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KOYAANISQATSI & POWAQQATSI:
The films of Godfrey Reggio
by Cameron Barrett
Definitions:
¥ ko-yaa-nis-qa-tsi (from the Hopi Indian language) n. 1. crazy life. 2. life in turmoil. 3. life out of balance. 4. life disintegrating. 5. a state of life that calls for another way of living. Life out of balance.
¥ po-waq-qa-tsi (from the Hopi language, powaq sorcerer + qatsi life)
n. an entity, a way of life, that consumes the life forces of other beings in order to further its own life. Life in transition.
Translations of the Hopi Prophecies sung in Koyaanisqatsi:
"If we dig precious things from the land, we will invite disaster."
"Near the Day of Purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky."
" A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans."
Koyaanisqatsi. What is there to say except this is probably the one film in the entire world that could change our future. The raw power and fantastical imagery of director Godfrey Reggio is the key to understanding this film. Accompanied by the mystical music of master composer, Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi has a message to tell us. Like some sort of video-fusion of moving pictures and parables, this film speaks volumes about our society and the impending doom created by our industrial age.
Powaqqatsi. This film follows in its predecessor's footsteps. It too, has haunting imagery, but has a slightly different focus. Instead of focusing on the doom of the industrial age, its concerns deal more with third world issues and the basic fundamentals of life. Most of the imagery is shot in the non-western world societies and cultures. It has a cleaner and more wholesome feel than that of Koyaanisqatsi.
In both of Reggio's films, there is no dialogue. There is no plot. There is only theme. Hundreds and thousands of individual images are masterfully stitched together. Watching both of these films, back to back, you can see how Reggio leaves the interpretation up to the audience. Watching Koyaanisqatsi with an audience of about 100 was an amazing cinema experience. Complete silence and pure thought were the only things in the screening room that day. I could tell that many were shocked at what they had seen and I found even myself walking around the rest of the day with a fuzzy braincloud over my head. These films leave you with such powerful imagery and music that you can't help but to walk away a bit confused and in awe of our own society.
Throughout these films there is a sense of jilted societal perspective. An almost mesmerizing effect created by director Reggio is successful in subduing its audience to the point of drop jaw and eye dilation. In some ways it is similar to subliminal psychology by overwhelming the basic human senses and leaving the subconscious mind susceptible to brazen imagery. Some might even say that this film is a form of brainwashing. However you look at it, the film-making is definitely topnotch and the accompanying music haunts your mind for days on end.
Reggio fits into the category of auteurship so commonly referred to in cinematic discussion. Reggio's style is considered associational and rhythmic. Because the two films discussed here are made up of numerous independent shots, Reggio had to do a tremendous amount of post-editing, fitting the different shots together and forming some sort of applied transition between shots. In Koyaanisqatsi, he often melds several shots of the land, mountains, plains, etc. into one continuous motif-like shot that has been sped up to imply flight or industriousness. In Powaqqatsi, Reggio uses a lot of slow-motion shots with accompanying music. Again, the editing process is crucial to linking the shots together. Different shots of children running, faces within a crowd, homeless people, all are blended together using one of two methods. Most of the scenes use a quick cut from one to the next. One scene in particular is interesting. The camera is focused on a rusted-out shell of a car on the side of the road. As we watch the sped-up scene we see ghostly images speeding and whizzing by on the road, all the while focusing on the "dead" car. The symbolism is thick enough to choke a horse.
It has been about a year and a half since I first saw Koyaanisqatsi and every time I have watched it since has been an electrifying experience for me. This film has a certain characteristic some people would closely relate to some forms of drugs. It is a natural stimulant, sending the equivalent of shock waves to the brain, opening up psychological doors to the mind. This film also works on both a conscious and subconscious level. Consciously, we are aware of the images that flash across the screen and into our brains. Our brain interprets them for what they are, deciding whether or not to understand them or not. Subconsciously, we interpret the overall meaning of these various images, somehow knowing that deep inside they all mean the same thing. This effect can be described by one overheard audience member as "disturbing." Collectively, the two films have many messages or stilted parables: destruction of nature, industrial doom, we are owned by nature, the inevitable destruction of war, earth is a vehicle or where to store all these peopleÉ, we destroy, technological decaying of our society, the increasing pace of our society, impending destruction ofÉ, etc.
