#crowmanic

Kinda??? I’m sure I’ll see it eventually, but for now I got other stuff on my mind like school finals””

Ha ha. Imagine not knowing about Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance,* part of the so-called “Quatsi Trilogy,” the 1983 tour-de-force tonal poem of a movie, featuring  music composed by Philip Glass, and directed by Godfrey Reggio with cinematography by Ron Fricke!!!*

For the uninitiated, Koyaanisquatsi (which gets its name from the Hopi word for “unbalanced life”) is a 90 minute experimental film which contains no dialog or narrative to speak of and features both natural and manmade landscapes and employs various techniques such as time-lapse and reversing the film (which, accompanied by Philip Glass’ composition gives it an eerie effect.) I have seen comparisons to Madonna’s Ray of Light video, which, while not on the same plane artistically, might give the casual viewer an idea of what it is like.

One writer for the Guardian, described the cinematography/musical score one-two punch as a “mood bomb” and had this gem of a quote from director Reggio: but noted:

"It's meant to offer an experience, rather than an idea," said Reggio … "For some people, it's an environmental film. For some, it's an ode to technology. For some people, it's a piece of shit. Or it moves people deeply. It depends on who you ask. It is the journey that is the objective." [x]

Music from Koyaanisquatsi has shown up in interesting places, including Grand Theft Auto IV (“Pruit Igoe”), and  the piece “Prophesies,” which was specifically riffed on by bots and co., was in the movie The Watchmen. 

Joel/Mike and the bots riff on Konyaanisquatsi composer Philip Glass especially, so he is worth mentioning on his own. Even if you don’t know his name, you have heard his music, since it pops up in film scores such as in The Truman Show or The Hours. Glass’ music has a cyclical, trippy quality. (This guy, who is apparently having gravity problems in his apartment, breaks down the Philip Glass sound pretty well.)

Glass also wrote the theme to the 2005 reboot of Night Stalker (not to be confused with the theme for the original Kolchak: The Night Stalker, which has a different flavor)

Riff found in: The Humanoid Woman, Parts: The Clonus Horror, Catalina Caper, Crash of the Moons, Moon Zero Two, Angel’s Revenge, Wild Rebels (as per annotatedMST)

Halloween YCH for @crowmanic ! Thank you for your support <3

Pride animation icon for @crowmanic!

Always love drawing this merp :3c