Powaqqatsi

Very good very happy

Great to find this DVD.

I'm not trying to undersell Powaqqatsi (meaning 'parasite' in the Hopi language) but to emphasise the quality of the steady stream of images that unfold on us - and their subject matter. Often of people doing things in third world countries and often in very slo-mo, always very colourful and beautifully and perfectly composed, this is a feast for the eyes - and the ears. Equally good is Philip Glass' excellent, haunting and eclectic score, that obviously wasn't just tacked on afterwards. The film's intention is to highlight the way man has and is encroaching on nature - hence the title and its translation. Executive produced by mega directors of the period, Francis Ford Copolla and George Lucas, you can see that this was meant to hit big and hard. It could be argued, however, that the images don't go far enough - a certificate U means that the film is universally pretty and inoffensive, but what man has done to this planet isn't and a bolder approach would hit home harder and make its message clearer. I still prefer Koyaanisqatsi (PC's spell-checker going mental!) to this as that veers more to slightly more exciting imagery. Do as I did and get the two film boxset.

this dvd has been very hard to find but i now have all 3 of the series and am very pleased the the servce fred stephens

Powaqqatisi is the sequel to Koyaanisqatsi with the same production team involved, filmed throughout the southern hemisphere instead of the former's northern hemisphere. Like it's prequel, the film is a stream of stunning, beautifully composed shots of interesting locations and people going about their day-to-day lives; all to Philip Glass' wonderfull music score which always seems to capture the moment and create the perfect ambience. Not everyone will appreciate this film and some will find it plainly boring. If you are an observant, inquisitive type of person however, you will find this film mesmerising, thought provoking and educational; and watching the film is the sort of experience that is good for the soul too! Children will also be transfixed by the constantly changing images and the wide socio-geographical scope of the film would prove especially educational to them. Lastly, this film would look amazing on a large plasma screen (the larger the better) and would be fantastic in the 'background' when entertaining or eating for example; bar, club and restaurant owners take note!

Powaqqatsi nearly puts u close to the real life of people around South America, Asia and Africa, its a colourful journey into a world beyond imagination. The Images are so beautiful and the audio too match the video , truly inspiring, we at time think are the real visuals around us so inspiringly beautiful, yet we do not see them so colorful. The dark sides of these nations are portrayed in a different way. A real treat to any one, its amazing, the music takes us to another world. Its indeed a great work from two world famous director, a real collectors edition. POWAQQATSI is a celebration of the human-scale endeavor the craftsmanship, spiritual worship, labor and creativity that defines culture. It's also a celebration of rareness - the delicate beauty in the eyes of human, the richness of a tapestry woven - and yet an observation of how these societies move to a universal drumbeat."

Very good

..."koyaanisqatsi" und ich denke, dass auch der dritte teil oder film "naqoyqatsi" so sein wird. bei dieser filmreihe handelt es sich um ganz aussergewöhnliche, beeindruckende und ans gemüht gehende filmwerke, die nicht umsonst das prädikat: "besonders wertvoll" tragen. sie halten uns den spiegel vor um uns wach zu rütteln, umzudenken, eine neue, andere art leben zu finden, so wie viele dokumentationen der letzten jahre. doch was tut die menscheit? sie macht ungerührt weiter, sie halten klimakonferenzen ab, die das wort nicht wert sind und überdies emense kosten verursachen. da wird über`s klima bla-bla gequatscht, nach dem motto, schön das wir darüber gesprochen haben, aber geschehen ist nichts - wie x-mal zuvor schon. dann wird vertagt und alles geht so weiter wie bisher. klima, ist nur ein drängendes problem von ungezählten. ich meine: es wird sich nichts bei den grossen problemen unserer welt ändern, denn wir sind so überzeugt von uns, so arrogant, kleinkariert, so grössenwahnsinnig und so unendlich dumm... der mensch nahm das bibelwort: "macht euch die erde untertan" zu wörtlich und so wundert es mich nicht, wenn einige von uns bereits ahnen, das die endzeit längst begonnen hat. mir tun nur die kinder und kindeskinder leid, sie werden die zeche zahlen müssen - wenn das noch reichen würde... könnte noch lange erzählen, will dies jedoch unterlassen um zum einen, niemanden zu langweilen und zum anderen, ich möchte nicht schlecht drauf kommen, was sonst stets der fall ist...

Parfait

This is the second in the "Qatsi" trilogy presented by director Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass (plus many other gifted persons). It can stand alone as a fantastic sight and sound metaphor on the progress (or rather regress) of the "Southern Peoples" of the planet as the values of the "Western/Northern Peoples" infiltrate in virus-like manner to depersonify and disenfranchise people from their cultural roots. It is an apt sequel to Koyaanisqatsi and precursor to the third and final film Naaqatsi (sp?), the sight and sound metaphor of how humanity has become so engrossed in and dependent on technology, it is impossible to distinguish where one ends and the other begins. All three movies require a prerequisite mindset of patience. For those who need dialogue, plot and certain resolution, these are not the movies for you. But for the persevering, these are visionary and captivating, if not prophetic of the age in which we have found ourselves.