola's koyaanisqatsi--life out of balance. It's just a beautiful composition of visual and music stimulation. I can imagine the huge effect it must have had when it first came out in 1983. Anyway, for all you who have seen this, what are you thoughts on the visuals, the sounds, the film as a commentary on nature and the industry--the rhythms we, as society, have established, the relationship between sound and the built environment...
koyaanisqatsi was presented by francis ford coppola. whatever that means.
it had great visuals but was discredited as hippie stuff when it came out.
major crew:
Produced & Directed by
Godfrey Reggio
I remember watching Koyannisqatsi as an 8 year old when it was broadcast on PBS in 1984 and being deeply enthralled by it. Then I missed a lot of its critical overtones of western culture, but the visuals and pacing were unlike anything I had seen. Of course, the use of breathlessly fast time-lapse shots of cities was quickly hijacked soon after by innumerable Madonna videos and Fidelity Investments commercials. I know its almost become sort of a cliche for architects to like this film, but maybe since I remember it from childhood, it's truly one of my all-time favorites.
I love Philip Glass. Check out the 'sequels' Powaqatsi and Naquoqatsi (sp?)--also very political, maybe not quite as visually gripping, but great scores.
i saw Philip Glass perform the music to Powaqatsi live, while the visuals where projected on a cinema screen behind. The setting was in the Barbican, London, which was spectacular....but after a while i started fidgeting in my seat - almost freaked out, until finally Philip Glass changed the tempo and the piano drill stopped echoeing in my head. Cool visuals though.
Hey, so I've just gotten back from 'the screening' - everyone loved it, about 20 or so students from a variety of years, which is pretty good turn out for my school. They even clapped at the end, bless :)
I think it's time for a remake, I really fancy doing it, stuff this architecture bollox.
I do agree in a way, I think his "modernist" highly abstract noodlings can be insipid sometimes, but I happen to think it works quite nicely in this context.
I don't want to see the others really, the second looks too depressing, the third just looks ridiculous. The first one is where it's at I'm betting.
You know, I enjoyed the film. The images are of course stunning, but I don't think the film really works. koyaanisqatsi is a hopi that means life out of balance, they are trying to make an environmental / economic /social commentary. But, the beauty of images and the way they are presented without any context undermines its message. Nice eye candy, but not very filling. The Hopi word for "wow, what pretty planet" would be a better title.
Mar 19, 05 11:36 am ·
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Koyaanisqatsi
I've just watched francis ford coppola's koyaanisqatsi--life out of balance. It's just a beautiful composition of visual and music stimulation. I can imagine the huge effect it must have had when it first came out in 1983. Anyway, for all you who have seen this, what are you thoughts on the visuals, the sounds, the film as a commentary on nature and the industry--the rhythms we, as society, have established, the relationship between sound and the built environment...
koyaanisqatsi was presented by francis ford coppola. whatever that means.
it had great visuals but was discredited as hippie stuff when it came out.
major crew:
Produced & Directed by
Godfrey Reggio
Director of Photography
Ron Fricke
Music
Philip Glass
just drop some go into the desert and eat some peyote. open your doors of perception.
I remember watching Koyannisqatsi as an 8 year old when it was broadcast on PBS in 1984 and being deeply enthralled by it. Then I missed a lot of its critical overtones of western culture, but the visuals and pacing were unlike anything I had seen. Of course, the use of breathlessly fast time-lapse shots of cities was quickly hijacked soon after by innumerable Madonna videos and Fidelity Investments commercials. I know its almost become sort of a cliche for architects to like this film, but maybe since I remember it from childhood, it's truly one of my all-time favorites.
it gave me a headache
It's a great discovery I think, pretty damn nice.
And would you believe, I'm showing it at a uni film night, tonight!
I love Philip Glass. Check out the 'sequels' Powaqatsi and Naquoqatsi (sp?)--also very political, maybe not quite as visually gripping, but great scores.
i saw Philip Glass perform the music to Powaqatsi live, while the visuals where projected on a cinema screen behind. The setting was in the Barbican, London, which was spectacular....but after a while i started fidgeting in my seat - almost freaked out, until finally Philip Glass changed the tempo and the piano drill stopped echoeing in my head. Cool visuals though.
yeah, I hear you dolemite. stunning nonetheless.
Hey, so I've just gotten back from 'the screening' - everyone loved it, about 20 or so students from a variety of years, which is pretty good turn out for my school. They even clapped at the end, bless :)
I think it's time for a remake, I really fancy doing it, stuff this architecture bollox.
there was a sequel... Naqoyqatsi...
so if you're not already lobotomized by glass' putrid "score", give it a go. turn the sound off, tho...
"dah! i am philip glass! dah! behold my genius!"
yadda, i hate that man.. blong gong ..
LOL noci
I do agree in a way, I think his "modernist" highly abstract noodlings can be insipid sometimes, but I happen to think it works quite nicely in this context.
I don't want to see the others really, the second looks too depressing, the third just looks ridiculous. The first one is where it's at I'm betting.
you should check out the film Baraka as well, it's along the same lines as the above mentioned films. very enjoyable.
the best thing about not being in the academic setting???
no more difficult listening hour ala glass, kronos quartet et al. a blessing in disguise
glass is amazing. he is not modernist- he is baroque, a la xeroxed arpeggio.
p.s.- i love the sound of piano drills
You know, I enjoyed the film. The images are of course stunning, but I don't think the film really works. koyaanisqatsi is a hopi that means life out of balance, they are trying to make an environmental / economic /social commentary. But, the beauty of images and the way they are presented without any context undermines its message. Nice eye candy, but not very filling. The Hopi word for "wow, what pretty planet" would be a better title.
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