I've really enjoyed hearing your in class comments about this film. What did you think when you first starting watching it? Did your opinion change? Love or hate it? Favorite scenes? Do you see TOK connections with this? Other comments?
This was a great movie Mr.Harris. Even thought it has no words, that is really the best part about it. It does not spoon feed you with words; it lets your mind interpret the movie how it wants. Everyone's interpretation of it will be different in some way because we all have our own mind.
An example would be how the small children just let the fly land and crawl on thier faces without swating it away. I took this to mean that the children were used to living in poor conditions, where flies were a normal thing.
The movie was very different from any other movie I seen but I enjoyed it. I loved seeing the different cultures and different people . The movie made me realize that our standard of living is very different from other countries standard of living. Our norms is not the same as other countries norms. It really made me consider to travel around the world. Keep the movies coming. :) -Giovonni Shuler TOK B-Day
The film was really boring and kept me from concentrating. The director of this film probably thought that having no words and that annoying music in the background would make it artistic or something but it was horrible and gave me a headache every time it came on. No offense. I didn't see his purpose and he was really bias about America and I couldn't see where he was going with that at all. I didn't like it. Please don't make us watch his films anymore.
Briana, no offense taken :-) I realize a film like this is not everyone's cup of tea. Part of my job in TOK is to present you with perspectives and opinions that you may disagree with or have never considered before. Your job, as a TOK student, is to examine that perspective or claim and evaluate it. Is it strong or weak? Why or why not?
The most interesting part for me was wen the people was washing there clothes in the river or lake. The norm for people in America is to wash your clothes in a washer machince but the way they wash clothes is standard for them -Giovonni TOK BDay
I honestly loved the film. i thnk in order to enjoy it you really have to have the ability to see the inner beauty in the things around you. My favorite part was in the beginning, in India i think it was when the woman was walking from a distance toward the camera, with a basket of food on her head. The way her clothes flowed in the breeze made it look so majestic, while also showing the strength and hard work of the women. We need to watch more stuff like this!
Love your response, Nikeeya! Not because I agree with it (which I do) but because you made a claim about inner beauty and then gave specific evidence (the woman with the basket on her head and her clothes flowing in the breeze) and then you made the connection of why this supports your claim. Well done!
The movie was very different from the movies I usually watched. I enjoyed it and it was very interesting. It had no words and I really had to pay attention to the pictures. I thought it was pretty cool seeing other cultures and how they lived. It makes me really want to travel the world one day. The movie did have me confuse a couple times like I did not understand the boy being consume by dust. This movie made me realize we are truly blessed and we really shouldn't complain about the little things.
The film Powaqqatsi is an oddly interesting film. When we first started watching the movie I felt exactly like Briana I just wanted it to end. But as the movie went on and I was forced to pay attention I started to realize the point of the film. The film shows you the normal day of a "third world country" and adds music to it to go with the theme. It presents there day as it is and nothing more. There is no voice over or narrator reassuring us whether we're right or wrong about how we feel or to tell us the meaning behind a scene. It makes us think more about the scene and what is happening in it. This movie has made me realize that anything in life can be made into a beautiful piece of work.
I really enjoyed the video...Even though I did not understand most of it, it made me think about how the people were feeling without them being able to tell me. For example, how the skinny little boy was walking in the water naked. When I first saw it, I laughed but when I actually looked at it my thoughts changed. That little boy looked as if it was use to being naked and it was not something out of the norm for him.
Sade Eley TOK B DAY I really enjoyed the movie. AT first i was annoyed by not having words but then i started to see it wasnt a movie it was more like film art. I really liked the camera work too. In one scene where the man looks like a statue and then the bird flies away i thought it was cool that they got it on camera. At the end though it really made me think of one single detail in the movie. Sometimes they would show people looking angry or annoyed at the camera and i figured they didnt want to be filmed. It then makes you question whether it was okay for these Americans to go into these peoples homes and expose them this way when they might not have wanted to be exposed or exploited
Film art, you say? :-) Thanks Sade! Oh, and these film sequences weren't staged so your observation about those that looked angry or annoyed raises some really good questions--remind me of this in class.
I loved this movie personal!! It showed another side of the world we rarely get to see and allows us to see unknown cultures to us. The music just elevated to movie even more. Even though this no words in this movie; I understand basically everything the director wanted us to see. One of my favorite parts of the movie was the transition from old word to new world. I got to see how different it is for people in developing countries. I hope we get to see the other movies in the trilogy too!!
