Podcasts about qatsi trilogy

While the first two films in Godfrey Reggio's Qatsi Trilogy were built on filming in particularly locations, in Naqoyqatsi, the image itself becomes the location as editor and "digital cinematographer" Jon Kane takes us into the simulation that is modern life. Unfortunately, like the early unused setpiece footage from Koyaanisqatsi, the tech here has not aged well, though this time Reggio doesn't seem to realize its cheesiness. Sadly, we lost take one of this conversation and Jonathan Hape was not able to join us for the re-recording. He added a lot to our discussion of the first two Qatsi films, and we wish it could have worked out. You should still go to https://www.jonathan-hape.com/ and check out his music.

We continue through Godfrey Reggio's Qatsi Trilogy with 1988's Powaqqatsi. Reggio works with Phillip Glass again but they lost Ron Fricke for this one and his absence is felt, particularly in the editing. While the first film looked at what US industrialization has done to its own people, Powaqqatsi travels around the world to look at the effects of industrialization on postcolonial peoples. Jonathan Hape joins us again for this journey, and along the way we talk about Reggio's Christian Anarchist and anarcho-primitivist influences, the 1990 Time Warner Earth Day Special, and Roger Ebert missing the point.

We start into Godfrey Reggio's Qatsi Trilogy this week with what many consider the strongest of the three films, mostly because Ron Fricke's cinematography and editing is masterful in it. Built from scenes of natural beauty and alienating industry with a phenomenal sountrack by Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi is a deeply effecting visual poem. Our dear friend Jonathan Hape (https://www.jonathan-hape.com/) joins us for the entire trilogy (probably).

In this episode of Inside the Box, Trevor and David discuss Godfrey Reggio's The Qatsi Trilogy, featuring the films Koyaanisqatsi (1983), Powaqqatsi (1988), and Naqoyqatsi (2002).

In this episode of Inside the Box, Trevor and David discuss Godfrey Reggio's The Qatsi Trilogy, featuring the films Koyaanisqatsi (1983), Powaqqatsi (1988), and Naqoyqatsi (2002).

Three films by Godfrey Reggio and Philip Glass present wordless imagery and music to send a cosmic warning about civilization’s imbalance, exploitation, and destruction. The meanings that we access through works of art are not confined to the conscious intentions of the artists. This critical truth came to mind while watching The Qatsi Trilogy—three films directed by Godfrey Reggio, and scored by Philip Glass. These are films without any talking, just imagery and music. The only text comes at the end, when the odd-sounding film titles are explained. Philip Glass's music is an essential component. It’s not the usual situation where the music accompanies a narrative, or helps illustrate it. The music is united to the visuals as if they were one thing. I know people who are maddened by Glass’s music, which is characterized by a lot of repetition. But here it aligns the viewer’s attention and emotions with the images. The repetitive motifs help the mind let go of the scattered, wandering forms of attention that can be habitual for us. Koyaanisqatsi, from 1982, starts with shots of nature in awe-inspiring aspects: mountains, canyons, deserts, and so on, with human beings conspicuously absent. Eventually we shift to footage of modern civilization, and in comparison to nature these images seem bizarre and outlandish. Two techniques comprise most of the film: slow motion and fast motion. The fast motion is actually time-lapse photography: footage of events that take hours or even days appearing to take place in just minutes. The movement of vehicles, traffic zipping through huge highway systems, masses of people, colossal buildings in major cities and the traffic within those cities: time-lapse photography takes away the familiarity of these things and makes them seem alien. In purely visual terms, the images are astounding, weird, beautiful, yet disturbing. Slow motion is used when we are looking at things more close up, especially people. Watching the movement of a crowd in slow motion, the familiar is once again supplanted by the sensation of strangeness. These beings, in the way they move, the way they avoid each other’s gaze, evoke questions and doubts about human nature, our striving and seeking, our ignorance and mortality. Powaqqatsi, from 1988, refrains from time-lapse photography, but it still uses a lot of slow motion. Here the footage is from the lands of non-European people. First we see traditional forms of work such as planting. Then civilization shows up. Instead of fairly well-dressed folks we see a much poorer populace. Modernity has conquered this non-white world, but it hasn’t helped the people. Here’s the theme of injustice and exploitation, and one’s heart hurts more watching this than it did during the more alienated first film. Naqoyqatsi was released in 2002, after a gap of thirteen years. Why this long delay I don't know. The film uses graphics, animation, and rotoscope photography to visualize the mind realm, the world of thinking and science. The mathematical and geometric designs become like a relentless drum beat of “progress.” Eventually the rhythm becomes the marching of soldiers, the creation of weapons, guns firing and the detonation of bombs. It shows the cleverness of humans serving the expansion of war. One thing that makes The Qatsi Trilogy difficult is that it seeks to evoke the impersonal as the source of meaning in the modern world. This

This month we talk to Ross Benes, a native son of Brainerd, Nebraska who has written a book about his hometown and his journey away from it and its conservative values. And then Dan tells us all about his new book, The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and American Popular Culture. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been visiting Northern Ireland and Tim has been visiting eastern Tennessee. Some of the things we talked about on this show: Mr. Benes mentioned What's the Matter with Kansas? and Dinesh D'Souza's What's So Great About Christianity. That film trilogy Dan mentioned is The Qatsi Trilogy by Godfrey Reggio. Dan's One Last Thing was Derry Girls. Tim's One Last Thing was The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young. (But also: go watch In and Of Itself.) 0:00-2:04: Introduction 2:08-20:44: Benes interview 20:49-33:22: Clanton interview 33:26-35:52: Dan's OLT 35:52-38:55: Tim's OLT 38:55-39:55: Credits 39:58-40:12: Outtake

Renowned cellist Katinka Kleijn is featured in Philip Glass' Cello Concerto No 2, derived from his score for Godfrey Reggio's film "Naqoyqatsi." The Symphony is under the baton of Steven Schick. Series: "La Jolla Symphony & Chorus" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 34637]

Renowned cellist Katinka Kleijn is featured in Philip Glass' Cello Concerto No 2, derived from his score for Godfrey Reggio's film "Naqoyqatsi." The Symphony is under the baton of Steven Schick. Series: "La Jolla Symphony & Chorus" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 34637]

Katinka Kleijn – champion of new music and a member of the Chicago Symphony – is soloist in Philip Glass’ graceful Second Cello Concerto, drawn from his score to the film Naqoyqatsi. The concert concludes with one of Anton Bruckner’s most compact and attractive symphonies, dedicated to Wagner and full of Bruckner’s glorious writing for brass. Emerging composer LJ White adds to the fun with a new work commissioned by the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus. Series: "La Jolla Symphony & Chorus" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 34004]

Katinka Kleijn – champion of new music and a member of the Chicago Symphony – is soloist in Philip Glass’ graceful Second Cello Concerto, drawn from his score to the film Naqoyqatsi. The concert concludes with one of Anton Bruckner’s most compact and attractive symphonies, dedicated to Wagner and full of Bruckner’s glorious writing for brass. Emerging composer LJ White adds to the fun with a new work commissioned by the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus. Series: "La Jolla Symphony & Chorus" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 34004]