Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance on DVD

by Ben Jolin and Johnny Bray

Want action? Want romance? Want a piece of crap movie that leaves you feeling about 20 IQ points shy of average after you watch it?

Go and rent the Scream trilogy.

If you would rather enrich your mind and soul, Koyaanisqatsi is your flick. While there is no apparent plot or dialogue, this movie communicates its message clearly to those who listen carefully. The story is unfurled using a dazzling array of imagery. We start off with breathtaking shots of nature, untouched by man.

Director Godfrey Reggio uses many different film effects, such as time lapse, to create amazing and interesting scenes, like sand dunes shifting in ultra-high speed (tres cool).

Finally the story begins to depict man’s effect on the environment: it’s actually kind of sad. The point is that there is a story; except unlike most movies, you have to work for it, kind of like a good mystery.

Accompanying the visuals is an eerie (yet somehow brilliant) soundtrack composed by Philip Glass. The music is kind of new age, but not like Yanni or Enya (so it doesn’t make you shudder). Without the music, Koyaanisqatsi would be nothing more than a slide show composed of interesting clips. The music is just as much what makes this film what it is. You can tell exactly how you’re supposed to feel based on this classic score.

The total effect is a highly stimulating movie that delivers entertainment and a bit of culture. Truly life out of balance. (Ed: sounds like it delivers a healthy does of political correctness, too!)

Coming to DVD for the first time, the video transfer for Koyaanisqatsi is quite impressive. For a low-budget movie made in 1983, it’s amazing how clear the picture is. There are surprisingly few foreign objects, and although the picture is a tad soft, it doesn’t take away from the sheer scale and mesmerizing effect of the movie itself. It’s very nice to see it done in anamorphic widescreen, as well.

The audio is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital, and it’s hard to review. Because there is no dialogue of any kind (the only sound is the music), it’s difficult to say whether or not it would have worked better with more surround use. Of course you always prefer to see concerts using all five (or six, or however many) speakers to maximum ambient effects, but in this case the music is -- in a sense -- the dialogue. It’s a very tough call, and we’d probably have to hear it with more surround before we could make an accurate selection.

In terms of extras, this DVD features brand-new interviews with director Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass. The two talk about why they wanted to make this movie, their choices and styles, and other interesting facts. There are also theatrical trailers for the “Qatsi Trilogy.”

So to sum it all up, trade in your SUV, recycle your bottles and go out and buy this DVD.

Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, from MGM Home Entertainment
87 minutes, anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) 16x9 enhanced, 5.1 Dolby Digital
Photographed by Ron Fricke
Music by Philip Glass
Produced and Directed by Godfrey Reggio

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