I really don't know where to start with the comment about the film, I really want to type a whole lot and pin point every aspect that I loved but I won't..... this time. (: For starters I loved how the movie opened with showing the men working in such a messy yet orderly fashion. And I love how Godfrey Reggio used he Roman God of transition, Janus to move on to the next scene. The visual images and angles as well as the music by Phillip Glass (who is always so great at composing soundtracks) really helped tell the story even with the lack of words. The contrast of colors and various camera angles and techniques really blew me away because of the time period in which he film was released. When I first saw it, I figured it was shot maybe around 2010... but when I found out it was released in 1988 I almost fell out of my chair!!! I loved how it showed different middle eastern areas (because I've always wanted to travel to those various place) and the beautiful people and religions and landscapes that the areas have. The different buildings and mountains, gardens and farms made me feel as though I was there with them as they were filming. Powaqqatsi made me want to yell at all the lazy Americans I know and tell them to get up and do something productive and stop complaining all the time! There are people in other countries who have it way worst than us and we complain about simple things like having no free WI-FI... -_- I have sooooo many favorite parts, but I''l just share two for now. The first part I loved was when the men were out on the sea with a raggedy boat. For us Americans, we would've mad every excuse in the book not to go out on the sea with a boat like that but for them, they had to because that's how they made their living and they probably had no money to fix it. The second scene I loved was the part where the cute, curly haired, dirty faced girl was "driving" the wagon while a male was in the passenger seat intoxicated. To me, this part of them movie shows just how fast kids in other cultures grow up and how much they have to learn so early on (it also showed how beautiful and strong a young woman can be...but I won't go into the whole girl power thing..lol) I also loved the snippet of the woman in the desert, it was so beautiful and captivating, it took my breath away!!! Powaqqatsi isn't for those who have no type of love for various cultures and practices. This is a film for those who have a deep rooted love for travel and aesthetic things that are out of the ordinary. Open-minded persons who have an optimistic view on new things that they aren't used too. This film really inspired me to further my education so that I can pursue my future career in Journalism and Cinematography. Hopefully one day, I'll get to travel, meet new people document it and make something just as beautiful as this movie, can't wait to see the rest of the trilogy!!!!
A+ response, you don't know just how happy you made me feel reading your post! YES SHE GETS IT! References to the styles of Reggio and Glass, technique, evidence of independent research, thoughtful analysis, aesthetic appreciation, the ability to make claims and back them with evidence from a primary source-- all elegantly stated.
This is what upper level college course work looks like!
I actually really liked the movie, Powaqqatsi. (Even though I was dosing off at times lol) But the movie was very captivating. I loved how the film captured the difference between the various cultures. In the beginning of the film with the people working very hard without complaining, quitting, or emotion. They just orderly did their job with such ease and grace. I liked how they showed the man getting carried up the hill by the people who was working. To me, it showed that they value team work and that they actually care about each other. The little kids that they showed were very sad but interesting. Lets us know that they are unfortunate and sometimes have to provide for themselves. For example, the girl controlling the carriage while the man beside her was intoxicated. She had to do that herself with no help. Obviously, it seemed like she does it often because she was managing the carriage with no struggle or problems. Even the little boy with no clothes on lol. He seemed like such a free spirited little boy with no cares in the world. He was just enjoying walking in the water, letting everything hang out. lol I also loved how they switched from the foreign culture to the modern culture. Seeing different cultures in action was very interesting. The foreign practices are so much different from what we do. They actually have to go through a lot when they work and they hardly get paid anything. Here, it seems like all people do is work to make a quick buck. We don't value working like they do. To me it seemed like the modern world is much more dangerous than the foreign cultures because we have war, hate, drugs, etc. The modern world is filled with so many imperfections that still need to be fixed. I think I mostly loved seeing the nature, religion practices, and housing in Powaqqatsi. It was a part that you paused where it showed some man made housing and behind it was a mountain. I really liked that. Oh, and the part with the waterfall. First, it showed the motion of water. Then it backed up, showing a waterfall like motion. Then it backed further, showing (I forgot what it was) but it looked like a house with the water flowing from it. I thought that was really cool. The religion practices was kind of cool too. The scene I like the most with religion is the man with the cane/stick who is in deep meditation and the bird landed on his stick. That was a beautiful silhouette. To wrap all this up in a nut shell, I really liked Powaqqatsi. It was very captivating, interesting, beautiful, and educational. To be honest, I thought the movie was going to be boring lol. But I really enjoyed it. I hope we get to watch more movies soon... but with talking and music.
Well as much as I thoroughly enjoyed the movie I will try to keep this comment brief. lol (no offense to Dariah or Talia, I found your posts very interesting/ relatable) I found the movie to be enlightening, as if I was blind to third world culture until now. I do feel like Godfrey Reggio was biased, but in a positive way. Powaqqatsi projected many different themes but the most significant one I feel is: "Beauty in Simplicity." This reoccurring theme was seen through the beautiful homes constructed of dirt and decorated with a white paint, and also through the images of the untouched mountains and hills. Overall I believe I loved the movie because the use of no words and only music and pictures made me feel as if I were "experiencing" the culture myself.
Michael, I agree with you that Dariah and Talia's posts were interesting--as a teacher, it made my day to read their well written observations! While Dariah mentions the differences between traditional and modern cultures, and Talia mentions "girl power" (among other topics) you focus on identifying overarching themes like "Beauty in Simplicity."
