Koyaanisqatsi

Koyaanisqatsi. 1982. USA. Directed by Godfrey Reggio. Original music by Philip Glass. Cinematography by Ron Fricke. 35mm. 86 min.

Godfrey Reggio and Philip Glass’s first collaboration—and the initial entry in their Qatsi trilogy—Koyaanisqatsi is an arresting tone-poem on “life out of balance” (the meaning of the film’s Hopi title). Majestic time-lapse images of nature in the American Southwest gradually give way to power lines, machinery, pollution, traffic, and urban landscapes. Apocalyptic and groundbreaking at the time of its release, this non-narrative feature remains a stunning achievement for its formal experimentation, unparalleled theatrical experience, and environmental vision.

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