Koyaanisqatsi

[Truronian]

I really like Koyaanisqatsi (and to a lesser extent Powaqqatsi... never seen the third one), which is strange because normal I dislike arty-farty stuff. The music, the film, the editing, it's all sublime. Anyone else seen it?

Does anyone have any knowledge about this genre of cinema? I'm looking for recommendations. I've heard Baraka is similar, so will probably buy that next time I'm on Amazon looking to waste money.

 

[Atticus]

I've seen bot Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi, and liked both of them. They weren't artsy in a pejorative sense in my opinion: I reserve that word for movies like Hiroshima mon amour, Kieslowski's colour-trilogy and such. Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi were more like living photography. The point being that you film something beautiful or interesting. I liked also how they didn't concentrate only on traditionally beautiful things, but also on DDR-type architecture, machinery and so on.

 

[Glassfan]

I bought the trilogy at Border's last year. The third film is Naqoyqatsi, "Life as War". Naturally, I like the Philip Glass soundtracks as much as the pretty pictures.

I have a hard time describing the films to friends - "It's like a National Geographic special without words."

If it's the music you like, I'd suggest Kundun.

 

[mariogreymist]

I actually prefer Powaqqatsi.

I'd suggest Inland Empire, as it is also a film which tells its story by invoking emotional responses rather than through a traditional narrative. Albeit without Philip Glass music.

 

[Truronian]

I've just watched Nagoyqatsi. I think it has some of the best music of the trilogy, and the visuals are very trippy. I quite like it, it's great to have on in the background while marking geometry.

I've just looked up Kundun Glassfan, looks right up my alley. Now to see if it's cheap on Amazon...

 

[Furiey]

Blew a set of speaker fuses playing Koyaanisqatsi whilst at uni. It was quite loud I suppose.

 

[Communisto]

Goes great with mushrooms. Delicious.

 

[Silurian]

I watched the first two when they were shown on TV back in the 80s early 90s - assume on BBC - very good

 

[Glassfan]

I've just watched Nagoyqatsi. I think it has some of the best music of the trilogy, and the visuals are very trippy. I quite like it, it's great to have on in the background while marking geometry.

I've just looked up Kundun Glassfan, looks right up my alley. Now to see if it's cheap on Amazon...

Kundun is an actual movie, with a plot and dialog and everything - plus the splendid Philip Glass soundtrack. But if you like the qatsi's you'll like Kundun.

I recently purchased his Dracula - It's supposed to be to the 1931 Bela Lugosi film what Dark Side of the Moon was to Wizard of Oz.

 

[Specialist290]

I wouldn't have minded Koyaanisqatsi so much if it had either been about an hour shorter or broken up into more manageable chunks. As it was, I had to watch the whole thing in one go and ended up thinking to myself "When will it end?" for about the entire last half.

Didn't help that we had to watch it for a class at the time, either.

 

[Glassfan]

I wouldn't have minded Koyaanisqatsi so much if it had either been about an hour shorter or broken up into more manageable chunks. As it was, I had to watch the whole thing in one go and ended up thinking to myself "When will it end?" for about the entire last half.

Didn't help that we had to watch it for a class at the time, either.

A bit esoteric - what kind of class?
It's funny, I get to the last chapter and think, "Damn, wish there were more!" Well, it's a matter of taste.

 

[Specialist290]

Appreciation of the Arts. Introductory-level college course that I took my freshman year.

It especially didn't help that it was a four-hour night class. The fact that it only met once a week and only rarely took up the whole four-hour period mitigated things somewhat.

 

[Truronian]

I watched Kundun, it had a nice feel to it though I didn't think it was fantastic. Glad to have checked it out though. I'm now listening to some of his other work... Einstein on the Beach is great.

 

[NovaKart]

I haven't seen Kundun but I saw Samsara (2001) about Ladakh and thought it was pretty interesting.

 

[Glassfan]

I watched Kundun, it had a nice feel to it though I didn't think it was fantastic. Glad to have checked it out though. I'm now listening to some of his other work... Einstein on the Beach is great.

Philip Glass' music in Kundun includes the use of Tibetan Horns and Monk's chant, which I find amazing. Contrast to Mishima - almost independant of any Japanese context.

And I agree, Einstein on the Beach is indeed fine.

 

[Rub'Rum]

I saw a bunch of movies that try to do the same as Koyaanisqatsi, including its sequels (powa and nagoy, I think my girlfriend actually prefers Powa; it's full of culture and colors afterall, I prefer the stark/gloom of the first one.). The latest one I saw was Baraka, which wasn't bad at all. They are all pretty good, but I can never get that feeling I got the first time I saw Koya. The soundtrack, the destruction of Pruitt-Igoe, the thoughtful ending that harkens back to where it started. It's just all epic. I even listen to its soundtrack by itself quite often.

 

[Truronian]

I liked Baraka mainly because of the bits that were borrowed for Alpha Centauri. The music was nowhere near as good IMO. I'm a big fan of Powaq and Naqoy, though the Arabic music at the end of Powaq is not my cup of tea.

 

[warpus]

Does anyone have any knowledge about this genre of cinema? I'm looking for recommendations. I've heard Baraka is similar, so will probably buy that next time I'm on Amazon looking to waste money.

I haven't seen Koya* but Baraka is awesome

 

[Glassfan]

I liked Baraka...

I haven't seen Koya* but Baraka is awesome

Based on your recommendations I purchased Baraka from Amazon (2 disc deluxe set; $19.49) and enjoyed it very much, Thanks. It seemed so similar to the Qasti's however, that I thought it was an homage. Then, in the bonus material I found out that Ron Fricke, Alton Walpole and others who made Baraka and Chronos worked for Godfrey Reggio on Koyaanisqatsi, so it made sense.

 

[Glassfan]

Just an update. I stumbled upon Samsara in Netflix of all places - actually a couple of years old.

So for anyone still interested, there are two trilogies:

Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi.

And Ron Fricke's Chronos, Baraka, and Samsara.

I'm actually cultivating a small corner of my DVD library with these 'atmospheric' films.