Sadly I didn't get to finish the movie. :-( But, from what I did see I enjoyed it. I really believe I would hav gotten into it more if there was a more distinct story line. The movie still didn't need words but it could've followed a person a more and showed us there daily life ad struggles and hard ships with living in a third world country. But the movie made me think and appreciate my life a whole lot more.
Powaqqatsi was a movie with no words but had more meaning than most of the movies that are being produced today. This movie made us think, infer, and analyze deeper. At the point in the movie in which the man (who was hit in the head with the rock) was being carried up the hill was blended into the clip of the river didn't make any sense to me but after taking note of what you said and looking at it from a different perspective, I could see how it appeared the motion of the people moving and the motion of water was in balance making the man appear to be floating along the river. Um.. if this isnt a DECENT reflection, then use my one above this.
Ok so I'm going to try this again...Besides me saying that this is a superb film, I also witnessed Powaqqatsi as a celebration of humanity through images. Perhaps some people seemed disappointed by this, but this movie stands finely in just the fact of having no words and allowing the symbolism and creativity of the pictures to play out the course of the story. In another aspect, it can be seen as a moving and delightfully photographed tour of the world. Hope that's enough Mr. Harris.
Powaqqatsi was a very enjoyable film. When we first began watching it, i was skeptical as to whether or not I would enjoy the movie. After witnessing the diversity and different ways of living presented in the movie, I had become very engaged and eager to learn more about the lives of others. I researched what the word "Powaqqatsi" meant and its's definition was "life in transition". This is exactly what Godfrey Reggio is trying to depict throughout the movie, the transition of life. Godfrey mainly focuses on the conflict in less industrialized countries between more traditional ways of living and new ways of living facilitated by industrialization. The first scene of the movie depicts men doing extreme and strenuous labor. I believe Reggio starts with that because he wants to show us the world at it's lowest point. As the movie progresses, we slowly begin to see a trasition into traditional, more civilized ways of living. Throughout this transition, we witness the various cultures and nationalities which were were displayed in such a beautiful manner, showing us the magnificence of diversity. The film really opened my eyes to tge fact that everyone's lifestyle is not the same and that I really do have it easier than most peple around the world. (Now cleaning my room and washing dished doesn't seem so bad lol)The fact that the movie has no dialouge makes it even better. This makes us actually focus and get a better understanding of what Reggio is really trying to show us throughout the film. The most interesting part of the movie, in my opinion, is when Reggio shows the reflection of the tree in the stream. This was overwhelmingly beautiful, and unlike anything I had ever seen before. The film really tests your brain and makes you become a deeper thinker and analyzer, which is the whole point of TOK. This was a great experience for me, and I hope that we are able to watch more of Reggio's works in the near future. Well...I guess it's time for me to clean my room. Lol peaceeeeeeeeee.
i both liked and disliked the movie. i like how it showed the world in a way that people wouldn't usually think of. how towards the end of the movie they showed the commercials*sp* some people wouldnt think of it as showing us how they think we should look.then the music is perfect. it has the right tempo for each scene, it comes in at the right time, and its almost like its mood changing. when they showed a scene in what i believe is india when the showed the two men meditating the music was different but calming in a scense. then when it got to the scene with the train the change of music and tempo kind of made you want to bounce or it gave you the scense of being hyper or of feeling excitement. when they went through the different cities and showed how crowded they were and how some people lived on the streets they were showing some negative sides of different societies but they are also showing how cities around the world are alike. to me this movie is saying that the world is like the ocean/sea,it can be rough and bumpy making things more difficult for you but it can also be calm and smooth taking you through a time of peace
I didnt get a chance to finish watching the movie, but from what I saw it was a good movie. At first when I first saw it, I was lyke "What NO words".!..but it turned out to be alright. The interpretation that I interpreted was that the purpose of the movie was to show the different lifestyles of different people. Also, when they showed the commercials, I thought that maybe they showed those commercials to show how good we got it as in living conditions, entertainment, and other enjoyable things we should be thankful for. Seeing the way others lived in different areas made me feel intrested in their life. Well, this is my interpretation of the film :)
I really enjoyed viewing the Powaqqatsi movie. Although I did not get a chance to see a few parts, what I saw really kept me interested. I think that the way the film had no words really helped to show the seriousness of the film. I liked how it showed third world countries and things we do not see in everyday life. It also helped others who don't really know what goes on in the other side of the world and are not aware of how horrible their living conditions are, and rough of circumstances they have, but it does not really phase the people of these countries because that's all they're accustomed to. The best part of the film for me was how the director captured the celebrations of these countries. Even though they don't have much, they still made the best of it. The way the director showed their pure excitement and happiness during the celebrations really moved me! - Taylor, TOK B-Day
When I first watched Powaqqatsi (which was toward the end of the movie) I was somewhat lost until Mr. Harris finally paused the movie and elucidated on a few scenes. I then started analyzing the movie with a better perspective and realized that we take a lot for granted such as indoor plumbing and shoes. In the scenes that I viewed, I've noticed street residents that only own newspapers as blankets and the street as their mattress/pillow and hard labor workers that maneuver large and heavy items by foot with no shoes to long and far destinations. Even though poverty is held in America, but plenty countries on the other side of the world have it WAY worst than we may have it. That is why people who reside in Africa, Asia, Australia, and etc relocate to America to live better because they see the US as a rich and free country. The director demonstrates this through fine lining in those poverty scenes that were shown. In conclusion, we can favor the finer and luxurious things in life, but appreciate the fake Jordans, $5 shoes from Wal-Mart and other knock-off shoes from your local holders because you may never know who suffers worst than you! ~Oshia; ToK B-Day
I believe Powaqqatsi is a good film. This movie proves that even without words language is still present and interpretable. And if it wasn't for your TOK class Mr. Harris I probably would have never seen this movie.I also feel as though the music played a big role in setting the tone of this movie with all the different contrasts. We, as people of today's society, are more dependent on technology and handicaped by it, believing that without it Certain task at hand are impossible, but Powaqqatsi shows that even without the use of technology you can still live an efficient and productive life. This isn't the first movie I've seen without words but it surely was the most meangiful. And the music in the backdrop really contributed the mosyt with the contrast between modern society and that of the developing countries.