Every image of these films can be explored. To explore them all would require a very good pause button on your VCR and many many hours in front of a word processor. I will only explore a few of them; the ones that I can relate to the best. One is the overall theme of the Hopi belief of a "crazy life." Having grown up in many different parts of the world I am familiar with the non-western world way of life. Without today's technology, third-world countries and civilizations made do with a more simpler way of living. Such is the Hopi way. There is much to learn from our past societies and the underdeveloped classes on this planet. Why should we continue to strive for continuous development in the supposed better way of life: technology?
Portrayed in Koyaanisqatsi is the sometimes overwhelming and overall encompassing of our life and its place in this world. We see flight, technology, destruction, advancement, life, death, cycles of nature, power, electricity, children, people, space, cities, society, foodÉhow does it all fit in? An old lady lighting a cigarette, a man shaving in public, a man in a Harley-Davidson t-shirt, an electricity plant robbing nature, cheating natureÉharness the power, a parking lot of cars, a cityscape, the moon, bombs, a building touching the sky, clouds passing by, earth is a vehicle, a city by the sea, nature is a jumbo jet, technology is comingÉcloserÉcloserÉcloserÉ, a street full of trash, a hot day's sun beating downÉon what?, an empty playground, a mushroom cloud, millions and millions of apartments, millions and millions of people, fastÉfastÉfaster, too quick, look out!, a bomb explodes, falling debrisÉ Where does it all end? When does it all end? What does it all mean? How does it all tie in?
Both Koyaanisqatsi and Powaaqatsi are considered "art" films, and rightly so. They do not fit any of the pre-defined categories established in the film industry. Because Reggio uses the same "collage" method with both films, they are often talked about together, and it is obvious that Powaqqatsi is intended as the sequel to Koyaanisqatsi. During an interview with Philip Glass, the music composer of both films, we discussed the plans for a third film, the last one in a trilogy. He said that funding was a big problem for these films and it would depend mostly upon co-producers Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas as to whether Naqqoyaqatsi gets made.
Who are we as the people of this world? Why do we do the things we do? Have we gone too far? These films asks many many questions. Or I should say they make you ask many questions of yourself as well as of society and its effect on this planet. An almost rhythmic druglike feeling overcomes any who watch these films. A natural high. Never before have I watched films with such fascination. Never before have I wanted to rent these films and watch them over and over and over again. I guess you could call this the cinema's equivalent of a drug addiction. Is it possible to be addicted to a film? I think so.
Technology has given humans the ability to do just about anything. We can fly. We can breath underwater. We can go very very fast. You name it and technology has attempted it. We are currently trying to cheat nature out of its deadly diseases (AIDS, cancer). Technology has allowed us to live longer. To love longer. To die longer. Lost among this technology is the basic needs of humans, the need to be among others. Technology has made people grow apart. To be more independent. To be alone. It has also sped life up. Especially in the American or non-western society, technology has made life seem very fast. An accelerated way of life. No longer is 24 hours in the day enough. Deadlines rule our lives and instantaneous gratification is the norm. We don't want it now. We wanted it yesterday. Along with this fast-paced society comes an increased amount of stress. The heart attack ratio has increased in the past 50 years. The suicide rate has quadrupled for certain age groups in this society. All in all, technology is portrayed as evil. We cannot escape our destiny. It is inevitable.
These films should be required viewing in most high schools. The imagery and symbolical messaging is powerful enough to teach. It would teach children of this country about third-world countries, their cultures, the way they live and much more. It would teach them about the society we live in, the society we created for ourselves. It would teach them and show them the good and the bad of our world. Some would say that these movies are biased and they may very well be, but I firmly believe that they teach the lesson we all need to learn. The lesson of life.
