Koyaanisqatsi

Neorealism is a term used to express an altered type of realism. In cinema, this form of art originated in Italy post World War II with the goal of expressing a deep concern for the lower class and those in need. Through film, this concept is conveyed in numerous ways that is discussed by Bazin and Munsterberg.

In Koyaanisqatsi, there are many elements that reflect reality just as there are some parts that challenge it. Through clips of different colors and sounds creating a wide range of emotions in the audience, those elements recreate reality by depicting the pace at which society moves. There are clips that contain fast, intense music with cars moving along a busy highway and there are scenes where one could feel sad and depressed due to the slow music and dark images. In addition, the film also incorporates clips in slow motion and time lapse to fully grasp the effect of the world we live in and how we function as humans. As spectators, we also see old cars, barely any African Americans, old buildings, TV channels, airplanes along with people at war, tanks, guns, deserts etc. All of those elements could be portrayed as unrealistic and different because of how different our society is today.

The film also successfully shows the advancement that has taken place from life at war many years ago to the present day. With the help of the intense music, the viewers are able to create powerful emotions such as confusion. As the film progressed from shots of the environment to war zones, clips of poverty and struggle to human development in a big city, the viewers start to create their own message of our world and what connects to their life/what doesn’t. I would argue that Koyaanisqatsi is a poetic piece of art because it contains no form of narration leaving room for judgement and opinion.