Koyaanisqatsi

Vianne Militar

Koyaanisqatsi is an experimental film produced in 1982, directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by Philip Glass and cinematography by Ron Fricke. In the Hopi language, “Koyaanisqatsi” means “unbalanced life.” This film contains no dialogue nor a vocalized narration; the tone is set by images of natural landscapes and urban life accompanied by music that transitions between hypnotic, aggressive, haunting, and meditative. Given the lack of dialogue, the film is driven by its imagery and music, pointing to no intrinsic meaning. The film, instead, provokes questions or stimulates reflection.

Koyaanisqatsi’s strengths lie in its mesmerizing imagery and music. Glass’s score amplifies the complexity in the visual narrative. The film takes us from desert scenery, seascapes, and cloudy skies to long shots of cities, buildings, highways, and more. The intensity and fast-paced music complement city life, descending scales accompany falling buildings, frantic melodies underpin production lines, and haunting notes reinforce isolated shots. As Reggio explains, he wanted to depict “our shining beast,” being the things we are proud of the most. The film demands attention in contemplative scenes that explore both the beauty of urban life and the destruction that comes with technological progress. That being said, the film’s strengths partially overlap with its weaknesses.

The film itself is not so much about something but offers an experience rather than an idea. Its images of the natural and human-made world and its relationships are somewhat ambiguous. Some sequences are recurrent such as traffic and pedestrians, passing into common consciousness. Without the title, which hints at how to interpret the film, what’s the film’s message? Arguably, that is the entire point; Reggio wanted to leave the film open to any interpretation. While the absence of dialogue and a vocalized narration might leave a viewer impassive, disengaged, or underwhelmed, it is ultimately up to the viewer how much they invest in the film. Nevertheless, the film’s mesmerizing union of imagery and music should not be discounted.

Though the effectiveness of the film’s minimalism and ambiguity are debatable, Koyaanisqatsi’s techniques effectively provide multiple points of reflection on where we stand with modern life, technology, and the environment. A notable scene shows the launch of Apollo 11, followed by footage of the explosion of the first Atlas-Centaur, all in contemplative slow-motion. This scene left me questioning, where does our technological progress ultimately lead us? Hotdogs in factory assembly lines are frantically paced in the same motion as people moving up an elevator, suggestive of losing individuality and ultimately being enclosed within the same grid of technology we have created. Visual and musical tropes paced throughout the film suggestively imply multiple points to ponder on.

Koyaanisqatsi has won awards in various film festivals and recently won the 2020 Cinema Eye Legacy Award. It is able to engage with many audiences, although it might appeal more to viewers who value freedom in interpretation or simply appreciate the beautiful visuals and score that the film has to offer.

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