Susan Watkins -- In Class Film 1

I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed watching the segments of film from Koyaanisqatsi, although I've heard a lot of different reactions to it. Personally, I really enjoy movies that focus on audiovisual elements over basic plot and narrative structures. I find that I connect with them on a deeper level, even though sometimes the connection is more vague and harder to understand.

Koyaanisqatsi was great for me because I really experienced a sense of mysterium tremendum as described by Otto, especially at the beginning of the movie. The images of rolling mountains, sky, clouds, and especially water made me feel more and more like I was part of them, like it was myself that was so vast and eternal, or rushing along like the rivers and oceans. I really experienced that kind of "blank awe" that Otto describes as part of mysterium and fascination. The tremendum, though, I think really struck me more through the music than anything. The low, rumbling repitition of "Koyaanisqatsi" legitimately disturbed me, and it was like even without speaking Hopi I could have guessed that it was a word of power and desruction. I think the height of my disturbance came when the images of metal powerline poles and wind-power structures were paired with this music. For whatever reason, they seemed so wrong and terrible. When that music faded, though, so did my sense of tremendum.

So, I think I liked the movie primarily because I felt such deep and strong reactions to it, and I think movies that can inspire that kind of response are products of great artistry.