Naqoyqatsi
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Naqoyqatsi
Plot
Filmmaker, philosopher and activist Godfrey Reggio completes the film trilogy he began with Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi in this visually striking examination of the impact of technology upon our culture. Naqoyqatsi is a word from the Hopi language which roughly translates as "war as a way of life" or "a life of killing each other," and in this film Reggio uses a intense barrage of images - most of which have been drawn from existing film footage and then altered using a variety of optical and digital techniques - to express his belief that technology is no longer at war with nature. Instead, we have allowed technology to become the "nature" in which we live, and as it stretches our physical and emotional environment in new and troubling directions, we have created for ourselves a world of greater chaos, violence, and confusion. As with his previous features in this trilogy, Naqoyqatsi features an original score by Philip Glass, featuring cello solos by Yo-Yo Ma; director Steven Soderbergh, a noted admirer of Reggio's first two films, served as executive producer. ~ Mark Deming, RoviReview
Godfrey Reggio deserves considerable credit for directing a trilogy of ambitious, feature-length experimental films. Unfortunately, he seems to be running out of fresh ideas. Despite a portentous but nonetheless hypnotic score by Philip Glass (with cello solos by Yo-Yo Ma), this movie seems more meandering than compelling. The film's visual imagery relies heavily on speeding up, slowing down, coloring, and otherwise manipulating previously shot footage from TV commercials, newsreels, corporate videos, and other sources. Unfortunately, some of the visual effects are overdone, a lot of the resulting visuals are humdrum, and the juxtaposition of images is overly heavy handed and obvious (e.g., contrasting real-life violence with video violence) when it isn't simply disjointed. This movie needs a greater abundance of captivating, original imagery that better expresses the film's themes without lapsing as often into vagueness or obviousness. ~ Todd Kristel, RoviCast
Fidel Castro; Bill ClintonCredit
Cameron Hickey - Animator, Zachary David Medow - Animator, Steve Goldin - Associate Producer, Mel Lawrence - Co-producer, Godfrey Reggio - Director, Jon Kane - Second Unit Director, Bill Morrison - Editor, Jon Kane - Editor, Steven Soderbergh - Executive Producer, Federico Negri - Line Producer, Philip Glass - Composer (Music Score), Russell Fine - Cinematographer, Godfrey Reggio - Producer, Joe Beirne - Producer, Lawrence Taub - Producer, Steve Boeddeker - Sound/Sound Designer, Philip Glass - Screenwriter, Godfrey Reggio - Screenwriter, John Bailey - Additional Cinematography, Timothy Housel - Additional Cinematography, Yo-Yo Ma - Musical Performer, Manuel Gaulot - Visual Effects| Napuli e Surrinto (1931 Film), Naprawde Wczoraj (1963 Film) | |
| Nar Morket Er Forbi (2000 Film), Nar Rosorna Sla-Ut (1931 Film) |
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Naqoyqatsi
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Naqoyqatsi
| Naqoyqatsi | |
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 Naqoyqatsi DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Godfrey Reggio |
| Produced by | Joe Beirne Godfrey Reggio Lawrence Taub |
| Written by | Godfrey Reggio |
| Music by | Philip Glass |
| Cinematography | Russell Lee Fine |
| Editing by | Jon Kane |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
| Release date(s) | October 18, 2002 |
| Running time | 89 minutes |
Naqoyqatsi (
/nɑːkɔɪˈkɑːtsi/ nah-koy-kah-tsee),[1] also known as Naqoyqatsi: Life as War, is a 2002 documentary film directed by Godfrey Reggio and edited by Jon Kane, with music composed by Philip Glass. It is the third and final film in the Qatsi trilogy.
Naqoyqatsi is a Hopi word (more correctly written naqö̀yqatsi) meaning "life as war". While Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi examine modern life in industrial countries and the conflict between encroaching industrialization and traditional ways of life, using slow motion and time-lapse footage of cities and natural landscapes, about eighty percent of Naqoyqatsi uses archive footage and stock images manipulated and processed digitally on non-linear editing (non-sequential) workstations and intercut with specially-produced computer generated imagery to demonstrate society's transition from a natural environment to a technology-based one. Reggio described the process as "virtual cinema".[2]
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Contents
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Synopsis
According to Reggio, the film has no screenplay per se, but three movements (like those of a symphony) with different themes:[2]:
- Numerica.com: Language and place gives way to numerical code and virtual reality.
- Circus maximus: Competition, winning, records, fame, “fair play” and the love of money are elevated to the prime values of life. Life becomes a game.
- Rocketship twentieth century: A world that language can no longer describe. The resulting explosive tempo of technology is war, civilized violence.
Production
The September 11 attacks against the World Trade Center took place very close to the film's production studio, impacting the content of the film and further convincing the crew of the importance of its subject.[2]
Music
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The music is more in the traditional orchestral tradition than much of Glass's work as a familiar doorway to images so disconnected from the familiar world. One instrument, the cello played by Yo-Yo Ma, plays through much of the piece. Some unconventional instruments are used in addition to traditional ones, including a didgeridoo and an electronically-created jaw harp.[2]
Release
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There was some controversy over the production process after the film was released on DVD. Since most of the archive and stock footage used in the film were shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio, most of the film was horizontally stretched to accommodate the wider aspect ratio used in the cinema and in the DVD transfer.
See also
References
- ^ "Naqoyqatsi Definitions". Koyaanisqatsi.org. Institute for Regional Education. http://qatsi.org/films/naqoyqatsi.php. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Rotten Tomatoes website: Reviews and long article on Naqoyqatsi, with input and quotations from Godfrey Reggio and Philip Glass
External links
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- The Trilogy's Home Page
- Official Miramax Films website for Naqoyqatsi
- Naqoyqatsi at the Internet Movie Database
- Naqoyqatsi at AllRovi
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Mentioned in
Koyaanisqatsi
(1982 Culture & Society Film)
Naqoyqatsi [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
(Classical Album)
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