the movie to me was kinda of interesting. The movie at first bored me but as the movie went deeper I felt not as bored. The beginning I did not understand. But to me the true meaning of Powaqqatsi is that people in this world can be sad and people do not recognize it and help them. It also means that people can be religious that they do anything to get holy. I also realize that society is different in different countries. Some societies are poor and some are rich. The music in the background really contributed the different scenes in the movie. Overall, I love Powaqqatsi
Issac morgan This movie was very interesting to me. The way that it describes and explain things just amazed me. My favorite part was when it showed how the people were going up and down the hill collecting the sand. It was funny how they looked like ant going up and down an ant hill collecting food. Another part that I found amusing was how they showed the children faces, and you could tell they were poor and hungry just by the facial features. The idea that you can tell how someone is living by their facial qualities is just outstanding. These are some of the reasons why i like this movie
...K. I didn't know if your question was rhetorical or not but it was a weak movie to me because I see this everyday. I can cut on my t.v. and see that America doesn't appreciate anything, we're lazy, and we're always wanting things and in other countries that have it way worse than us appreciate what they have and make the best of it. The director's hour and a half movie wasn't art but a waste of time. My time was wasted and I believe that his was also by making this movie. It isn't anything new. It was more of an "Okay... I know this. Cool." I've seen the pictures and the different colors of the countries and the blandness here in America and seeing it in the movie didn't make it anymore interesting. I just didn't understand where he was going with the film
When I first started watching the movie i was wondering why the world Mr. Harris chose this. I was thinking who watches a movie without sound. As the movie continued i realized that the movie presented crosscutting scenes from different cultures around the world. This started to really interest me. The movie conveyed a sense of immenseness and variety on our planet. Also, it illustrates diversity and transformation. Powaqqatsi contrasted the ways of life. It presented us with a variety of scenes illustrating how mechanization, technology, and growth of big cities have negative effect on small cultures. In the end, I really loved it !!!!!!!! -brittney tok B-Day
I really enjoyed the movie and although it had no dialogue I found the changes in musical selections very fitting and helped in the relationship the finisher was trying ti convey. The movie's concept revolved around natural beauty of the earth and industrialized beauty of the Earth. From the film, the thought I got was that the villages and "old timer" style of living was much more special to me & their society is based on love, peace, harmony & being one. In contrast, our industrialization in America in full of caniving advertisement that tricks us into spending our wealth on nonsense $ food that
Is not healthy. Our definition of beauty is supernatural & as my mother always told me "we are wiser but weaker". Our technology is so advanced I see it as an evil. We're so used to TV & Internet we don't have family time & our society is killing its own morals of togetherness kind of
Hmmm. Tried to link the trailer from YouTube, doesn't look like it worked.
ReplyDeleteJust commenting on the vid...thought it was a great link to the things we talk about in History and TOK!! Keep em coming!!
ReplyDeleteCan you give me something more specific? How does it link? :-)
DeleteUh... we're suppose to reflect on the movie here?
ReplyDeleteUh...yeah :-)
DeleteThis was a great movie Mr.Harris. Even thought it has no words, that is really the best part about it. It does not spoon feed you with words; it lets your mind interpret the movie how it wants. Everyone's interpretation of it will be different in some way because we all have our own mind.
ReplyDelete-Jervonte'Caldwell TOK A-DAY
For example?
DeleteAn example would be how the small children just let the fly land and crawl on thier faces without swating it away. I took this to mean that the children were used to living in poor conditions, where flies were a normal thing.
