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Koyaanisqatsi

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7.9/10 • 688

1983-04-271h 26m

DocumentaryDrama

Life out of balance

Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.

Directors
Godfrey Reggio
Editors
Alton Walpole

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Ed Asner

    Ed Asner

    Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)

  2. Pat Benatar

    Pat Benatar

    Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

  3. Jerry Brown

    Jerry Brown

    Self - On TV (archive footage, uncredited)

  4. Johnny Carson

    Johnny Carson

    Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)

  5. Dick Cavett

    Dick Cavett

    Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)

  6. Marilyn Chambers

    Marilyn Chambers

    Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)

  7. Sammy Davis Jr.

    Sammy Davis Jr.

    Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)

  8. Lou Dobbs

    Lou Dobbs

    Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)

  9. Thomas Dolby

    Thomas Dolby

    Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)

Reviews2

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Peter McGinn Avatar

Peter McGinn

Sep 20, 2020

5/10

This is an art film of sorts, eschewing dialogue or narration or a recognizable plot for a visual and musical banquet of images and scenes. So if you are into art films (or want to appear like you are), this is the film for you. The photographic techniques remind me of nature films, which may not be a coincidence since the subject matter seems to Focus on what is seen as being against nature. So it is all here: explosions and collapsing of buildings, a bridge, about five times, even what looked like a nuclear blast; then time lapse photography of city and highway traffic and masses of people walking; plus slow motion clips of masses of people walking; and shots of tenements and abandoned building and kids playing in water from fire hydrants — well, you get the idea. I like Philip Glass’s music, but there were times I didn’t think what they used quite fit what was being shown on the screen. But like he apparently told the producers more than once before they convinced him to take it on, movie scores weren’t his thing. So as the William Hurt character says in The Big Chill, just let the art flow over you. If nothing else, check out the dress and hair styles of folks in the wacky 1980s!

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$600,000.00
Revenue
$3,200,000.00
Keywords
human vs naturetechnologycivilizationsocial commentaryrural areanature run amoknatureenvironmentenvironmental destructionlost civilizationobservational cinemaenvironmental disasternature documentaryman vs natureenvironmental catastropheobservational documentarypoetic documentaryenvironmental documentaryhuman in natureindependent filmno dialoguedying civilizationenvironmental collapseenvironmentally-themed