September 26, 2002

11:32 AM

War as a Way of LifeThe latest Reggio/Glass collaboration - Naqoyqatsi - is coming out Oct. 18. From the looks of the trailer, this could be the coolest of the trilogy. Of course, who could forget the scene from Koyaanisqatsi where Reggio jumps from scene of Twinkies rushing through production line to fast-forward scene of daily-grinders moving up escalators in subway station - priceless. Just more 70's grad-student dope-smoking backdrop -- or essential media for our age?
posted by minnesotaj (15 comments total)

I choose option "B" - essential media. Reggio and Glass work together flawlessly. Thanks for the link - looking forward to this!
posted by tr33hggr at 11:36 AM on September 26, 2002

Oh, wow this is great. I thought it was never going to get made. I remember talking to Reggio at a party back in the 80s and it didn't look as though the third would ever get made.

If they tour with it be sure to go. I saw Glass and his group playing live to the film and it was one of my favorite concert experiences.

Good link!
posted by filchyboy at 11:41 AM on September 26, 2002

In related news, the double-pack DVD of the first two films was recently released, too.
posted by JollyWanker at 11:59 AM on September 26, 2002

I recently heard about this, so I rented Koyaanisqatsi this past weekend. It was the first time I'd seen it, and I watched it at least three times all the way through, something I never do with movies.
posted by Utilitaritron at 12:17 PM on September 26, 2002

how do people feel about powaqqatsi? i've only heard about/seen koyaanisqatsi, and was trying to figure out whether to get the two pack based solely on the strength of the first film.
posted by syn at 12:54 PM on September 26, 2002

Utilitaritron - I know people say this with 90% of movies, but Koyaanisqatsi really deserves to be seen on a big screen. If that's not an option (and unless you live in a college town, it's probably not), at least go out and see this new one in a theater while you can.

Should be interesting - Glass's musical style has evolved substantially since the second film came out (and not entirely in a positive direction, IMHO). But whatever else, I feel confident it will be a powerful experience.
posted by soyjoy at 12:57 PM on September 26, 2002

Damn. Powerful trailer. I'm curious what sort of reactions the Reggio/Glass fillms (note Soderberg produced this!) produce for people. I'm seen the two earlier films on the big screen (soyjoy's right about the powerf of that experience v. TV set) and recommend powaqqatsi (syn the dvds are a *deal*).

How do you people think about/process these films, apart from commenting on the beauty of the art? I walked out of each feeling an odd combination of stimulation and despondency. They are not films that have a "call to action" which is one reason I think they're so powerful--more of a Rorschach test--but what do you do, where do you start with the observation that there is no nature, only technology, and life is war?
posted by donovan at 1:26 PM on September 26, 2002

Of course, why get the 2-pack when the 3-pack will be coming out in a matter of months?
posted by dfowler at 1:34 PM on September 26, 2002

Everyday Life is War

Amazing release timing for a movie project that's been 20 years in the making.

I remember being really excited to go see Powwaqatsi when it came out in theaters. I was a geeky arty teenager in Houston. The theater was packed with people for the screening - a brief island of intelligentsia in cowtown. It was good.
posted by Nelson at 2:54 PM on September 26, 2002

yahoo movies has a realvideo clip of the first four minutes of the film.
posted by captain obvious at 3:11 PM on September 26, 2002

why get the 2-pack

The 2-pack is just the two normal DVDs with a (instantly disposed of) cardboard band holding them together. I can't imagine any supposed 3-pack would be more than that.
posted by inpHilltr8r at 4:48 PM on September 26, 2002

how do people feel about powaqqatsi?

The first film happens, and you make the connections as you watch. The second film makes the connections for you, and you see them play out. Neither is better, they're just different - despite the obvious stylistic similarities. FWIW, I like Glass' score for Powaqqatsi better than Koyanisqqatsi, but that's a pretty small point.
posted by JollyWanker at 7:50 PM on September 26, 2002

God, that RealVideo clip is hideous. I had to quit after about 90 seconds. The whole point of Reggio is the visual beauty of things. Trying to watch that through 300kbps of compression artifacts is like trying to listen to the Quartet for the End of Time in a train station.
posted by Nelson at 8:38 PM on September 26, 2002

Just more 70's grad-student dope-smoking backdrop ...

I went to a screening of the first two films, with Reggio on hand to answer questions after each. I remember him saying he's always been a little bummed that Koyaanisqatsi was labeled a "stoner flick."
posted by whatnot at 8:50 PM on September 26, 2002

Re. "K. as stoner flick.' This is indeed a misapprehension - I think - as the original credits for K. as far as I remember had at the end something like 'inspiration owed to Guy Debord.''
posted by carter at 7:41 AM on September 27, 2002