DeleteThanks for the example :-)
DeleteThe movie was very different from any other movie I seen but I enjoyed it. I loved seeing the different cultures and different people . The movie made me realize that our standard of living is very different from other countries standard of living. Our norms is not the same as other countries norms. It really made me consider to travel around the world. Keep the movies coming. :)
ReplyDelete-Giovonni Shuler TOK B-Day
The film was really boring and kept me from concentrating. The director of this film probably thought that having no words and that annoying music in the background would make it artistic or something but it was horrible and gave me a headache every time it came on. No offense. I didn't see his purpose and he was really bias about America and I couldn't see where he was going with that at all. I didn't like it. Please don't make us watch his films anymore.
Delete- Briana S. Tok A Day
Thanks Giovanni! Was there a particular segment that really grabbed your attention?
DeleteBriana, no offense taken :-) I realize a film like this is not everyone's cup of tea. Part of my job in TOK is to present you with perspectives and opinions that you may disagree with or have never considered before. Your job, as a TOK student, is to examine that perspective or claim and evaluate it. Is it strong or weak? Why or why not?
DeleteThe most interesting part for me was wen the people was washing there clothes in the river or lake. The norm for people in America is to wash your clothes in a washer machince but the way they wash clothes is standard for them
Delete-Giovonni TOK BDay
I honestly loved the film. i thnk in order to enjoy it you really have to have the ability to see the inner beauty in the things around you. My favorite part was in the beginning, in India i think it was when the woman was walking from a distance toward the camera, with a basket of food on her head. The way her clothes flowed in the breeze made it look so majestic, while also showing the strength and hard work of the women. We need to watch more stuff like this!
ReplyDelete-Nikeeya Ali TOK A Day
Love your response, Nikeeya! Not because I agree with it (which I do) but because you made a claim about inner beauty and then gave specific evidence (the woman with the basket on her head and her clothes flowing in the breeze) and then you made the connection of why this supports your claim. Well done!
DeleteThe movie was very different from the movies I usually watched. I enjoyed it and it was very interesting. It had no words and I really had to pay attention to the pictures. I thought it was pretty cool seeing other cultures and how they lived. It makes me really want to travel the world one day. The movie did have me confuse a couple times like I did not understand the boy being consume by dust. This movie made me realize we are truly blessed and we really shouldn't complain about the little things.
ReplyDeleteNathean Scott TOK B Day
Thanks Nathean!
DeleteThe film Powaqqatsi is an oddly interesting film. When we first started watching the movie I felt exactly like Briana I just wanted it to end. But as the movie went on and I was forced to pay attention I started to realize the point of the film. The film shows you the normal day of a "third world country" and adds music to it to go with the theme. It presents there day as it is and nothing more. There is no voice over or narrator reassuring us whether we're right or wrong about how we feel or to tell us the meaning behind a scene. It makes us think more about the scene and what is happening in it. This movie has made me realize that anything in life can be made into a beautiful piece of work.
ReplyDeleteKyle Jenkins TOK A Day
DeleteThanks Kyle!
DeleteI really enjoyed the video...Even though I did not understand most of it, it made me think about how the people were feeling without them being able to tell me. For example, how the skinny little boy was walking in the water naked. When I first saw it, I laughed but when I actually looked at it my thoughts changed. That little boy looked as if it was use to being naked and it was not something out of the norm for him.
ReplyDeleteThanks (I am assuming this is Latoya)
DeleteSade Eley TOK B DAY
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the movie. AT first i was annoyed by not having words but then i started to see it wasnt a movie it was more like film art. I really liked the camera work too. In one scene where the man looks like a statue and then the bird flies away i thought it was cool that they got it on camera. At the end though it really made me think of one single detail in the movie. Sometimes they would show people looking angry or annoyed at the camera and i figured they didnt want to be filmed. It then makes you question whether it was okay for these Americans to go into these peoples homes and expose them this way when they might not have wanted to be exposed or exploited
Film art, you say? :-) Thanks Sade! Oh, and these film sequences weren't staged so your observation about those that looked angry or annoyed raises some really good questions--remind me of this in class.
DeleteI loved this movie personal!! It showed another side of the world we rarely get to see and allows us to see unknown cultures to us. The music just elevated to movie even more. Even though this no words in this movie; I understand basically everything the director wanted us to see. One of my favorite parts of the movie was the transition from old word to new world. I got to see how different it is for people in developing countries. I hope we get to see the other movies in the trilogy too!!
ReplyDelete-Raven TOK B-Day
Thanks Raven! I am glad to know this brought something new to you and you found it interesting :-)
DeleteI really don't know where to start with the comment about the film, I really want to type a whole lot and pin point every aspect that I loved but I won't..... this time. (:
ReplyDeleteFor starters I loved how the movie opened with showing the men working in such a messy yet orderly fashion. And I love how Godfrey Reggio used he Roman God of transition, Janus to move on to the next scene. The visual images and angles as well as the music by Phillip Glass (who is always so great at composing soundtracks) really helped tell the story even with the lack of words. The contrast of colors and various camera angles and techniques really blew me away because of the time period in which he film was released. When I first saw it, I figured it was shot maybe around 2010... but when I found out it was released in 1988 I almost fell out of my chair!!!
