The movie stated that Koyannisqatsi meant “crazy way of like”. The name was chosen in this language because the director did not want to have a name that had any “cultural baggage”. I thought this was an interesting concept. It made me think about what “cultural baggage” some other words have. I was amazed at how some words that could be very “innocent” have become weighed down and given a somewhat different idea just because of the culture. The power of our culture is unbelievable. I think the culture can be blamed for a lot of problems in this world as well as a lot of the bad changes that have occurred over time.
The movie starts with short video clips of just nature. The director started with images of the desert and sand dunes. I think the images showed about how destructive and desolate nature can be by itself even without the influence of people. It also showed how beautiful and vast it can be at the same time. The images seemed almost surreal because it seems that people have pretty much had an influence in all of nature. The images then went to rolling clouds. The first thing that came to my mind was heaven. It seemed so magical and mysterious. It also seemed very pure and uninfluenced by anything. The next sets of images were of the mountains and bodies of water. These both gave off a destructive and a magical vibe. It seemed like they were the intermediate between the desert and the rolling clouds.
The next part of the video showed the influence of humans on nature. The images showed the same objects as in nature but as they are after being tampered with by man. The film showed how the earth has been tampered with my dynamite explosions in order for man’s use. It represented the clouds as smoke coming out of a power plant. Then, it showed water held back by a dam and in separated sections in a water treatment plant. This was a very visual comparison that really made me think about how nature is still around, but man has modified it so it no longer looks as it first appeared.
The last part of the film talked about humans and technology. I thought this was the most interesting part of the movie. I really liked the comparisons and images they made to help show their point. The quote, “Humans don’t use technology; they live technology,” really tells the whole story of this section. The image of the man with the television as his head really stuck with me, but I am not exactly sure why. I think it is because it shows that we rely so much on technology that technology has become a part of us. Another image that impacted me while I watched this video is how a city organization was compared to a computer chip. The comparison can go either way on this one because it can be said that the city was organized like a chip or the chip was organized like a city. I think the comparison works better saying the city was organized like the chip because it has a greater impact on showing how we live technology and not just use it.
Overall, this movie has a lot of good images and ideas that could be discussed. I think it left a lot of people thinking about the issues addressed. Even though the movie did not say much, I think it clearly got its point across. I believe this is a good movie that helps people realize some of the things they take advantage of like nature and technology and the impact of humanity.
In his presentation of the natural, untouched world of western America, Reggio concentrates on the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. As he speeds up the camera, he shows the changing world and how these elements affect one another. The viewer sees how a ribbon of water has etched a canyon, miles deep, into a land mass. Reggio juxtaposes cloud motion and air currents with waves and water currents. Seeing these images impresses upon the viewer that the Earth and its forces are forever changing and shaping each other. These images coupled with the haunting and otherworldly music composed by Philip Glass demonstrate the earth’s breath and a flow. It lives and grows and evolves. This truth of nature, demands that viewers accept the intrinsic value of the natural way of life and its impact on the world. When one is presented with something so breathtakingly beautiful, one is forced to reevaluate one’s view on his/her environment.
ReplyDeleteAs the film progresses, Reggio begins to show images of fields that are not completely consistent with the natural flow of creation. These changes are subtle, showing a field with strips of color that could not be formed without human input. Initially, the beauty of these images may distract the viewer from realizing that they are no longer seeing the untouched glory of nature. However, as the color fields become more pronounced, the viewer becomes confused. What is this? Where did these strange strips of bright color come from? I just think the way he made this transition was brilliant, and I wanted to make sure anyone reading this would make sure to pay attention to this part of the film and watch it unfold.