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Comments (16)

Koyaanisqatsi

Life Out of Balance
Community comments are the opinions of contributing users. These comments do not represent the opinions of Vancouver Public Library.
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1 to 16 of 16 items
Mar 29, 2020The_Most_Casual_Observer rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Back in the 90s this film was unavailable due to rights squabbles. I saw a LaserDisc (remember them?) sell on eBay for $1000+!
Aug 13, 2018VcrRocker rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Wonderful film with a wonderful musical score. Watch the interviews in the "extras" section for great insight.
Apr 26, 2018GHN rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Good scenery. The music consists mostly basic string arpeggios. It's like hearing practice sessions of a lone violinist student with airy synthesizer pads in the background. It may be unfair to compare the whole music composition to…
Mar 08, 2018dissymissylessy rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
a stunner.
Dec 03, 2016poolman rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Before aerial photography and slo-mo footage became "normal", this collage was born. If you missed it first time around, it's still as captivating and hypnotic as ever only now, later in my life anyway, the underlying purpose of the…
real_thing
Jan 30, 2016real_thing rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
No words to discribe this. REALLY!!!
javacleve
Jan 09, 2016javacleve rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Beautiful cinematography (would be better on a big screen) but other than that, not much, and I don't think it succeeds in making its point. It was EXTREMELY slow moving and the music got annoying after a while. Would have been much…
May 27, 2015Sharpnre rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Ominous and fantastic. I thought they were going to chant Koyaanisqatsi through the whole film...would have driven me batty...but it does stop, and at the end I learned the meaning. A nice film that makes me think we should have stopped…
Aka_Aka_Aka
Feb 28, 2015Aka_Aka_Aka rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
"Crazy Life Out Of Balance!" Without a plot, actors, or dialogue, Koyaanisqatsi (with its hypnotic musical score and remarkable artistic cinematography) was a surreal, spellbinding trip for the eyes and ears. Koyaanisqatsi contrasted…
Nov 20, 20141aa rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An awesome, mesmerizing synthesis of moving images and music... all of it gradually unfolding its themes, maintaining complexity and ambiguity without succumbing to triteness.
Sep 12, 2014Janice21383 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
For when you're in the mood to have stunning images and random thoughts wash over you. There is a moment -- and you will know exactly when it is -- when the editing, music and imagery heavily suggest "here come the big bad humans." This is…
Apr 04, 2014akirakato rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
This is a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by Philip Glass. The film consists primarily of slow motion and time-lapse footage of cities and many natural landscapes across the United States. It contains neither…
Aug 22, 2012binational rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
Yawn.
Aug 01, 2012ddonster rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Genius film with great music. Philip Glass's driving score really sticks in your head. I find myself chanting "Koyaanisqatsi" from time to time. Distinctive and memorable imagery, particularly the destruction of Pruitt-Igoe. Godfrey…
Dec 02, 2010hertz rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A masterful spectacle of both eternal landscapes and life captured on the go in 1983. Entrancing music sets the mood for this spellbinding overview of the complexities of modern life. Definitely an art film, don't expect a typical…
Aug 15, 2010veil_of_evil rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Beautiful film with an amazing score by Philip Glass. Try to find a copy of the IRE fullscreen version. MGM mutilated the original footage to make it fit the widescreen format. The fullscreen version retains the top and bottom of the film…