I loved how it showed different middle eastern areas (because I've always wanted to travel to those various place) and the beautiful people and religions and landscapes that the areas have. The different buildings and mountains, gardens and farms made me feel as though I was there with them as they were filming. Powaqqatsi made me want to yell at all the lazy Americans I know and tell them to get up and do something productive and stop complaining all the time! There are people in other countries who have it way worst than us and we complain about simple things like having no free WI-FI... -_-
I have sooooo many favorite parts, but I''l just share two for now. The first part I loved was when the men were out on the sea with a raggedy boat. For us Americans, we would've mad every excuse in the book not to go out on the sea with a boat like that but for them, they had to because that's how they made their living and they probably had no money to fix it. The second scene I loved was the part where the cute, curly haired, dirty faced girl was "driving" the wagon while a male was in the passenger seat intoxicated. To me, this part of them movie shows just how fast kids in other cultures grow up and how much they have to learn so early on (it also showed how beautiful and strong a young woman can be...but I won't go into the whole girl power thing..lol) I also loved the snippet of the woman in the desert, it was so beautiful and captivating, it took my breath away!!!
Powaqqatsi isn't for those who have no type of love for various cultures and practices. This is a film for those who have a deep rooted love for travel and aesthetic things that are out of the ordinary. Open-minded persons who have an optimistic view on new things that they aren't used too. This film really inspired me to further my education so that I can pursue my future career in Journalism and Cinematography. Hopefully one day, I'll get to travel, meet new people document it and make something just as beautiful as this movie, can't wait to see the rest of the trilogy!!!!
-Talia Mays TOK A-DAY
A+ response, you don't know just how happy you made me feel reading your post! YES SHE GETS IT! References to the styles of Reggio and Glass, technique, evidence of independent research, thoughtful analysis, aesthetic appreciation, the ability to make claims and back them with evidence from a primary source-- all elegantly stated.
DeleteThis is what upper level college course work looks like!
Thanks again, Talia!
I actually really liked the movie, Powaqqatsi. (Even though I was dosing off at times lol) But the movie was very captivating. I loved how the film captured the difference between the various cultures.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the film with the people working very hard without complaining, quitting, or emotion. They just orderly did their job with such ease and grace. I liked how they showed the man getting carried up the hill by the people who was working. To me, it showed that they value team work and that they actually care about each other.
The little kids that they showed were very sad but interesting. Lets us know that they are unfortunate and sometimes have to provide for themselves. For example, the girl controlling the carriage while the man beside her was intoxicated. She had to do that herself with no help. Obviously, it seemed like she does it often because she was managing the carriage with no struggle or problems. Even the little boy with no clothes on lol. He seemed like such a free spirited little boy with no cares in the world. He was just enjoying walking in the water, letting everything hang out. lol
I also loved how they switched from the foreign culture to the modern culture. Seeing different cultures in action was very interesting. The foreign practices are so much different from what we do. They actually have to go through a lot when they work and they hardly get paid anything. Here, it seems like all people do is work to make a quick buck. We don't value working like they do. To me it seemed like the modern world is much more dangerous than the foreign cultures because we have war, hate, drugs, etc. The modern world is filled with so many imperfections that still need to be fixed.
I think I mostly loved seeing the nature, religion practices, and housing in Powaqqatsi. It was a part that you paused where it showed some man made housing and behind it was a mountain. I really liked that. Oh, and the part with the waterfall. First, it showed the motion of water. Then it backed up, showing a waterfall like motion. Then it backed further, showing (I forgot what it was) but it looked like a house with the water flowing from it. I thought that was really cool. The religion practices was kind of cool too. The scene I like the most with religion is the man with the cane/stick who is in deep meditation and the bird landed on his stick. That was a beautiful silhouette.
To wrap all this up in a nut shell, I really liked Powaqqatsi. It was very captivating, interesting, beautiful, and educational. To be honest, I thought the movie was going to be boring lol. But I really enjoyed it. I hope we get to watch more movies soon... but with talking and music.
-Dariah Brown TOK B-Day
WOW! And Dariah also provides a college level response! Wonderful examples and analysis with comparison/contrast to western culture!
DeleteGreat job, Dariah and thanks!
