Comments on: Comments on 20337

Post number 20337

minnesotaj — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 11:32:09 -0800

War as a Way of Life The 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?

By: tr33hggr

tr33hggr — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 11:36:19 -0800

I choose option "B" - essential media. Reggio and Glass work together flawlessly. Thanks for the link - looking forward to this!

By: filchyboy

filchyboy — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 11:41:56 -0800

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!

By: JollyWanker

JollyWanker — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 11:59:25 -0800

In related news, the double-pack DVD of the first two films was recently released, too.

By: Utilitaritron

Utilitaritron — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 12:17:35 -0800

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.

By: syn

syn — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 12:54:17 -0800

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.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 12:57:12 -0800

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.

By: donovan

donovan — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 13:26:41 -0800

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?

By: dfowler

dfowler — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 13:34:00 -0800

Of course, why get the 2-pack when the 3-pack will be coming out in a matter of months?

By: Nelson

Nelson — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 14:54:11 -0800

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.

By: captain obvious

captain obvious — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 15:11:32 -0800

yahoo movies has a realvideo clip of the first four minutes of the film.

By: inpHilltr8r

inpHilltr8r — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 16:48:14 -0800

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.

By: JollyWanker

JollyWanker — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 19:50:35 -0800

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.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 20:38:26 -0800

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.

By: whatnot

whatnot — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 20:50:12 -0800

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."

By: carter

carter — Fri, 27 Sep 2002 07:41:32 -0800

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.''