Blu-ray Review: Koyaanisqatsi (1983), Powaqqatsi (1988)

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]
That both Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi are wonderous to behold, conjuring image after image of inimitable beauty aided by the striking use of slow motion and time-lapse photography, offers an easy way out when it comes to a consideration of the films. One could write a book describing the inherent beauty prevalent throughout these engrossing documentaries. The difficulty lies in discerning an understanding of the theoretical concerns at the forefront of Godfrey Reggio's concept. And it is with these concerns that I am most fascinated. Most reviews tell us that technology is the unifying theme of the trilogy (Naqoyqatsi is the final installment), whether it be its balance with nature, or its use as a controlling force. These insights are not wrong, with Reggio taking much of his inspiration from Jacques Ellul, whose most important work The Technological Society explores the idea that humanity is subservient to technology, while nature is elliminated by or subordinate to it. This idea is manifested in Koyaanisqatsi through the juxtaposition between the startling images of natural beauty prominent in the opening third and the Sisyphean images of people, transport, and industry dominant throughout the rest of the film. The Sisyphean overtones take on a more literal form in the stunning opening to Powaqqatsi when we are shown a group of miners, stooped over under the weight of the minerals slung over their backs, climbing a precariously steep hillside. The film, as a whole, expands on the premise of the previous film, showing the impact of technology in the developing world. The film's Hopi title defined as, "an entity, a way of life, that consumes the life forces of other beings in order to further its own life." A title that indicates the expansion, or the taking over, of a 'technological society'. Going back to the first, far superior film, the title holds the greatest significance. The film is often marketed with the subtitle, "Life out of Balance," which is just one definition of the word Koyaanisqatsi. But the title also means, "a state of life that calls for another way of living," and this is key to my understanding of the films. For the films are a critique of today's society as a whole, in particular our increasing reliance on technology and the impact this reliance is having on the environment. "If we dig precious things from the land, we will invite disaster," says one of the Hopi prophecies sung in the film. In a world where global warming and climate change are prominent, Reggio's films are a very prescient exploration of environmental concerns.

Koyaanisqatsi
★★★★½




Powaaqqatsi
★★★½☆

Shane James