KOYAANISQATSI | Life Reframed

Рет қаралды 30,629

3 жыл бұрын

What's it like to see the world for the first time, with a fresh pair of eyes, from a completely different perspective? In this video, we'll be taking a look at one of the most profound films of the last several decades: Godfrey Reggio's experimental documentary and visual tone-poem 'Koyaanisqatsi' (1982). In order to understand what Reggio is trying to say through the film, we'll be examining the technical as well as contextual elements behind the project, particularly focusing on the influence of the Native American Hopi people and their mythology.
FURTHER READING/VIEWING
'Essence of Life' | Interviews with Godfrey Reggio and Composer Philip Glass (2003): • Godfrey Reggio & Phili...
Hopi Origin Story | Sacred Stories, PBS: • Hopi Origin Story | Na...
A Hopi-Anglo Discourse | Essay on Hopi Mythology: www.jstor.org/stable/1465464?...
Koyaanisqatsi | A Film Without Dialogue: • Koyaanisqatsi | A Film...
MUSIC
'Koyaanisqatsi' by Philip Glass:
- 'Koyaanisqatsi'
- 'Organic'
- 'Resource'
- 'Pruitt Igoe'
- 'The Grid Introduction'
- 'The Grid'
- 'Microchip'
- 'Prophecies'
- 'Translations and Credits'
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-
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I do not own any of the clips used.
This video is a review for critical and educational purposes and is protected under article 15 and 105 in the United States Fair Use code, as well as Fair Dealing in UK copyright law. My use of both the footage and music from this work is for the sake of analysis. This video is NOT an infringement on copyright.

Пікірлер: 99

@cmccuan 3 ай бұрын

This film was like getting your first pair of glasses and getting to see clearly for the first time just to see a junk yard, a meat packing plant, and a car accident.

@ken7oecosa869 2 ай бұрын

This film was the first film I have ever watched on my own, consciously. It was exactly like you described.

@joannevincent2035 2 жыл бұрын

Koyaanisqatsi, both film and score, got under my skin nearly 50 years ago. I've never lost the feeling of being mesmerized by the cinematic creation of Reggio and Glass.

@jonahfalcon1970 Жыл бұрын

Amazing, since Koyaanisqatsi came out less than 40 years ago. 😁

@ZoolGatekeeper 9 ай бұрын

I think this film is the best documentary of our time. Of course the score is wonderful, but showing the world like from an alien perspective is a brilliant move. And even if you don't like the hypnotic pace of the movie, you still have to ask the question: Is this what we are? OR even better: Is this ALL we are?

@joannerichards1750 9 ай бұрын

@@jonahfalcon1970 I possess rare talents. Jealous?

@jonahfalcon1970 9 ай бұрын

@@joannerichards1750 No. I have my own.

@renafielding945 3 ай бұрын

Me too. Changed everything.

@HappySnappyChappy 10 ай бұрын

This movie made a big impact on me at the time and I watched it many times, often to a different sound track, like Pink Floyd or Mike Oldfield (and the synchronicity is astonishing). I enjoyed your presentation and found it insightful and interesting as I've not watched the big K for many years now, but I was pondering one of the follow ups and thought I should maybe revisit this experience. I'm sure it is, as you said, more relevant and disturbing than ever. It occurs to me some 40 odd years later maybe people have forgotten about it, but I saw it turn up in the Simpsons and in Scrubs.

@shortycareface9678 2 жыл бұрын

Re-watched this one during the early stages of Lockdown last year; suddenly it felt like the perfect time for it. Definitely one of the most powerful cinematic experiences I've ever had. I'm moved to tears by this movie. Great analysis!

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

It's amazing how much it achieves without the usual elements of narrative cinema! The ending gets me every time... Really glad you enjoyed the video :)

@robertmanfredthurrigl9424 2 жыл бұрын

Very fitting indeed . I had it on video and later on DVD for nearly four decades and it never fails to captivate or mesmerize . It leaves you almost punch drunk yet contemplating and reflecting at the same time of what one has just witnessed. One gets the sense that there is not too much hope in the naked lust for materialism and human expansion amidst its population explosions . This was made for the BIG screen and i first watched it in 1983 with my late brother in a cinema in Munich . Two years later i got the film for myself for home use .

@theexchipmunk Жыл бұрын

@@ReframedYT It´s quiet the unbelivable piece of art. I don´t know just what kind of black magic they did to create a movie that with nothing but what is basically stock footage and minimalist music can draw one in just so much and cause such viceral and raw emotions in the viewer.

