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Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
An essential film in an under rated genre
Summary: Koyaanisqatsi is a visual experiment like few others. A social critique loaded with philosophy that is essential for any movie buff. Not only because of its characteristics that made it unique at the time of its release, such as the lack of dialogue, or the simplistic yet striking soundtrack, but also because it innovated in a genre little explored up to that point in the ambitious way that made it Reggio in collaboration with Fricke.
Taking into account the film and the time it was released, the aging of this film is spectacular. Even today, it is a film that can not be avoided. Whether for a conversation from an existentialist philosophical approach from a semiotic analysis of the footage, or simply to get a taste of its photography, Koyaanisqatsi will bring something new with each new revision.
Format: For the purposes of this analysis, we had the opportunity to review the Qatsi Trilogy that was released by the Criterion Collection in blu-ray. Kudos to the company, which did a beautiful job in restoring the original film, something that previous digital versions of this work had not achieved. In addition to this, Criterion also adds some extras such as the two clips of the initial soundtrack of the film or the first cut of the film - without sound, and of just forty minutes -. All this is complemented by some interviews with the Regio Director and the director of photography Ron Fricke, popular for his short films like Chronos, Baraka and Samsara.
Direction: Koyaanisqatsi becomes the first feature film by director Godfrey Reggio. This director had commented at some point that the original direction he wanted to take was more related to an artistic movement than to an existential philosophical critique. The latter finally changed with the joint work of Reggio and Ron Fricke. However, it starts much earlier. According to the interviews with the Director, some films that have influenced the direction of this film are La dolce vita and Los Olvidados. The religious influence and symbolism allows that for about six years this project took a certain direction.
It thus becomes a work that is not critical to the effects of the use of technology by man, but rather a critique of technology itself. At a preliminary level we could think of the surface that there is a transition from nature to technology but it is not so. According to Reggio, was looking to criticize man, now made technology: a fusion like that symbolized in Tetsuo - of course the reference is for the symbolism not in the narrative because they are different genres - and with possibly a similar ending.
While it is true, the director says that the role played by Ron Fricke was as important as that of others like the composer Philip Glass the work seems to have been born and developed a lot by the curiosity of Ron Fricke, who at that time was just A boy eager to learn. Perhaps it is wrong to say, in which case the reproach to Reggio would be the passive character in the direction of this work. Either way, this tells us that at the management level the work suffers a bit. The lack of a clear vision transmits its affectation through very specific situations, something that is a reproach to the role of the director. The latter is slightly noticeable through the small details. Some examples to mention can be:
Some scenes were composed in isolation. In other words, the images and the sound seem to break the traditional thread of the narrative.
The film suffers a bit by building its own identity. Probably this is due to a mixture of experience creating something not done before, and the great influence of Ron Fricke.
At the management level, Koyaanisqatsi is a film that exceeds the average, but does not reach a note of excellence because of the deficiencies mentioned above.
Photography: Undoubtedly one of the highest points of this film is photography. Shot in multiple locations in the world, and showing a photograph that does not seem to be in any hurry to transmit the message, Ron Fricke embarks the viewer on a silent journey through many everyday situations or simply take for granted in our day to day . Here or in Hong Kong, collective indifference is a growing evil. Part of what makes this film unique is the use of what is commonly called time lapses. A time lapse is a video sequence - similar to the one shown above - where you shoot for an extended period of time with few frames per second. While traditionally a film is shot at 24 frames per second, a time-lapse could be shot at 1 or 2 frames per second.
At the level of photography it is also worth noting that Koyaanisqatsi shows the first brush strokes of the technique used by Ron Fricke in Chronos but mainly Baraka. We speak specifically of those intensely emotional shots where the focus of photography falls on one or several subjects. The emotion is invisible to the eye, and it falls on the spectator to imagine the emotional moment of it. A little used technique, but also seen in traditional narrative. The clearest example we can mention of this could be Aki Kaurismäki with the well-known Trilogy of Finland. These scenes, although rare in this film, come to tie perfectly the indifference that the Director seeks to transmit through the nearly ninety minutes that the feature film lasts.
