Koyaanisqatsi
(Life out of balance)
Summary
The film Koyaanisqatsi is not traditional in any sense. It takes the viewer
on a wild flight from the tranquil (seemingly lifeless) western deserts
of the United States, through the great planes of the nation's heartland
and mid-west, our forests and on to America's largest cities. The pace accelerates
as the music and images drive individualism from the minds' eye. Modern
technological life becomes impersonal and mechanical, and humans become
robotic. Our everyday lives seem meaningless as we produce, consume, and
maintain ever increasing amounts of need. Technology feeds on itself and
tremendous amounts of resources are wasted as demonstrated in the demolition
of New York City Projects in the film.
Reaction
After viewing the movie (essay) I wrote about the experience right away.
This is an intense pictorial essay that must be seen. The author breaks
new ground with this film. His idiom directs the viewers' emotions with
music and images, reflects of an out of control society.
When the world finds out the true meaning of life and living, those enlightened
will merely say, "It should never have gone so far". Advancement
in technology creates an ever increasing dependency on technology. Koyaanisqatsi
is about slavery to a mechanized world. As we try to create a world with
freedom from laborious tasks, a never ending and seemingly bottomless pit
of technology with an ever increasing appetite for attention are our true
gains.
Janet E. Lorenz seems to agree with me on content and theme. I read her
review and found our perception of the artists' message was mutual . I had
to grin as I read her comments that so closely matched my own (nearly word
for word).
Ebert missed the message Koyaanisqatsi expresses. Like some in the class,
his review was short sighted. Koyaanisqatsi is an important film with an
important message. The presentation may have been too fast paced for some
people to grasp the message. Perhaps the fast pace of the current media
complex is dulling their senses. What ever their reasons, I was disappointed
that some people didn't get it.
I was two hours recovering from this movie. If taken seriously, as I feel
it should be, this may be one of the scariest movies you ever see. I was
moved by the urgency stressed by this movie. Koyaanisqatsi is a warning,
stressing the need to make fundamental changes in our society. Changes that
will alter our collision course with nature. Over population, waste, uncontrollable
and unpredictable technologies are all themes that set this movie into the
blur of visual images, that literally gave this viewer the shakes.
I won't soon forget it.
Robert Boak