@MrCalhoun556 2 жыл бұрын

A consciousness emerging from barren lands, forming and feasting upon it, growing, discarding it dead parts, expanding, transcending its own nature and reaching out to new worlds. That's what I see when watching Koyaanisqatsi.

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

Very well put!

@jarabaa 22 күн бұрын

A beautiful, illuminating commentary guiding us through a unique work of art.

@jonahfalcon1970 2 жыл бұрын

Fun fact: the music in each scene were not written for that scene by Glass. According to Glass, Reggio took the music he wrote for each scene and used it for other scenes.

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

It's constructed really interestingly; I love that point about emphasising the ambience of the music and not what it's meant to be describing. Still, it's impressive how well the finished product works considering that.

@jonahfalcon1970 Жыл бұрын

@@christiaandockers3755 Shhh. The adults are speaking.

@nicolasjustiniano9593 2 жыл бұрын

Man, these 12/13 minutes were the most entertaining and reflexive in my whole day. Congratulations for your video!

@quetzalcueyat 6 ай бұрын

the phoenix art mueseum recently screened this film. i read the discription and looked it up online before heading out to watchi. i had a general idea about what i was going to watch. i was blown away with the visual. just seeing where were headind with destroying our envionment for our technologies and seeing the social class divides of the have and have nots. its a wake up call.

@abibas198 Жыл бұрын

you know, watching the movie and listening to that masterpiece, every time I think about mankind in general: The post-industrial society. Will humanity come to some kind of unified method of management, as according to Fukuyama? High technologies. Will they replace our lifestyle and ourselves? Population and urbanization limits. Ecology. How we replace our wars? How will the concept of war change? Will people have the need of all of it? The questions of life and death. Trans and post humanism. Isn't it all an utopia? Are we ready for all that??... what is next, what is the next goal, where to develop further, space exploration, planet colonization, interest in expanding the knowable, literally everything comes to mind....the ending always make me cry thinking of all the crap happened with humanity for decades and centuries and still happening to reach nowdays. The rocket leaving our home planet, heading into the unknown and inexorably exploding and falling back (the music is sensational, so many different vibes, it s just fantastic, with so strong energy)

@65gtotrips 9 күн бұрын

I love films like these

@andif8 Жыл бұрын

Very, very fitting video essay! Thank you very much! This is one of the most important film ever made!

@user-sc8ld8ip7g 4 ай бұрын

The work you do is just magnificent. And so is koyaanisquatsi of course. But the way you gave your perspective and words to this wordless magnitude of that film is astnonishing. Glad for stumbling over your video and channel! :)

@ReframedYT 4 ай бұрын

Thanks so much!

@nationeer 2 жыл бұрын

someone in youtube posted the movie in reverse, It's even more surreal watching it that way but still engaging

@jamesmmcgill 2 жыл бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rJxdfpCS17zQXYk.html

@CASPERDANCE 3 жыл бұрын

This was a fantastic watch. Would love to hear your thoughts on the other two films in this trilogy.

@truefilm6991 3 жыл бұрын

Well I own Powaqqatsi and Naquoyqatsi on DVD (as well as various versions of Koyaanisqatsi) and I think that both are inferior. The final chapter features very basic and outdated computer generated images. Powa.... is nice and basically a "Southern Hemisphere" version of the first film, but Ron Fricke's own Baraka, shot on gorgeous Camera 65 film, does it better. It is obviously about the contrast between spirituality and poverty, as opposed to the contrast beween natural landscapes and human activity. Being a cinematography buff, having done a fair share of shooting on film myself, I can simply marvel at the wonderful images, without necessarily trying to find the deeper meaning. It's of course also a matter of "working with the shots you were able to get or find". I think the first film excels here and Ron Fricke was on the forefront regarding time lapse and finding breathtakingly beautiful landcapes, landmarks and everyday people desperately trying to maintain a certain image while failing miserably to do so.

@bigballz4u 2 жыл бұрын

@@truefilm6991 I appreciate your comment, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions on what Ron was going for with the city folk shots. I bet you would scarcely find anyone struggling to maintain an image without speaking a word, anyways.

@truefilm6991 2 жыл бұрын

@@bigballz4u Well I was talking about all humans. We construct a persona to the best of our abilities, in hopes to maintain dignity. It's enough to see the posture of many of the people shown, trying to hide sadness and confusion. No need to be a genius to see that. Fricke probably just went for interesting faces, but ended up showing people who are visibly troubled.

