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Koyaanisqatsi / Powaqqatsi (2 Pack) Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 23 Reviews)

FINALLY available commercially on DVD, BUT....
....as another reviewer has said, KOYAANISQATSI is CROPPED. I own the limited edition DVD that was sold as a fundraiser around a year ago by the Institute for Regional Education (IRE) and it is in 4:3. The new MGM so-called "widescreen" release simply adds black bars to the top and bottom of the screen, with NO extra width shown- the other reviewer is 100% correct! I compared the IRE DVD with the new MGM commercial release on two DVD players at the same time, and the size of each picture is exactly the same, but the MGM release has black bars blocking Ron Fricke's cinematography. The bars take away 2 inches from the top and bottom of the screen of my 32" TV, or 4 inches of picture height total. I love widescreen movies, but purposely blocking out what was originally filmed is RIDICULOUS. KOY was originally filmed in 4:3, not widescreen.

These films are the two greatest combinations of music and film ever made- it's just a shame to see KOY treated so poorly. Nice interviews with Godfrey Reggio and Philip Glass and cheap price still makes it a must-buy. All we can hope for is maybe a "special edition" in the future that's done right as this release is apparently selling pretty well.

Right now, the best KOY sound is found on the laserdisc, and the best picture is found on the limited edition IRE DVD which is no longer available. I'm so happy I didn't sell it! It's a priceless collector's item now!

I haven't yet checked the new MGM DVD of POWAQQATSI compared to my VHS POW videotape as far as the black bars taking away picture from the original- but the new POW DVD indeed has an incredible picture quality and the soundtrack fared very well in the conversion to Dolby Digital- it sounds excellent. KOY sounds muffled and too rolled off in the highs.

Steve Glassfan

Films for the Ages
The arrival of these films in DVD format after a long and painful journey thru legal limbo is a joy to behold. Koyaanisqatsi is truly one of the most visually stunning films of all time, but that isn't it, no far from it. In addition to Reggio and Fricke's breathtaking visuals, one is further blessed with the genius of Philip Glass' score. The sections of the film can be hypnotic, jarring, humorous, heartbreaking, puzzling, or strange, and what one takes from the film isn't set in stone, but its guaranteed to challenge the viewer in the best sense of the term.

Its Sequel, Powaqqatsi is no less ambitious and no less phenomenal, shifting to the "third world" and slowing down the visual pace of much of the film (literally). It also features what is perhaps Philip Glass' most powerful music ever (matched in ambition and scope only by his Opera Akhnaten).

Words must enevitably fall short to fully describe these films though, for if a picture is worth a thousand words, these films provide thousands of pictures for us to contemplate. A Definite "must own"!!

Inproper Matting? Who Cares!
Although some people are quick to point out that the MGM version of Koyaanisqatsi is improperly matted to 1.85:1, who really cares? If you are a fan of the 'qatsi films, then you are well aware that they have been out of print (unavailable to the public for purchase or even rental) for a LONG time. I have long been trying to obtain a bootleg, or even laserdisc copy of the films. On ebay they usually went for upwards of $100 a copy. When I heard that MGM was releasing the films on DVD, I was estatic, and after watching them at home on my TV, I am even more happy.

Koyaanisqatsi is a love-hate film; you either love it, or hate it. For me, the brillance of Koyaanisqatsi comes in the juxtaposition of it's imagery and film score. The imagery is stunning: beautiful yet disturbing at times. The filmmaker Godfrey Reggio gives the viewer imagery and lets them make their own decisions about "what it means." This renders Koyannisqatsi a film where the viewer is quite active. If you do not like to think, or do not like abstractions you will most definitely not enjoy these films. If you enjoy thinking, and want to watch an experimental film that will leave you thinking for weeks, if not months afterwards, I can't recommend this film more.

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