Blog 5

In the film Koyaanisqatsi, directed by Godfrey Reggio in 1983, different scenes show structural similarities that are reinforced by the change in perspectives. Using different perspectives throughout the film allows for us, the audience, to look at the things we typically take for granted in a new and unfamiliar way. The use of juxtaposition in the film also allows us to view things in our daily lives that we do not normally notice. The accretion and juxtaposition of images in Koyaanisqatsi help to confirm Reggio’s argument that we have come to accept technology as part of our environment.

There are many scenes throughout the film that demonstrate the use of juxtapositions as well as the use of different perspectives in certain images.  One example is when there was a close up of a family relaxing on a beach, and when the camera zoomed out of the frame it showed a nuclear power plant right behind them. By only showing us the family first, it made us, as the audience, believe that everything was normal. Zooming out however, revealed the truth to us. The scene demonstrated just how much people have become accustomed to technology. The family acted as if it was normal or even safe to be swimming in a beach that is right next to a nuclear power plant.

Another choice of scenes that the director put together for a purpose was the bird and army plane scenes. At first, there was a focus on a group of birds flying throughout the desert and then it changed to an army plane painted in camouflage, also flying through the desert. I believe that the objective of putting these two scenes side by side was to show just how much our technology tries to blend in with the environment. The plane was metaphorically acting like a bird and painted to match the environment of the desert, therefore, it was in a way blending in with nature.

After watching Koyaanisqatsi, I have come to agree with Reggio in his argument that we, as people, are accepting technology as part of our environment. We rely on it so much that sometimes we no longer do things for ourselves. Like reading a book for example. Now the internet can provide summaries of an entire novel. Even though we have proven to create advancements in technology as the years pass by, it is a bad idea to ignore the other things in our lives. Our actual environment being one of the main things.