@ruuddekoff1090 5 ай бұрын

Actually....Powa is not a repeat; it tells the story of the 1st world parasiting onthe 3rd world. It is a true statement of its own.@@truefilm6991

@Dinjur Жыл бұрын

Blew me away when I first watched it. I took a gamble when buying the Criterion Blu-Ray before watching it and while the other two films in the box set are underwhelming, Koyaanisqatsi really affected me greatly.

@francofx Жыл бұрын

naqoyqatsi music is fire tho.

@Dinjur Жыл бұрын

@francofx agreed. But philip glass is amazing regardless

@lou1958 Жыл бұрын

So well done. Thank you. This film is one of many focal points in my life. I saw it when it first came and could never let its messages leave my mind. I even sometimes sit at a traffic light on my commute to work and stare at the world speeding by with this score playing in my mind.

@yuvadm 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for putting the work into this incredible review of an incredible movie

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

Very kind of you to say, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

@alveer3321 2 жыл бұрын

🙏📯

@Kevin-hy8ok 4 ай бұрын

Brilliant job describing this timeless, mesmerizing work of art. I’ve come back to it many times over the years and the emotional resonance that arises is powerful. With climate change caused by human activity now so undeniable (by most), I feel the “tipping point” is now in the rear-view mirror.

@kevindorn2508 2 ай бұрын

I will never forget the feeling i had when i watched this for the first time....also under the influence of a certain herb. It blew me away and opened up my mind to a different form of art. I love it and rewatch it at least once a year. I still wonder what the people in the slow and personal shots were thinking and how their lifes went...and if someday i spot a blue ray for a reasonable price im gonna buy it.

@TheUrbanCollectiveWeFilmIt 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic Analysis of my favourite film of all time. Cheers.

@MisterHolaMan 3 ай бұрын

GTA IV brought me to this movie, any time I hear this music a chill runs down my spine

@jonathan.gasser 2 жыл бұрын

What a beautiful analysis! I hope your channel makes it :)

@xdmkii 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent analysis

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@ashfaq1999 2 жыл бұрын

Great review of this brilliant film.

@kikujirob1ll 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. Well done!

@robocrab2224 2 жыл бұрын

This video is beautiful, you deserve infinitely more subscribers.

@user-ls8pd1pz3h 2 жыл бұрын

Great to watch at 2am

@kevinivers 3 ай бұрын

Why must the technology be apart from us? We created it. It *is* us as much as the Hopi tools and creations were part of them. As much as the ancient carvings and wounds dug into the desert canyons by rivers over millions of years are *part* of the land. The explosion of the rocket is as much about death and disintegration as the time lapse sequences of cities are about life and renewal. The chain of electrical towers resembled a chain of powerful ancient idol drawings, and the music in that sequence didn’t seem so ominous as it projected fierce power that is both technology and nature. There is so much about this work of art that is expansive and universal, apolitical and agnostic. It is what makes it so timeless. Also, one fact check: there is no glimpse of “early Reagan era consumerism” in the film. The filming (1975-1980) ended before Reagan was elected.

@purplepimple2610 2 ай бұрын

I drove 160 miles with a vcr, got a motel room, rented the video and another vcr, and made my copy.

@robinjones1 3 жыл бұрын

Another great video, Ben!

@ReframedYT 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Robin!

@jacobfukkui5581 2 жыл бұрын

What a piece of review! Loved it

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

Really glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

@klim4x 2 жыл бұрын

I just got the Movie on BluRay, exited to watch it. Thank you for the video :)

@8BitThoughts 3 ай бұрын

Very well made dude!

@ACERKIDD1 2 жыл бұрын

That was amazing. Thank you for breaking it down for us! Its definetly still powerfull and diffrenent to anything ive ever seen so far.

@RtB68 Жыл бұрын

I stumbled over this quite by accident and it pulled me in right from the start...I had no idea what it was all about and spent the first part wondering wtf was goingon...then I just let it wash over me and the feeling of ethical panic just filled me. I was shifted in my thinking by this film, and I not quite comfortable with the feelings it left me with for weeks afterwards.

@fingmoron 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video, well produced good quality. Surprised you have so few subscribers keep it up you will get more!

@alistaircormack2180 2 жыл бұрын

Great film, Ben. Illuminating and inspiring.

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much, Alistair!

@alistaircormack2180 2 жыл бұрын

Sorry forgot this was public.

@alistaircormack2180 2 жыл бұрын

Really enjoyed your Borges film too.

