Koyaanisqatsi poster

Koyaanisqatsi (1983)

7.9/10 1983 1h 26m Released

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.

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Top Cast

Ed Asner
Ed Asner
Self (archive footage)
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Self
Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
Self (archive footage)
Dick Cavett
Dick Cavett
Self (archive footage)
Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers
Self (archive footage)
Sammy Davis Jr.
Sammy Davis Jr.
Self (archive footage)
Lou Dobbs
Lou Dobbs
Self (archive footage)
Linda Ellerbee
Linda Ellerbee
Self (archive footage)
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Self (archive footage)
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Self (archive footage)

Reviews

Peter McGinn 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:…

Filipe Manuel Neto 1/10

**For the general public, this film is uninteresting. However, it will have merits if displayed within the most correct context.** I've heard of this film as a documentary, but I honestly don't know if Godfrey Reggio really wanted to document anything. This was the director's debut, and for a first work we can say that there is quality, even though it is a somewhat strange film because it has nothing more than a…

CinemaSerf 7/10

In the Hopi language, this means a mess or a melée and that’s a pretty good description of this ultimate in observational documentaries. It starts and finishes showing us some of the most stunning and striking natural phenomena from the North American continent before gradually dipping its toe into the world of human endeavour. From some of the most impressive features nature created over millennia to some almost as…

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FAQ about Koyaanisqatsi

What is Koyaanisqatsi about?
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…
When was Koyaanisqatsi released?
Koyaanisqatsi was released in 1983.
What genres does Koyaanisqatsi belong to?
Koyaanisqatsi is categorised as Documentary, Music.
Who stars in Koyaanisqatsi?
The cast of Koyaanisqatsi includes Ed Asner, Pat Benatar, Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, Marilyn Chambers.