Soundtrack: It is incredible to imagine, that the first version of this film was imagined with choirs and chants with background harmonica music however, this was the result that allowed the film to get a little bit of shape. With the involvement of Philip Glass in the production, a process of creation begins, from which Glass, following the guidance of Fricke - who offered him his cut of the work - created the sound he wanted to transmit. One of the great challenges, when going through the approval of the director, was to rearrange that initial sound from the new readjustments, cuts and reprints of the director. Glass has been vocal in interviews about the impact on production but also the learning process that came from this way of working. Finally, it should be noted that the final result is very well prepared and transmits the message in a simple but profound way.
The sounds and the transition that they make take us on a visual journey that complements the images in an essential way. It is like observing a painting and analyzing it from different perspectives and movements. The work, would not be the same, without the exceptional work done, like the soundtrack, is not shocking by itself. Music knows how to interpenetrate its DNA with photography and envelop the viewer, whether in a quasi-hypnotic trance or a feeling of self-discovery.
Narrative: How does the director make a message or vision? This is always the challenge. Especially when there is no dialogue, voice-overs and other traditional methods used in the art of cinema. However, it must be said that the work executes the narrative quite concisely. Use for this, even if it is only through music and landscapes, the Kuleshov effect - " The Kuleshov effect is a phenomenon of film montage demonstrated by the Russian filmmaker Lev Kuleshov during the twenties. Kuleshov showed in front of an audience a sequence in which the same shot of the actor Ivan Mozzhujin was interspersed with those of a soup plate, a coffin and a girl playing. The audience perceived that the expression of Mozzhujin changed in each sequence, with which it was found that the assembly has a great influence on the semantic understanding of what appears in a scene " .-
The director tells a story and in the end gives us the personal meaning of the project. Something so deep and personal that could not be said in the average language. Or at least, something that our language could pre-judge in advance. Thus, Koyaanisqatsi is born and ends, an elevation and a free fall: a flight that seeks to transmit what our language can not communicate.
It is debatable whether the director should or should not do this - guide the viewer to reach a conclusion - however the reality is that even if it is not shared, the work allows to detach from this vision - in the end, it is only the the director's vision is exposed and not the rest of the production team that formed the mix that ties the ideas -
Uniqueness: Koyaanisqatsi is a unique film competing against itself and another handful of films of a genre that has not been as exploited as others. Of course, documentaries in general have always had this problem to be profitable: get money at the box office or distribution.
Although it could be said that it is not the best film in its category, it is advisable to analyze it to see the improvement of technique, personal and professional growth of those who were part of the project and have made similar ones. Finally, it is a heavy film, which is not seen with popcorn but probably with a book to make notes and study. For those who are not familiar with this genre, it is advisable to start with other similar but more light films, be aware that one or several pauses may be necessary to recover energy, refocus and continue. Future revisions of this film will be easier to digest.
Score: 83 out of 100
Samsara (2011)
An enjoyable collage of photos lacking the substance from Fricke's previous work
Summary: Samsara tries to provide closure to a trilogy over decades of work and learning from director Ron Fricke. Unfortunately, some errors after more than a decade of waiting overshadow the director's work. This feature film, in its final product, presents no novelty and even seems to reuse some previous shots used in Chronos. Moreover, some of the locations used in his previous films are also present here. This wears the novelty, considering the excellent work done by its composers in some of these scenes.
Format: Samsara was released on Blu-Ray in 2011. It could be said that at a visual level, it is even more elaborate than Baraka. Filmed in 70mm and scanned at 8k, Quality leaves nothing to envy, surpassing even its predecessor. From the analyzed extras - a very good documentary that compensates for the lack of comments from the director - it is possible to understand more the vision of the work. Fricke considers it a guided meditation work.