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

@@alistaircormack2180 that's alright! Really glad you enjoyed it :)

@erictjones Жыл бұрын

"A container of ashes falling from the sky" that sounds like a meteorite to me.

@RJ_MacReady13 5 ай бұрын

My story with this movie started when I played Gta IV. One of the radios the game features the track "Pruit Igoe" of the score by Philip Glass. I thought it was a tremendous song so I did some research and discovered it was part of a movie with a strange name. The trailer intrigued me, and so I found the movie online and watched. It was an awesome experience, I was mesmerised, and it quickly became one of my favorite movies. Eventually I bought the dvd and soundtrack, I revisit the movie quite often, I just think it's a masterpiece

@alicepostmus1498 2 жыл бұрын

this was terrific.... do you have a full list of films you have reviewed and reframed? i would love to check them out! one of my faves.... a classic with very little dialog, long scenes & epic soundtrack - The Good The Bad & The Ugly - i think is worthy of your time & scrutiny :)

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

Feel free to check out some of my other videos, I haven't made many on film yet, but I'd like to try some more straightforward reviews. I just started university so I won't have much time to make these kinds of videos for a while :( Glad you enjoyed it tho, thank you for watching!

@piotrstandarddeviation6934 8 ай бұрын

Wyprowadziłem się na wieś i unikam tego jak mogę.

@LeCheeZy Жыл бұрын

♥

@phyarth8082 4 ай бұрын

10:38 Cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. Chemtrail cobwebs helps cool down upper atmosphere but it is painkiller (opium to masses) rather than solution to global warming.

@abrahamgena9974 5 ай бұрын

@3:27 reminds me of Nolan's Interstellar

@manueldilone8424 8 ай бұрын

I would say the suggestion to spend the last 40k on making this masterpiece paid off....

@crapisnice 6 ай бұрын

heartbreaking

@AwesomeAngryBiker Жыл бұрын

This is almost like the old film Metropolis

@joeydimaggio6429 2 жыл бұрын

Saw it when it first came out at Fresno's Tower Theatre. I related to it immediately. My idiot friend at the time hated it. Such is life in Fresno.

@TT-rz5hi 2 жыл бұрын

That friend of yours might be calling you an idiot for liking it on the other hand. Such is life !

@joeydimaggio6429 2 жыл бұрын

@@TT-rz5hi He wasn't an idiot for hating it. He was just an idiot.

@alveer3321 2 жыл бұрын

📶☀️ FaaaaaaaanKinGz 🙏

@CrummyJoker 9 ай бұрын

The choir in the background: "Koyaanisqatsi" Reframed: "KoyaanisKÄTSII"

@sibudladla1 Жыл бұрын

due a 40 year anniversary 4K treatment cinema rerelease!; interesting juxtaposition of space-'primitive' theme at end, cf. Kubrick's 2001 opening 'bone' scene at beginning...

@samwindmill8264 Жыл бұрын

I love this analysis, but my only quibble might be that you didn't devote as much time as I would've to the "Vessels" sequence, which is probably my favorite part of the whole film. The underlying Cold War darkness--present, I would say, from the very beginning with the sunbathers overshadowed by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station--comes into focus when it cuts from a parking lot full of cars to an array of tanks and military aircraft.

@peterhudson5748 7 ай бұрын

Did Hans Zimmer with interstellar just blatantly ripoff the phillip glass soundtrack? I thought they just reused the music, but it turns out that it is an “original” score. Wow.

@piotrstandarddeviation6934 8 ай бұрын

Nigdy nie będę microczipem.

@rottenroads1982 Жыл бұрын

The day of Purification, or in other worlds, The Rapture & Judgment day. The book of Revelations goes into full detail about the end.

@jonahfalcon1970 2 жыл бұрын

1983, dude. (Heck, Q*Bert was released in October 1982.)

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

I used the date of the premiere at Santa Fe Film Festival in April 1982.

@jonahfalcon1970 2 жыл бұрын

@@ReframedYT There would have been no way for them to have footage of Q*Bert, so that was not the final version.

@ReframedYT 2 жыл бұрын

In most discourse of the film 1982 is used, so that's what I went with.

@krisellison6650 2 жыл бұрын

It's simple. The wealthy at the top above money shooting off bottle rockets. Haha

@oscar3eyes 2 жыл бұрын

...there are too many people...

@BauregardSenior87 6 күн бұрын

At first I was like " An abstract look at humans without going into the communist trojan horse of climate change? Nice, how refreshing, and then 11:55 hits and you start spouting all the communist likes like a good sausage.