Incredible visuals set to incredible music. I'd rather leave alone the thought behind it, mind you.

Epic score.

Not quite as good as cinematographer Ron Fricke's later Baraka, but still an excellent film with astonishing visuals and time-lapse photography.

956

Koyaanisqatsi is wordless but full of words. Amusement ride that is able to communicate with the surrounding world. Yes, Reggio and Fricke successfully managed to Illustrate a simple message which is so beautifully transformed into a visual narration. Phillip Glass...he's not human!

a true large-screen, trippy, cinematic experience that forces you to view film and the world around you differently

Beautiful, but surprisingly depressing.

I have an environmental history class to thank for exposing me to this film and the wonder of Philip Glass.

Stunning images with a complementary score that make for an experience worth watching at least once.

Absolutely breathtaking images, and a brilliant score by Glass. The message is a little heavy-handed, but at the same time I can't say I disagree with it (and I definitely don't agree with Ebert who says the smokestacks look noble or w/e). Awe-inspiring.

To me this felt like an essay analyzing man's attempt to control the physical world with technology, which in itself has brought about its own chaotic results. Considering just how difficult this is to do in words never mind with film Reggio and Glass should be applauded for the result.

Koyaanisqatsi is almost like a nature documentary in which the subject is humans. With no commentary and an objective lens, this film shows the viewer the state of humanity at present (or at least circa 1982.) The music composed by Philip Glass is essential, and gives the film its real punch.

One of a kind film!

A perfect blend of audio and visual. Koyaanisqatsi should be exempt from traditional film standards and appreciated for what it is, an experience.

The beginning sequences are far too slow for my tastes, and I've never found this type of filmmaking to be as effective as more traditional styles. However, "The Grid" sequence (the images of fast-moving civilization) is absolutely fantastic: great shots, great music, and great juxtaposition of images.

Honestly, not wild about the overly stylized portrait of nature and modern life, as it seems to undercut the point he's driving at rather than uphold it. In particular, his use of time-lapse photography shows us poses a problem. Stunning to look at? Of course. But what more? The problem is especially pronounced in the case of the time-lapse featuring people, the individuals in the shots seeming to lose their humanity, becoming little more than objects in an art piece.

This is what happens when you drink and drive your light-cycle.