Well as much as I thoroughly enjoyed the movie I will try to keep this comment brief. lol (no offense to Dariah or Talia, I found your posts very interesting/ relatable) I found the movie to be enlightening, as if I was blind to third world culture until now. I do feel like Godfrey Reggio was biased, but in a positive way. Powaqqatsi projected many different themes but the most significant one I feel is: "Beauty in Simplicity." This reoccurring theme was seen through the beautiful homes constructed of dirt and decorated with a white paint, and also through the images of the untouched mountains and hills. Overall I believe I loved the movie because the use of no words and only music and pictures made me feel as if I were "experiencing" the culture myself.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I agree with you that Dariah and Talia's posts were interesting--as a teacher, it made my day to read their well written observations! While Dariah mentions the differences between traditional and modern cultures, and Talia mentions "girl power" (among other topics) you focus on identifying overarching themes like "Beauty in Simplicity."
DeleteThat's awesome, too! Thanks Michael!
Sadly I didn't get to finish the movie. :-( But, from what I did see I enjoyed it. I really believe I would hav gotten into it more if there was a more distinct story line. The movie still didn't need words but it could've followed a person a more and showed us there daily life ad struggles and hard ships with living in a third world country. But the movie made me think and appreciate my life a whole lot more.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the spelling errors. My phone is dumb.
DeleteIt was good.
ReplyDeletePowaqqatsi was a movie with no words but had more meaning than most of the movies that are being produced today. This movie made us think, infer, and analyze deeper. At the point in the movie in which the man (who was hit in the head with the rock) was being carried up the hill was blended into the clip of the river didn't make any sense to me but after taking note of what you said and looking at it from a different perspective, I could see how it appeared the motion of the people moving and the motion of water was in balance making the man appear to be floating along the river. Um.. if this isnt a DECENT reflection, then use my one above this.
DeleteOk so I'm going to try this again...Besides me saying that this is a superb film, I also witnessed Powaqqatsi as a celebration of humanity through images. Perhaps some people seemed disappointed by this, but this movie stands finely in just the fact of having no words and allowing the symbolism and creativity of the pictures to play out the course of the story. In another aspect, it can be seen as a moving and delightfully photographed tour of the world.
ReplyDeleteHope that's enough Mr. Harris.
Neshawd Williams TOK B Day
DeletePowaqqatsi was a very enjoyable film. When we first began watching it, i was skeptical as to whether or not I would enjoy the movie. After witnessing the diversity and different ways of living presented in the movie, I had become very engaged and eager to learn more about the lives of others. I researched what the word "Powaqqatsi" meant and its's definition was "life in transition". This is exactly what Godfrey Reggio is trying to depict throughout the movie, the transition of life. Godfrey mainly focuses on the conflict in less industrialized countries between more traditional ways of living and new ways of living facilitated by industrialization. The first scene of the movie depicts men doing extreme and strenuous labor. I believe Reggio starts with that because he wants to show us the world at it's lowest point. As the movie progresses, we slowly begin to see a trasition into traditional, more civilized ways of living. Throughout this transition, we witness the various cultures and nationalities which were were displayed in such a beautiful manner, showing us the magnificence of diversity. The film really opened my eyes to tge fact that everyone's lifestyle is not the same and that I really do have it easier than most peple around the world. (Now cleaning my room and washing dished doesn't seem so bad lol)The fact that the movie has no dialouge makes it even better. This makes us actually focus and get a better understanding of what Reggio is really trying to show us throughout the film. The most interesting part of the movie, in my opinion, is when Reggio shows the reflection of the tree in the stream. This was overwhelmingly beautiful, and unlike anything I had ever seen before. The film really tests your brain and makes you become a deeper thinker and analyzer, which is the whole point of TOK. This was a great experience for me, and I hope that we are able to watch more of Reggio's works in the near future. Well...I guess it's time for me to clean my room. Lol peaceeeeeeeeee.
ReplyDeletei both liked and disliked the movie. i like how it showed the world in a way that people wouldn't usually think of. how towards the end of the movie they showed the commercials*sp* some people wouldnt think of it as showing us how they think we should look.then the music is perfect. it has the right tempo for each scene, it comes in at the right time, and its almost like its mood changing. when they showed a scene in what i believe is india when the showed the two men meditating the music was different but calming in a scense. then when it got to the scene with the train the change of music and tempo kind of made you want to bounce or it gave you the scense of being hyper or of feeling excitement. when they went through the different cities and showed how crowded they were and how some people lived on the streets they were showing some negative sides of different societies but they are also showing how cities around the world are alike. to me this movie is saying that the world is like the ocean/sea,it can be rough and bumpy making things more difficult for you but it can also be calm and smooth taking you through a time of peace
ReplyDeleteD'Jere' TOK A Day
I didnt get a chance to finish watching the movie, but from what I saw it was a good movie. At first when I first saw it, I was lyke "What NO words".!..but it turned out to be alright. The interpretation that I interpreted was that the purpose of the movie was to show the different lifestyles of different people. Also, when they showed the commercials, I thought that maybe they showed those commercials to show how good we got it as in living conditions, entertainment, and other enjoyable things we should be thankful for. Seeing the way others lived in different areas made me feel intrested in their life. Well, this is my interpretation of the film :)
ReplyDelete- Kenya TOK A Day
I really enjoyed viewing the Powaqqatsi movie. Although I did not get a chance to see a few parts, what I saw really kept me interested. I think that the way the film had no words really helped to show the seriousness of the film. I liked how it showed third world countries and things we do not see in everyday life. It also helped others who don't really know what goes on in the other side of the world and are not aware of how horrible their living conditions are, and rough of circumstances they have, but it does not really phase the people of these countries because that's all they're accustomed to. The best part of the film for me was how the director captured the celebrations of these countries. Even though they don't have much, they still made the best of it. The way the director showed their pure excitement and happiness during the celebrations really moved me!
