Koyaanisqatsi

About 18 months ago I was introduced to Koyaanisqatsi a 1982 time-lapse film where everyday occurrences were either sped up through time-lapse or slowed down. It is well known for being a pioneering film of camera technique with methods used in its creation echoed through out artistic and commercial media pieces, such pieces including:

• Madonna, Ray of Light
• Scrubs
• Grand Theft Auto IV
• The Simpsons
• Limitless
• Inception

At the time of first watching Koyaanisqatsi I felt it was 87 minutes of my life I would never get back and my partner I'm certain felt the same. I had been told it was this fantastic film that represented how movies would have been like had Hollywood not sunk its claws in and was left thinking thank god it did. It wasn't until some months later during the opening scenes of Limitless starring Bradley Cooper that I realised just how influential Koyaanisqatsi had been. Having to remember that it was this pivotal film that came before everything I had seen and all the effects I have been so familiar with since as long as I can remember.

Koyaanisqatsi was the first ever time that I finished watching a film and felt angered by it, I'd felt lied to about this apparently incredible film that just left me with an information overload headache, yet left me with this feeling of familiarity in nearly every film I ever saw since, similar only to Pachelbels Canon in D that echoes through so much music today.