ko.yaa.nis.katsi
(from the Hopi language), n. 1. Crazy life. 2. Life in turmoil. 3. Life disintegrating. 4.
Life out of balance. 5. A state of life that calls for another way of living.
Perhaps knowing the above definition would sway a viewer to
immediately associate chaotic train stations with turmoil and crashing buildings with disintegration. However, after completing the documentary Koyaanisqatsi, filmmaker Godfrey Reggio
did state in an interview that the film is open to interpretation. His goal was
to allow the viewers to independently infer the film’s message. I chose to view
the film solely for what I was given, the soundtrack and images.
Philip Glass composes the only audio - a mesmerizing
minimalist soundtrack – so no commentary or narrator educates the viewers. When
tied to the film’s images, the keyboards, flutes, violas, and cellos sang a
song of sorrow. The music was cleverly intertwined with occurrences in every
scene, making it very difficult to separate the sound from the sight. But my
goal was not to be swayed by this. Listened to independently, the song was
nothing but beautiful.
Red and black images along with dark, gloomy music open the
documentary. Wide takes of beautiful landscape in the beginning of the movie
are then contrasted with bustling scenes of civilization. One variation of
Reggio’s message is this: nature harmoniously rolls and sweeps while man pushes
and carves. Although scenes depicting the gray, dirty lives of humans can make
viewers yearn for the peaceful beauty in nature, there is still something
magnificent and beautiful about each and every shot. The traffic pattern
recorded in a scene of inner-city intersections reveals a rhythm that reminds
me of an electrocardiogram. The pulse of civilization is, to me, just as
fascinating as the pulse seen in the ocean’s tides. Maybe Reggio wished to
frighten us with images of man’s manipulation of land, but I see modern art in
the blueprint-like images of booming cities.
Most viewers cling to the definition as they view they film,
and all they see is mankind wrecking and spoiling a beautiful earth. I tried to
set the definition aside, and because of this, I simply enjoyed Reggio’s impressive
cinematography and Glass’ ingenious music.
It's nice to see a positive opinion about the film. It wasn't really seen in a positive light by most people. Your writing shines light on the positive aspects and lightens my negative views on the film.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear. It makes life a little happier to try and find the positive in things :-)
DeleteWow, I really loved reading this blog! I had not really thought of the film like this before. Maybe Reggio did create this documentary to show the pulse of society and contrast it to the pulse of nature. I love the line that says, "nature harmoniously rolls and sweeps while man pushes and carves," I think its beautiful imagery that's representative of the film.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad to open up a new point of view for you.
DeleteI love the view you chose to take on the film. Its true that if we take it at face value, it is easier to appreciate the imagery and the music for what they are, rather than a hindrance to our attempt at finding a deeper meaning. Perhaps that was the problem most of us had: taking Koyaanisqatsi too seriously. In his interview Reggio seems less attached to how people view the film and instead stresses more that it is for each individual to form their own opinion. Its almost as if Reggio added the definition at the end as an afterthought, which seems to be how you interpreted it.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. Every once and a while we as college students must lighten up and not think too deeply :-)
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