A drop in the sea

Arden 2022-01-09 08:01:58

A visually pleasing work to an extreme feels like miniature and macro images of the city landscape. Many shots are quite shocking. Whether it is an explosion, a burst scene, a view of Manhattan, or a shuttle between high-rise buildings, the visual effects are very strong and powerful. A sense of oppression.

I feel that I am more inclined to documentary films rather than experimental films, and the documentary feel is particularly rich.

Because there is no dialogue, the requirements for the soundtrack are very high. In fact, the soundtrack has raised more than one level for this film.

Looking at the lines drawn by the grids, the car lights and the street lights, and the slowly rising look of the super moon disappearing behind the tall buildings, like a microscopic world in a building block, I suddenly thought of "a drop in the sea" and "a mourning for my life". It's just a moment's notice". Water flow, cloud flow, wind flow may actually be the assembly line of nature, while the flow of cars and people logistics is actually a mechanized assembly line. People are also like beans or cars locked in games.

The time-lapse photography of the revolving door and the elevator door that can be distorted and reflected are really wonderful, and the neon street lights that are taken in the car behind are connected in a line with a cyberpunk vibe, and the urban bird’s eye view image chip looks like glitch art. style.

The tempo changes from fast to slow is also very good, first time-lapse photography and then slow motion, the visual contrast is even more shocking.

Every passerby has a serious expression, as if everyone has a lot of stories, and everyone is suffering.

The whole process of the rocket's destruction in the final sequence can be said to be very tragic. The slow motion and background sound can be said to be no less than the heroic dedication of the protagonist in the ending of the heroic movie.

Koyaanisqatsi’s last explanation is very good: a state of life that calls for another way of living

There is also the translation of the singing in the film: if we dig precious things from the land, we eill invite disaster...... It can be promoted as an environmental protection film.

So it is both philosophical and poetic, with thinking about life, a renewed respect for nature, and the search for the essence of existentialism.

To say that nature and man-made work together are magical, then the filmmaker's record of these events is magical.

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Extended Reading
  • Kianna 2022-04-23 07:03:27

    Many years ago, I was so shocked that I could not speak when I watched "Xuan Huang of Heaven and Earth" (1992). It is only now that I know that from the title, soundtrack, detail presentation to structure and conception, "Tian Di Xuan Huang" is borrowing from the 1982 documentary "Unbalanced Life". Moreover, the latter is somewhat purer and more intriguing because it shows less religious scenes.

  • Connie 2022-03-26 09:01:10

    Pure Cinema, the new rendition of City Symphony. Watching the movie on the big screen really doubled the impact. Thanks to my freshman professor who used this video to introduce me to Philip Glass. Hope to see the live soundtrack once in my lifetime

Koyaanisqatsi quotes

  • Choir: Koyaanisqatsi - Koyaanisqatsi - Koyaanisqatsi - Koyaanisqatsi - Koyaanisqatsi...

  • title card: ko-yaa-nis-qatsi

    [from the Hopi language]

    title card: n. 1. crazy life. 2. life in turmoil. 3. life out of balance. 4. life disintegrating. 5. a state of life that calls for another way of living.