Blu-ray Review: Koyaaniqatsi (1983) and Powaqqatsi (1988)

Arrow Video have released Godfrey Reggio’s first two films in his Qatsi-trilogy, Koyaaniqatsi and Powaqqatsi. Unfortunately they couldn’t get the rights to the final film in the trilogy Naqoyqatsi because Miraxmax/StudioCanal owns them. Koyaanqatsi is the most famous of the three and is something of a modern classic in filmmaking.

The films contain montages of imageries of different landscapes on the earth; people, cities, and space – often edited in such a way to appear surreal. In one of the documentaries on the first film Phillip Glass makes an astute observation, saying that “the world never really looks like that but it also does”. Koyanniqatsi is mostly about the Northern hemisphere (the developed world) and Powaqqatsi the Southern hemisphere (the developing world). The films in the series are very much open to interpretation, lack in any real narrative and contain no sound except for Philip Glass’ scores.

Reggio has said many times the films’ purposes are to create an “experience” and “it is up to the viewer to take for himself/herself what it is that the film means.” This, however, hasn’t stopped people saying it’s an environmentalist film or a film about the impact of technology on the world. They are meant to provoke ideas in the viewer and have for decades and still do.

I personally got more out of Koyanniqatsi because I thought it had more to say about technology and the environment and is simply a better made film. Ron Fricke – who shot Koyanniqatsi – didn’t film Powaqqatsi, so it lacks the utter brilliance of cinematography and interesting juxtapositions of shot evident in the first one. Fricke would go on to direct the similar and very acclaimed Baraka.

The film’s most lasting influence is undoubtedly the use of time-lapse photography. It wasn’t a new thing in 1982 when Koyanniqatsi was released to the public because it’s as old as film it self. Despite this, it wasn’t used as extensively in a feature length documentary before nor had any wide commercial success. It has, however, influenced every film and art school student to employ it in their work and it’s become something of a cliché and an overused technique.

Koyanniqatsi made over $3,000,000 at the box office which was at the time unheard of for a “documentary” because it was long before the days of Michael Moore and the idea of the blockbuster documentary. It did, though, cost about the 2 and a half million mark, but the film was out of print in the 90s for a long time due to copyright issues.

The film’s scores have developed a life of their own. The Koyanniqatsi score particularly remains Philip Glass’ best-known work. The ironic thing is, Glass – before he scored Koyanniqatsi – had no interest in scoring films, but he has made a nice career of film composing for such films as the masterful Mishima: a Life in Four Chapter among other films as varied as The Hours and The Illusionist.

Arrow used the same masters as Criterion transfers and they look quite stunning. The disc also contains documentaries on both films and an introduction by filmmaker and composter Gary Tarn. It also features the short Anima Mundi which is somewhat of a companion piece along with trailers and a lengthy booklet.

Koyaanisqatsi

[rating=4]

Powaaqqatsi

[rating=3]

Ian Schultz

Genre:
Documentary
Distributor:
Arrow Academy
Rating:PG
DVD Release Date:
12 May 2014
Run Time:
185 minutes
Director:
Godfrey Reggio
Buy:Koyaanisqatsi+Powaqqatsi [Blu-ray]