ReplyDelete- Taylor, TOK B-Day
When I first watched Powaqqatsi (which was toward the end of the movie) I was somewhat lost until Mr. Harris finally paused the movie and elucidated on a few scenes. I then started analyzing the movie with a better perspective and realized that we take a lot for granted such as indoor plumbing and shoes. In the scenes that I viewed, I've noticed street residents that only own newspapers as blankets and the street as their mattress/pillow and hard labor workers that maneuver large and heavy items by foot with no shoes to long and far destinations. Even though poverty is held in America, but plenty countries on the other side of the world have it WAY worst than we may have it. That is why people who reside in Africa, Asia, Australia, and etc relocate to America to live better because they see the US as a rich and free country. The director demonstrates this through fine lining in those poverty scenes that were shown. In conclusion, we can favor the finer and luxurious things in life, but appreciate the fake Jordans, $5 shoes from Wal-Mart and other knock-off shoes from your local holders because you may never know who suffers worst than you!
ReplyDelete~Oshia; ToK B-Day
I believe Powaqqatsi is a good film. This movie proves that even without words language is still present and interpretable. And if it wasn't for your TOK class Mr. Harris I probably would have never seen this movie.I also feel as though the music played a big role in setting the tone of this movie with all the different contrasts. We, as people of today's society, are more dependent on technology and handicaped by it, believing that without it Certain task at hand are impossible, but Powaqqatsi shows that even without the use of technology you can still live an efficient and productive life. This isn't the first movie I've seen without words but it surely was the most meangiful. And the music in the backdrop really contributed the mosyt with the contrast between modern society and that of the developing countries.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Scott TOK B-day
the movie to me was kinda of interesting. The movie at first bored me but as the movie went deeper I felt not as bored. The beginning I did not understand. But to me the true meaning of Powaqqatsi is that people in this world can be sad and people do not recognize it and help them. It also means that people can be religious that they do anything to get holy. I also realize that society is different in different countries. Some societies are poor and some are rich. The music in the background really contributed the different scenes in the movie. Overall, I love Powaqqatsi
ReplyDeleteIssac morgan
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very interesting to me. The way that it describes and explain things just amazed me. My favorite part was when it showed how the people were going up and down the hill collecting the sand. It was funny how they looked like ant going up and down an ant hill collecting food. Another part that I found amusing was how they showed the children faces, and you could tell they were poor and hungry just by the facial features. The idea that you can tell how someone is living by their facial qualities is just outstanding. These are some of the reasons why i like this movie
...K. I didn't know if your question was rhetorical or not but it was a weak movie to me because I see this everyday. I can cut on my t.v. and see that America doesn't appreciate anything, we're lazy, and we're always wanting things and in other countries that have it way worse than us appreciate what they have and make the best of it. The director's hour and a half movie wasn't art but a waste of time. My time was wasted and I believe that his was also by making this movie. It isn't anything new. It was more of an "Okay... I know this. Cool." I've seen the pictures and the different colors of the countries and the blandness here in America and seeing it in the movie didn't make it anymore interesting. I just didn't understand where he was going with the film
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started watching the movie i was wondering why the world Mr. Harris chose this. I was thinking who watches a movie without sound. As the movie continued i realized that the movie presented crosscutting scenes from different cultures around the world. This started to really interest me. The movie conveyed a sense of immenseness and variety on our planet. Also, it illustrates diversity and transformation. Powaqqatsi contrasted the ways of life. It presented us with a variety of scenes illustrating how mechanization, technology, and growth of big cities have negative effect on small cultures. In the end, I really loved it !!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete-brittney tok B-Day
I really enjoyed the movie and although it had no dialogue I found the changes in musical selections very fitting and helped in the relationship the finisher was trying ti convey. The movie's concept revolved around natural beauty of the earth and industrialized beauty of the Earth. From the film, the thought I got was that the villages and "old timer" style of living was much more special to me & their society is based on love, peace, harmony & being one. In contrast, our industrialization in America in full of caniving advertisement that tricks us into spending our wealth on nonsense $ food that
DeleteIs not healthy. Our definition of beauty is supernatural & as my mother always told me "we are wiser but weaker". Our technology is so advanced I see it as an evil. We're so used to TV & Internet we don't have family time & our society is killing its own morals of togetherness kind of
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