Koyaanisqatsi

[ceptimus]

What no mention of Koyaanisqatsi here? Or did I just spell it wrong when I did the search? :blush: Anyway this film is top rate, and anyone who disagrees don't know what they're talking about. So there. :P

[livius drusus]

It really is. I was sure I was going to have to pretend to like it just to be nice to my hosts with the giant HDTV, but I totally didn't. Instead I was riveted from beginning to end. Oh, and Philip Glass is a fucking genius.

I haven't seen any of the follow-up Qatsis yet. Have you?

[ceptimus]

Yes. I bought the boxed DVD set with Powasqatsi. Not as good as Koyaanisqatsi, in my opinion - overly preachy, though it does have its moments.

I've not seen the third one yet though. Has it even been released yet?

[D. Scarlatti]

Oh, and Philip Glass is a fucking genius.

You know I have nothing but respect for your opinions but ... what in the world makes you say this?

[livius drusus]

Because the music he wrote for Koyaanisqatsi is like one of those earwigs from The Wrath of the Khan: it burrows into your head and controls your every move. I still find myself randomly bursting into "Kooyaaaaaaaaaaaaahnisqatsi" chants and it's been ages since I've seen the movie.

Now, what is this madness about repecting my opinions? When it comes to music I am but your spaniel, my dear.

[ceptimus]

I bought quite a few Philip Glass CDs because I enjoyed Koyaaninsqatsi so much, but listening to his music alone, rather than as a film score, I must admit I find it rather too repetitive.

I have a theory that Philip Glass produces his musical manuscripts by means of a printing roller with movable notes. He sets the notes in position on the roller, and rolls out a few yards of music; then he moves one or more of the notes slightly, and repeats as often as necessary till the piece is finished. :P

[D. Scarlatti]

Haha. No, I was just curious. That loopy, interminable minimalist stuff just drives me crazy after a few minutes, is all. However I will stipulate that it suits that movie.

Edit: What ceptimus said. Once there was a "news item" in National Lampoon showing a photo of some huge barges corralling several gigantic accumulations of floating lumber in the water somewhere. The caption read something like, "Raw disco is harvested for processing and shipment to the U.S."

But I will admit to owning a Steve Reich CD, and I have a fairly vivid memory of being captivated on a Walkman radio many, many years ago by another minimalist piece, the name of whose composer escapes me, entitled Stonehenge. You could get really good weed for 60 bucks an ounce in those days though.

[livius drusus]

Oh well, yeah, I definitely overstated the case by calling him a genius. I know exactly nothing about his non-Koyaanisqatsi stuff.

[livius drusus]

... the name of whose composer escapes me, entitled Stonehenge.

Was it Nigel Tufnel, perhaps? Or maybe David St. Hubbins?

You could get really good weed for 60 bucks an ounce in those days though.

I refuse to believe there ever was such a time. :lalala:

[wade-w]

You could get really good weed for 60 bucks an ounce in those days though.

I refuse to believe there ever was such a time. :lalala:

Heh. I can remember when weed was $20 per ounce. In those days, even primo like one hit gold bud was only $25 per ounce at most.

[livius drusus]

I can't hear you, but if I could I'd be weeping. :lalala:

[D. Scarlatti]

You could get a bag of Mexican weed for 20 bucks in my day too, but it generally wasn't good enough to render Phillip Glass riveting. On the other hand it was suitably THC-rich to engender much dashboard percussion and six-part warbling to the strains of Bohemian Rhapsody and Prophet's Song. In that sense Wayne's World was as much of a documentary as Koyaanisqatsi.

[Darren]

Koyaanisqatsi is good, but Baraka is even better.

[Petra]

Koyaanisqatsi is good, but Baraka is even better.


Nah, I like Thai best. It's lovely fun giggle weed that's almost trippy. By far my fave.

Morroccan Black ain't bad hash, though. I wouldn't say no to a toke or two, it's such a nice body stone; real laid back.


:bonghit:

[livius drusus]

Wait. Koyaanisqatsi and Baraka are kinds of weed? I'm either totally falling for a joke here or nowhere near as up on the stonerisms as I thought. :tmcnfusd:

[Darren]

Wait. Koyaanisqatsi and Baraka are kinds of weed? I'm either totally falling for a joke here or nowhere near as up on the stonerisms as I thought. :tmcnfusd:

I'm in the same boat, LD. I was talking about the films (which were made by the same guy). :chin:

Perhaps somebody could explain? :popcorn:

[Darren]

It really is. I was sure I was going to have to pretend to like it just to be nice to my hosts with the giant HDTV, but I totally didn't. Instead I was riveted from beginning to end. Oh, and Philip Glass is a fucking genius.

I haven't seen any of the follow-up Qatsis yet.?



Watch Baraka. Philip Glass didn't do the soundtrack, though. I think Dead Can Dance were involved, for some of it. Otherwise the music was from various sources. (Lay off the Thai, Lunachick :D )

[livius drusus]

I'd never even heard of Baraka, Darren. I thought the Qatsis were a trilogy. Is it in the same vein as the others? Do you recommend it?

[Darren]

I'd never even heard of Baraka, Darren. I thought the Qatsis were a trilogy. Is it in the same vein as the others? Do you recommend it?

Yes, it is in the same vein as the others - images and music entwined and total absence of dialogue.
It is the third film in the series but it breaks away from the previous two by being broader, thematically and emotionally, than both Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqatsi - it's really a kind of visual/aural poem about humanity in all its magnificent diversity and underlying unity as well as its rather less than magnificent perversity.
I more than recommend it - Baraka being one of the most stunning and unforgetable films I've ever seen. :2thumbsup:

[livius drusus]

Well, given your high praise and my own appreciation of the first in the series, Baraka will definitely be the next addition to my Netflix queue. Thanks for the tip, Darren. :thankee:

(On another note entirely, I've never been to Brittany but I've always wanted to see Carnac. Have you been?)

[Darren]

Well, given your high praise and my own appreciation of the first in the series, Baraka will definitely be the next addition to my Netflix queue. Thanks for the tip, Darren. :thankee:

(On another note entirely, I've never been to Brittany but I've always wanted to see Carnac. Have you been?)

Yes I have visited Carnac several times. It really is a strange place with the masses of menhirs arranged in rows. It is mobbed with tourists in the summer though, difficult even to get close.

[livius drusus]

Ah, see, there are never mobs of tourists in the pictures. It just looks eerie and marvelous. I'll make a note to avoid visiting in the summer.

[JoeP]

Well, given your high praise and my own appreciation of the first in the series, Baraka will definitely be the next addition to my Netflix queue. Thanks for the tip, Darren. :thankee:

(On another note entirely, I've never been to Brittany but I've always wanted to see Carnac. Have you been?)

Yes I have visited Carnac several times. It really is a strange place with the masses of menhirs arranged in rows. It is mobbed with tourists in the summer though, difficult even to get close.
Hey, I've been one of those summer tourists. It is amazing. And the history is well documented; they were all laid out by Obelix (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelix).

[livius drusus]

Hey, I've been one of those summer tourists. It is amazing.

Were you in a sea of people? Good to know it remains astonishing crowds notwithstanding.

And the history is well documented; they were all laid out by Obelix (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelix).

:chuckle: Obelix was always my favorite.