Direction: Samsara seems on paper, as the director explains it, to have the most mature vision of his three films. A guided meditation channeled through music that complements the selected scenes frame by frame. The latter is remarkable since both Baraka and Chronos were worked in reverse, which means that photography had to fit previously composed music.
It is a shame to see the director reuse shots and locations having enough material that he could have used. Another situation that is not clear in the direction goes hand in hand with the first act of the film. During the first thirty or forty minutes of the movie, it seems some scenes are disconnected from each other. We could even say, this makes it feel a little forced in its development towards the second act. Their cuts and transitions are abrupt and do not generate the same impact as the ones in the second half. The positive fact is that Fricke performs a third act that wraps it properly giving closure in a way that it leaves the viewer satisfied. The latter is learning embodied in the film because it culminates in a better way when compared to his two previous movies.
At a direction level, Samsara is a film that surpasses his previous works in concept but not in execution. It's a very mature film in relation to Baraka, it offers an excellent conclusion for the viewer, but it also brings some failures that discolor its achievements.
Photography: One of the highest points of this film is photography. It was filmed in multiple locations in the world and the variety between them and similarities that portrays raises a criticism of society itself that Fricke exploits greatly. To say that it is more of the same is to give less credit to the work of this director because it visually demonstrates his own evolution in a very safe environment. Thus, his portraits are more elaborate, shorter time-lapses shine away but there's no risk-taking. The transition in moments of accelerated music is the best the film presents.
The first part as previously mentioned is weak and does not convey the same coherence as the rest of the film. Opposite case the third act, where the director manages to tie all the emotions transmitted in his scenes to conclude the film masterfully.
Soundtrack: Samsara's soundtrack is the highest point of the film. Subtle, with beautiful transitions that do not feel abrupt to the ear, the accompaniment he makes of photography is exquisite beat by beat.
Unlike the criticism carried out in Baraka, the crescendo of the composition ends in a better way and allows the viewer to be better directed to reinforce the feeling that the director has sought. The originality of the music is also very promising. By not remind the viewer of Baraka, the music stands in its own.
Probably, the change in the composition strategy had an impact on this, but the truth is that whatever the reason had been, it was for good.
Narrative: The director takes us on a trip that he himself calls a guided meditation. However, unlike his previous works, the criticism, the symbolism, and meanings of many of his shots are not so clear. This does not mean that the work is not profound or relevant for analysis. On the contrary, some shots alone pose strong social criticism in our current society. The problem lies here in the fact that the shots cannot be reviewed alone. They do not cohesively tie-in and certainly this is a big miss compared to their previous work.
The director should not guide the viewer completely, that is true, however, at the very least he must ensure that his work cohesively conveys the vision that he shares. This is where the main flaw of this film lies. It must be analyzed on its own and by doing so, the viewer could feel disoriented or simply satisfied to see "beautiful shots" but bored. The work, I am sure, was designed for much more, but fails to be consistent throughout its 100 minutes.
Uniqueness: Samsara is a beautiful return to the genre that Fricke explored decades ago, but it's just that. It is a great advance in terms of editing where the film flows more harmoniously with the soundtrack. It's a very safe formula that the director repeats but even so, the narrative escapes through the tiles of its very foundation. It is a work of art that every cinephile should observe, and of course, anyone who appreciates photography should see the Fricke trilogy. However, moving from that to saying that the work poses a sociological-philosophical critique similar to what Baraka proposed and what's been done by Reggio, or stating that its narrative complements the auditory and visual part is an achievement this film cannot receive as it is.
Chronos (1985)
A must watch to understand the progression of a director
Summary: Chronos is a work that continues the learnings of the now director Ron Fricke. With a similar concept but now removed from the proposal made in Koyaanisqatsi initially, in the sense that it takes some ideas, but the final vision of the film takes the viewer towards another ending.
This film, whose duration is around 43 minutes could be considered as a first experiment of the director in relation to his vision and previous learning. Something that will later expand in Baraka and eventually Samsara.
Format: Chronos had a Blu-Ray release in 2007. Although it was not as elaborate as Baraka's, the quality leaves nothing to be envied, being extremely clear thanks to its negatives filmed for IMAX. Based on the analyzed extras - unfortunately, it is only compensated with a comment from the director - it is possible to understand more the vision of the director but mainly the techniques used.
Address: Chronos seems to display a clear vision at the address level. The director explores the ideas in a way that does not feel out of place. With the exception of one particular scene, where the transition between one location and another is done in isolation, the direction, vision and style seem clear and well defined.
The way in which the shots are mixed with the sound is given in perfect synchrony and without fear of being wrong, I could say that even music - which may be the best or worst according to the viewer - plays a greater role than Koyaanisqatsi. Here, music, like Chronos - In Greek mythology, was the personification of time, as it is said in pre-Socratic philosophical works. - shows its inevitable advance, impossible to change or alter and accelerating at each step as time, reaching, an exquisite crescendo to the senses. It is in this aspect where the work of Fricke improves considerably in relation to Koyaanisqatsi.
At the directing level, Chronos is a film that surpasses the previous one where Fricke had participation. Its short in duration, however, seems to leave a lot to tell and the visual experience ends very quickly.
Photography: Undoubtedly one of the highest points of this film is photography. Shot in multiple locations in the world, and showing a photograph that does not seem to be in any hurry to transmit the message, Ron Fricke embarks the viewer on a silent journey through many everyday situations or simply take for granted in our day to day . Here or in Hong Kong, collective indifference is a growing evil. Part of what makes this film unique is the use of what is commonly called time lapses. A time lapse is a video sequence - similar to the one shown above - where you shoot for an extended period of time with few frames per second. While traditionally a film is shot at 24 frames per second, a time-lapse could be shot at 1 or 2 frames per second.
At the level of photography it is also worth noting that Koyaanisqatsi shows the first brush strokes of the technique used by Ron Fricke in Chronos but mainly Baraka. We speak specifically of those intensely emotional shots where the focus of photography falls on one or several subjects. The emotion is invisible to the eye, and it falls on the spectator to imagine the emotional moment of it. A little used technique, but also seen in traditional narrative. The clearest example we can mention of this could be Aki Kaurismäki with the well-known Trilogy of Finland. These scenes, although rare in this film, come to tie perfectly the indifference that the Director seeks to transmit through the nearly ninety minutes that the feature film lasts.
Soundtrack: The soundtrack of Chronos is misunderstood at first sight. Also, it could be considered outdated in relation to the standard in soundtracks currently, however, in our opinion, transmits correctly the vision of the director. Through its simple sounds, repetitive and in keeping with the tempo of the work, we are guided to feel more and more. We could even think that feeling of impossibility that comes from listening to some sections of the soundtrack, were made on purpose to more easily reach the message conveyed by the director.
As in the direction, the biggest criticism in this aspect is the culmination of the auditory crescendo, which happens very late in the work and therefore the end is reached very abruptly. A little more space between the start and end of the third act would have helped to appreciate the work more. This, complemented by a greater pacing at the beginning of the first act, would have generated a more uniform experience in terms of the soundtrack.
Narrative: The director takes us on a journey through the past of humanity through those civilizations that populated Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, etc., as well as exploring the passage of time and its effect on the world - mountains, rivers , the causes, the erosion, the clouds -. Finally, we explore humanity in the last twenty years and experience a unification of emotions by previewing the director's critique. The man, before and now; nature; time. How much time do we have left at this faster pace every day? These and other questions are raised in a critical and abstract way.
It is debatable if the director should guide a little more or not to the spectator, because in the end, in the abstract cinema it is always a possibility. When analyzing Chronos and comparing it with other works by the author such as Baraka, one can not help but accept that the narrative evolved in each treatment. Here, like photography, is one of the highest points.
Uniqueness: Chronos is not the best work in the genre. Neither historically compared to what was before, nor in retrospect compared to what has been produced in abstract documentaries to this day. However, it is a work that feels united by the work of direction, editing and sound and seems to have a clearer vision than others. It is a great first step for the then amateur director Ron Fricke and it takes us without problems to pose the question: how much time is necessary? How much time is enough? and with that message reaches the crescendo necessary to impact the viewer. The biggest criticism that breaks this unit a little is, unfortunately, its first third of the movie. The vision of the director takes a long time to be reflected and transmitted correctly, making that uniformity throughout the work, is not appreciated in its entirety.
Score: 8.1
Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
An essential film in an under rated genre
Summary: Koyaanisqatsi is a visual experiment like few others. A social critique loaded with philosophy that is essential for any movie buff. Not only because of its characteristics that made it unique at the time of its release, such as the lack of dialogue, or the simplistic yet striking soundtrack, but also because it innovated in a genre little explored up to that point in the ambitious way that made it Reggio in collaboration with Fricke.
Taking into account the film and the time it was released, the aging of this film is spectacular. Even today, it is a film that can not be avoided. Whether for a conversation from an existentialist philosophical approach from a semiotic analysis of the footage, or simply to get a taste of its photography, Koyaanisqatsi will bring something new with each new revision.
Format: For the purposes of this analysis, we had the opportunity to review the Qatsi Trilogy that was released by the Criterion Collection in blu-ray. Kudos to the company, which did a beautiful job in restoring the original film, something that previous digital versions of this work had not achieved. In addition to this, Criterion also adds some extras such as the two clips of the initial soundtrack of the film or the first cut of the film - without sound, and of just forty minutes -. All this is complemented by some interviews with the Regio Director and the director of photography Ron Fricke, popular for his short films like Chronos, Baraka and Samsara.
Direction: Koyaanisqatsi becomes the first feature film by director Godfrey Reggio. This director had commented at some point that the original direction he wanted to take was more related to an artistic movement than to an existential philosophical critique. The latter finally changed with the joint work of Reggio and Ron Fricke. However, it starts much earlier. According to the interviews with the Director, some films that have influenced the direction of this film are La dolce vita and Los Olvidados. The religious influence and symbolism allows that for about six years this project took a certain direction.
It thus becomes a work that is not critical to the effects of the use of technology by man, but rather a critique of technology itself. At a preliminary level we could think of the surface that there is a transition from nature to technology but it is not so. According to Reggio, was looking to criticize man, now made technology: a fusion like that symbolized in Tetsuo - of course the reference is for the symbolism not in the narrative because they are different genres - and with possibly a similar ending.
While it is true, the director says that the role played by Ron Fricke was as important as that of others like the composer Philip Glass the work seems to have been born and developed a lot by the curiosity of Ron Fricke, who at that time was just A boy eager to learn. Perhaps it is wrong to say, in which case the reproach to Reggio would be the passive character in the direction of this work. Either way, this tells us that at the management level the work suffers a bit. The lack of a clear vision transmits its affectation through very specific situations, something that is a reproach to the role of the director. The latter is slightly noticeable through the small details. Some examples to mention can be:
Some scenes were composed in isolation. In other words, the images and the sound seem to break the traditional thread of the narrative.
The film suffers a bit by building its own identity. Probably this is due to a mixture of experience creating something not done before, and the great influence of Ron Fricke.
At the management level, Koyaanisqatsi is a film that exceeds the average, but does not reach a note of excellence because of the deficiencies mentioned above.
Photography: Undoubtedly one of the highest points of this film is photography. Shot in multiple locations in the world, and showing a photograph that does not seem to be in any hurry to transmit the message, Ron Fricke embarks the viewer on a silent journey through many everyday situations or simply take for granted in our day to day . Here or in Hong Kong, collective indifference is a growing evil. Part of what makes this film unique is the use of what is commonly called time lapses. A time lapse is a video sequence - similar to the one shown above - where you shoot for an extended period of time with few frames per second. While traditionally a film is shot at 24 frames per second, a time-lapse could be shot at 1 or 2 frames per second.
At the level of photography it is also worth noting that Koyaanisqatsi shows the first brush strokes of the technique used by Ron Fricke in Chronos but mainly Baraka. We speak specifically of those intensely emotional shots where the focus of photography falls on one or several subjects. The emotion is invisible to the eye, and it falls on the spectator to imagine the emotional moment of it. A little used technique, but also seen in traditional narrative. The clearest example we can mention of this could be Aki Kaurismäki with the well-known Trilogy of Finland. These scenes, although rare in this film, come to tie perfectly the indifference that the Director seeks to transmit through the nearly ninety minutes that the feature film lasts.
Soundtrack: It is incredible to imagine, that the first version of this film was imagined with choirs and chants with background harmonica music however, this was the result that allowed the film to get a little bit of shape. With the involvement of Philip Glass in the production, a process of creation begins, from which Glass, following the guidance of Fricke - who offered him his cut of the work - created the sound he wanted to transmit. One of the great challenges, when going through the approval of the director, was to rearrange that initial sound from the new readjustments, cuts and reprints of the director. Glass has been vocal in interviews about the impact on production but also the learning process that came from this way of working. Finally, it should be noted that the final result is very well prepared and transmits the message in a simple but profound way.
The sounds and the transition that they make take us on a visual journey that complements the images in an essential way. It is like observing a painting and analyzing it from different perspectives and movements. The work, would not be the same, without the exceptional work done, like the soundtrack, is not shocking by itself. Music knows how to interpenetrate its DNA with photography and envelop the viewer, whether in a quasi-hypnotic trance or a feeling of self-discovery.
Narrative: How does the director make a message or vision? This is always the challenge. Especially when there is no dialogue, voice-overs and other traditional methods used in the art of cinema. However, it must be said that the work executes the narrative quite concisely. Use for this, even if it is only through music and landscapes, the Kuleshov effect - " The Kuleshov effect is a phenomenon of film montage demonstrated by the Russian filmmaker Lev Kuleshov during the twenties. Kuleshov showed in front of an audience a sequence in which the same shot of the actor Ivan Mozzhujin was interspersed with those of a soup plate, a coffin and a girl playing. The audience perceived that the expression of Mozzhujin changed in each sequence, with which it was found that the assembly has a great influence on the semantic understanding of what appears in a scene " .-
The director tells a story and in the end gives us the personal meaning of the project. Something so deep and personal that could not be said in the average language. Or at least, something that our language could pre-judge in advance. Thus, Koyaanisqatsi is born and ends, an elevation and a free fall: a flight that seeks to transmit what our language can not communicate.
It is debatable whether the director should or should not do this - guide the viewer to reach a conclusion - however the reality is that even if it is not shared, the work allows to detach from this vision - in the end, it is only the the director's vision is exposed and not the rest of the production team that formed the mix that ties the ideas -
Uniqueness: Koyaanisqatsi is a unique film competing against itself and another handful of films of a genre that has not been as exploited as others. Of course, documentaries in general have always had this problem to be profitable: get money at the box office or distribution.
Although it could be said that it is not the best film in its category, it is advisable to analyze it to see the improvement of technique, personal and professional growth of those who were part of the project and have made similar ones. Finally, it is a heavy film, which is not seen with popcorn but probably with a book to make notes and study. For those who are not familiar with this genre, it is advisable to start with other similar but more light films, be aware that one or several pauses may be necessary to recover energy, refocus and continue. Future revisions of this film will be easier to digest.
Score: 83 out of 100