4 ms·

Koyaanisqatsi is my favorite movie. I saw a part of it while skipping channels on late night TV about 10 years ago and had my mind blown. I've since seen it a t

Koyaanisqatsi is my favorite movie. I saw a part of it while skipping channels on late night TV about 10 years ago and had my mind blown. I've since seen it a ton of times, including live with Philip Glass's "Ensemble". Big thumbs up. Startup types might enjoy much of the San Francisco footage, including the long gone double decker Embarcadero Freeway. It's amazing how many references (subtle or not) to Koyaanisqatsi you see in other movies or even commercials that ape its style. My favorite, however, has to be The Simpsons' Koyaani-SCRATCHY: https://vimeo.com/21283911 https://vimeo.com/21283911 :-)

0xdeadbeefbabe 13y ago
Okay, I agree it's memorable, but favorite? 10 years ago you weren't even watching it like it's supposed to be watched on laser disk or blu-ray. Thanks for Koyaani-SCRATCHY I think :-).
- mmastrac 13y ago
  I think we all just take HD for granted these days. Back then everyone was watching everything in SD and we just didn't know any better.
  - petercooper 13y ago
    I'm considering downgrading my HD cable to standard to save $15/month. I mean I can see the difference but it's a bit of a meh difference to me. But then I did spend 20+ years with standard and the quality of the shows themselves was even higher back then ;-)
- ctdonath 13y ago
  Yes, favorite. It was supposed to be watched on theater projected 35mm film, which I've seen at least twice. It's like reading a beat-up cheap paperback copy of The Lord of the Rings and liking it so much you insist your friends buy it as premium leather-bound gold-trim volumes. How it's presented is interesting, but what's important is how the content gets in your head and rattles your soul.
- petercooper 13y ago
  I went to see it live on a gigantic screen with the Philip Glass Ensemble about 8 years ago so yeah, I think I eventually got to see it how it was intended ;-) But what does some minor quality issue matter? I could listen to an album of 128kbps MP3s and still deem it to be my favorite, because absolute precision isn't really important in (most) art. Heck, I listen to most music on my screen's speakers despite having proper headphones, just because it's easier. I'm not pretending to be a cinephile or an audiophile here ;-)
msluyter 13y ago
I remember seeing this when it first came out. As an aspiring classical musician at the time who was interested in the avant-garde, I was naturally curious about Glass's music, but I went in without any concept of what the movie was like/about. The thoughts that ran through my head, roughly: 1. "Just music and images so far... ok, this must be the intro." 2. "Hmm... when is this thing actually going to start?" 3. "WTH?" 4. "Ok, this is getting a little boring..." 5. "...." Step 5 was where I fell into what I can only describe as a sort of hypnotic trance that lasted until the end. It was an impressive experience, but I'm hard pressed to say I "liked" it so much as it felt somehow deep and profound, like some sort of 60's acid trip but without the drugs.

0xdeadbeefbabe 13y ago

Okay, I agree it's memorable, but favorite? 10 years ago you weren't even watching it like it's supposed to be watched on laser disk or blu-ray. Thanks for Koyaani-SCRATCHY I think :-).

mmastrac 13y ago
I think we all just take HD for granted these days. Back then everyone was watching everything in SD and we just didn't know any better.
- petercooper 13y ago
  I'm considering downgrading my HD cable to standard to save $15/month. I mean I can see the difference but it's a bit of a meh difference to me. But then I did spend 20+ years with standard and the quality of the shows themselves was even higher back then ;-)
ctdonath 13y ago
Yes, favorite. It was supposed to be watched on theater projected 35mm film, which I've seen at least twice. It's like reading a beat-up cheap paperback copy of The Lord of the Rings and liking it so much you insist your friends buy it as premium leather-bound gold-trim volumes. How it's presented is interesting, but what's important is how the content gets in your head and rattles your soul.
petercooper 13y ago
I went to see it live on a gigantic screen with the Philip Glass Ensemble about 8 years ago so yeah, I think I eventually got to see it how it was intended ;-) But what does some minor quality issue matter? I could listen to an album of 128kbps MP3s and still deem it to be my favorite, because absolute precision isn't really important in (most) art. Heck, I listen to most music on my screen's speakers despite having proper headphones, just because it's easier. I'm not pretending to be a cinephile or an audiophile here ;-)

msluyter 13y ago

I remember seeing this when it first came out. As an aspiring classical musician at the time who was interested in the avant-garde, I was naturally curious about Glass's music, but I went in without any concept of what the movie was like/about. The thoughts that ran through my head, roughly: 1. "Just music and images so far... ok, this must be the intro." 2. "Hmm... when is this thing actually going to start?" 3. "WTH?" 4. "Ok, this is getting a little boring..." 5. "...." Step 5 was where I fell into what I can only describe as a sort of hypnotic trance that lasted until the end. It was an impressive experience, but I'm hard pressed to say I "liked" it so much as it felt somehow deep and profound, like some sort of 60's acid trip but without the drugs.