Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

Release Date: April 27, 1983


What's It About: Koyaanisqatsi is an extraordinarily poignant experimental film about man's relationship with the Earth. The word 'Koyaanisqatsi' means 'Life out of Balance', in the Hopi language, the primary language of the Native American Hopi tribe. The film is a visual-audio experience that foregoes any spoken dialogue in favor of a montage of various places and phenomena around the world, as well as time-lapse footage of people, vehicles, structures, cities and day to day life, frequently cutting back and forth between the two.


The Good: The first and foremost element of this film that stands out is its stunning soundtrack, composed by Philip Glass. The intentional simple, repetitive structure and slow progression mirror the repetitive, cyclical nature of the world and its waxing and waning over billions of years at the longest scales, to the fast-paced, dynamic and mechanical actions of manmade machinery and cities at their shortest, where music builds and crescendoes ad infinitum. There is heavy metaphorical symbolism permeating every shot and scene, and requires multiple viewings and readings to notice. It's not my place to spoil them for you, but there is heavy use of various cinematographic techniques to connect shots together at the visual level to draw out the intended meaning.


The Bad: How can I say anything bad about this film? I guess it's slow, but the Earth is slow, so its on us to exercise more patience. Koyaanisqatsi knows exactly what it's trying to be, isn't trying to be anything it isn't, and shows what it does with as little filtering as it can.


Best Performance: This film has no actors, but honestly, if there was a performance that deserves recognition, then I would nominate 'people' for it. The most powerful scene of the film occurs about 70 minutes in, in which random people in New York were filmed, without their knowledge, going about their daily lives. The scenes depict humans living and performing their life roles, each one fitting into their place in the world, whether by their volition or not, and displays this unfiltered and unchoreographed.


Should I Watch It: If you're looking for entertainment, don't watch this, because this isn't meant to entertain you. However, as a film that wishes to speak allegory about humankind's time on this planet, and to put into perspective our relationship with it, and the subconscious similarities to nature that we imbue upon our creations, and to broaden that perspective so that you can see how Earth has brought us into balance with what is ours and what is not, then this is a must-see. Come in with an open mind and alot of patience, and you will be rewarded for long afterwards.


Post-Credits Scene: No


Similar Films: The other two Qatsi films (Powaqqatsi and Naqoyqatsi, 1988 and 2002), Baraka (1992), Samsara (2011), Chronos (1985)


Trailer: